Interpersonal stressors

Interpersonal relationships in the dance environment

The power exerted by authority figures in the dance environment are found to result in a cultural hegemony which seemed to influence dancers’ participation in the system and their outward agreement with the institutional and cultural ideas (Benn & Walters, 2001; Dantas et al., 2018). This entails that peers and teachers influence dancers body image, eating attitude, ego orientation and overall ideals. Consequently, in such an environment, the stressors hamper dancers’ performance-development and well-being (Critien & Ollis, 2006; Haraldsen et al., 2021; Harper, 2012; Lacaille et al., 2007; Stanway et al., 2020).

However, when teachers displayed supportive behavior, dance students appeared to digest and interpret such information not always as intended (Blevins et al., 2020). Also, students seemed to be affected by other sources than the training environment, such as media and social media (Blevins et al., 2020). Thus, even though dancers did report healthy learning conditions, they may not be engaged in healthy behaviors when under such external media pressure.

Appraisals

Threat

Negative reactions to injury occurrence
Body ideals in dance environment
Media and social media portraying body ideals/ impact on peers
Teacher’s attitudes and teaching styles (authoritative)
Eating attitudes promoted in the dance environment
Comparison to peers
Ego-oriented climates
Surveillance (weight)
Expectations of constantly needing to improve

Harm
Narrow-minded identity
Obsessive passion
Negative reactions to injury occurrence

Challenge
Task-oriented climates
Positivite personality

Benefit
Surveillance of development
Traits of emotional intelligence

Personal qualities

Harmonious passion
Confidence
Motivation
Proactivity

Overview over responses to Interpersonal stressors

Facilitative responses

nurturing positive motivation, flow, confidence and reducing fear
Task-orientation
Promotion of social relationships with peers and professional collaborations
Facilitating early training in self-development, self-and career management
Forming holistic perspective on dancer’s identity
Regarding others as a resource

Debilitative responses

Ego-orientation
Fixed mindsets
Regarding others as competition
Fear of making mistakes
Conforming to others’ ideals and expectations
Overvaluing opinion of others

General overview over responses to Interpersonal stressors in the dance community

Teachers play an essential role in promoting facilitative responses that help dancers navigate stressors in the dance environment and improve their well-being. Being perceptive of signs of obsessive passion, nurturing positive motivation, flow, confidence, reducing fear and promoting social relationships with peers and professional collaborations might be crucial in aiding the students in handling stressors within the dance community. Furthermore, facilitating early training in self-development, self and career management, as well as forming a holistic perspective on dancers’ identity, aligning choices with a larger sense of purpose, exercising self-direction, and using strategies for creative problem solving might be further coping strategies that should be promoted and enhanced in dancers (Van Staden et al., 2009).

Interpersonal stressors:

Alexias, G., & Dimitropoulou, E. (2011). The body as a tool: Professional classical ballet dancers’ embodiment. Research in Dance Education, 12(2), 87-104.

Aujla, I. J., Nordin-Bates, S., & Redding, E. (2014). A qualitative investigation of commitment to dance: findings from the UK Centres for Advanced Training. Research in dance education, 15(2), 138-160.

Aujla, I. J., Nordin-Bates, S. M., & Redding, E. (2015). Multidisciplinary predictors of adherence to contemporary dance training: findings from the UK Centres for Advanced Training. Journal of sports sciences, 33(15), 1564-1573.

Benn, T., & Walters, D. (2001). Between Scylla and Charybdis. Nutritional education versus body culture and the ballet aesthetic: The effects on the lives of female dancers. Research in dance education, 2(2), 139-154.

Blevins, P., Erskine, S., Moyle, G., & Hopper, L. (2020). Student and teacher attitudes towards overtraining and recovery in vocational dance training. Theatre, Dance and Performance Training, 11(1), 5-24.

Blevins, P., Erskine, S., Hopper, L., & Moyle, G. (2020). Finding Your Balance: An Investigation of Recovery–Stress Balance in Vocational Dance Training. Journal of Dance Education, 20(1), 12-22.

Bottamini, G. L. (2000). Ballet teachers: A source of perceived weight loss pressure in female ballet students. University of Ottawa (Canada).

Carr, S., & Wyon, M. (2003). The impact of motivational climate on dance students’ achievement goals, trait anxiety, and perfectionism. Journal of Dance Medicine & Science, 7(4), 105-114.

Dantas, A. G., Alonso, D. A., Sánchez-Miguel, P. A., & del Río Sánchez, C. (2018). Factors dancers associate with their body dissatisfaction. Body image, 25, 40-47.

de las Heras Fernández, R., Espada Mateos, M., Carrascal Dominguez, S., & Garcia Coll, V. (2020). Evaluation and analysis of emotional intelligence, mood and coping strategies in two Spanish dance companies. Research in Dance Education, 21(3), 231-244.

Dryburgh A. & Fortin S. (2010): Weighing in on surveillance: perception of the impact of surveillance on female ballet dancers’ health, Research in Dance Education, Volume 1, number 2

Green, J. (1999). Somatic authority and the myth of the ideal body in dance education. Dance research journal, 31(2), 80-100

Hancox, J. E., Quested, E., Ntoumanis, N., & Duda, J. L. (2017). Teacher-created social environment, basic psychological needs, and dancers’ affective states during class: A diary study. Personality and Individual Differences, 115, 137-143.

Hamilton L.; Hamilton, W.G.; Warren, M.P.; Keller, K. and Molnar, M. (1997): Factors contributing to the attrition rate in elite ballet students. Journal of Dance Medicine and Science, Volume 1, number 4.

Haraldsen, H. M., Halvari, H., Solstad, B. E., Abrahamsen, F. E., & Nordin-Bates, S. M. (2019). The role of perfectionism and controlling conditions in Norwegian elite junior performers’ motivational processes. Frontiers in psychology, 10, 1366.

Haraldsen, H. M., Abrahamsen, F. E., Solstad, B. E., & Halvari, H. (2021). Narrative Tensions in Strained Junior Elite Performers’ Experiences of Becoming Elite Performers. Frontiers in Psychology, 12, 1767.

Heiland, T. L., Murray, D. S., & Edley, P. P. (2008). Body image of dancers in Los Angeles: the cult of slenderness and media influence among dance students. Research in Dance Education, 9(3), 257-275.

Kartawidjaja, J. E., & Cordero, E. D. (2013). Fat talk and body dissatisfaction among college dancers. Journal of Dance Education, 13(4), 122-129.

Kushida, M. A. (2017). The Environment and Identity Processes: The Dancer Identity as a Case Study (Doctoral dissertation, UC Riverside).

Macchi, R., & Crossman, J. (1996). After the fall: reflections of injured classical ballet dancers. Journal of Sport Behavior, 19(3), 221.

Nordin-Bates, S. M. (2020). Striving for Perfection or for Creativity? A Dancer’s Dilemma. Journal of dance education, 20(1), 23-34.

Skaardal, E. (2006). Kroppen som middel og symbol: en kvalitativ studie av unge jenters bearbeidelse av prestasjoner og kroppsidealer i dansen (Master’s thesis).

Walker, I. J., Nordin-Bates, S. M., & Redding, E. (2012). A mixed methods investigation of dropout among talented young dancers: Findings from the UK Centres for Advanced Training. Journal of Dance Medicine & Science, 16(2), 65-73.

Wenn, B., Mulholland, R., Timmons, W., & Zanker, Y. (2018). Towards a developing construct in dance education–exploring the relation of emotional intelligence to teacher’s sense of efficacy and teaching experience among dance education student teachers in the United Kingdom. Research in Dance Education, 19(1), 14-38.