From professional ballerinas to high school drill teams, dance is a widely recognized art through various ages. Many dancers start their careers at the young age of 2 or 3. Dancers are known as being very professional, responsible, and persevering. They push through pain, discomfort, and even push through personal problems. These dance spaces should create a safe, comfortable, and respectful environment. But what happens when that’s not the case? What are the effects on dancers in an unsupportive environment? Dance spaces can easily become unsupportive, unkind, and challenging. Many dancers are taught from a young age to leave any outside problems at the door, but that’s hard to do if the problems come from within.
There’s competition in every sport but dance adds one more characteristic to that- comparison. It’s so easy to compare yourself in everything, especially when you’re surrounded by talented people. With dance you have mirrors to see what you’re doing and to make sure it’s correct. But staring in the mirror at yourself for hours on end isn’t healthy for anyone, even more so when you’re supposed to find imperfections to improve. It’s so easy to start seeing yourself completely different from how everyone else sees you.
These safe spaces are created by both dancers and coaches. The biggest goals for a coach should be to build unity, provide positive feedback, open opportunities, and make every dancer feel valued — all while ensuring the basics, like safety. Safety is vital for everyone, but especially for dancers who are constantly asked to push their limits. Being a coach is a huge responsibility that can be rewarding when the right environment is nurtured. Dancers look up to their coaches for approval and trust them to provide safe spaces. But when coaches dismiss concerns or downplay safety, they fail the very people who trust them most. A coach who avoids accountability and hides behind authority doesn’t create unity — they create fear and frustration.
For drill team dancers, the expectations don’t stop at the studio. They’re also expected to uphold the image of their school’s program, balancing reputation with reality. Grades must stay high or they risk being benched from routines. Attendance, attitude, and energy are all constantly monitored. On top of that, they typically learn at least one new routine every week. The stress, the pain, the constant pressure — it can be overwhelming. Yet their love for dance, their passion for performing, is bigger than anything that tries to hold them back.
Dance can cause a variety of injuries. But for many dancers it’s worth the risk. For singers, their outlet is singing. For dancers, it’s dancing. Whether it’s a great day, and they want to capture that energy into a fun jazz or an incredible hip hop. And even on the bad days, they want to capture the negative energy and turn it into a dark or sad contemporary. Dance is their way to express themselves in ways words cannot. It’s their escape from reality. They pour their time, energy, money, and effort into their passion. And they’re incredible at what they do in not so great environments. So, imagine what they could do in the right environment. The kind of environment where they know they’re safe, supported, and loved. Every dancer deserves more than survival — they deserve an environment where their art can truly thrive. The real question isn’t what dancers can endure, but what coaches and programs are willing to change to protect them. Because when dancers are safe, supported, and seen, there’s no limit to the art they can create.
