‘Not acceptable’: The Australian Ballet slams body-shaming critic

Artististic director David Hallberg has called for body image comments to be eradicated after a media review criticised dancers for appearing ‘unusually thin’.

Australian Ballet artistic director David Hallberg with Etudes principals Brett Chynoweth and Sharni Spencer. Picture: David Caird

The Australian Ballet has accused The Sydney Morning Herald of body shaming and attacking its entire cohort of dancers by criticising their appearance in a scathing review.

A former ballet dancer and award-winning arts writer, who pens reviews for the Nine newspapers and The Saturday Paper, said a performance of Etudes and Circle Electric at the Sydney Opera House featured dancers who were “fabulous” but “unusually thin”.

The one-and-a-half-star review was published on May 5 and prompted The Australian Ballet artistic director David Hallberg to request the removal of the reference to the dancer’s physiques.

Mr Hallberg’s request was denied by the editors.

“They (The Sydney Morning Herald) have triggered an entire company of dancers and I feel very protective of their mental health and wellbeing,” Mr Hallberg told The Australian.

“Words are actually quite hurtful. Words that are hurtful are words like; ‘You need to lose weight. You’re too thin. You need to get into shape. You’re not in shape.‘ Those are triggering in a field where there’s a very high risk, or high probability, of disordered eating and eating disorders. During this day and age that mental health is so important we are taking this very seriously. I’m taking this very seriously as sort of a Papa Bear of 78 dancers. I am feeling very protective.”

Mr Hallberg, a former principal dancer with the American Ballet Company and the first American premier dancer of Russia’s Bolshoi Ballet, is no stranger to the pressures dancers face. He also experienced negative body image and disordered eating.

“I was personally affected by it in my dancing career to a certain degree. There is no gender bias,” he said.

“Commentary regarding body image is not acceptable and I am compelled to address this. I feel very protective about the mental health and wellbeing of these dancers and the words we’ve all been subjected to in the ballet world.

“Professional ballet dancers, like other aesthetic athletes, are identified as a high-risk group for the development of body image concerns, disordered eating and eating disorders,” he said.

Hallberg added that discussions about body image should be “eradicated” not just from the arts but also from society at large.

Something he is spearheading, and a narrative he aims to change, in his role leading one of our most esteemed creative organisations.

In the coming months, The Australian Ballet will be the first dance company in the world to introduce a set of body image and eating disorder guidelines.

It will follow more than two years of work, research, consultation and presentations with the Ballet’s principal physiotherapist Sue Mayes to the board of directors in an effort to foster a positive environment for its dancers and entire organisation.

Collaborating with the National Eating Disorders Collaboration, the company has developed “Body Image and Disordered Eating Guidelines” as part of its commitment to promoting healthy minds and bodies among its performers.

“Yes ballet is an aesthetic art form. It’s an expressive art form, but also an athletic art form. The through line is that it’s an expressive art form. The body isn’t up for the critique,” Mr Hallberg said.

When the guidelines are released internally in July, The Australian Ballet will be the first dance company in the world to execute such a broad wellbeing initiative, Mr Hallberg said it will not be a policy, but a toolkit to care for dancers and future members.

“We believe that by taking the steps outlined in this plan, we can create a safe and supportive environment for our dancers to thrive both on and off the stage, build long and fulfilling careers, and excel in their post-dance lives,” Mr Hallberg said.

“The Australian Ballet stands firm in our commitment to prioritising the welfare and health of our performers, and hope that by shining a light on this topic that body image comments, like the one reported last week, will be eradicated in our art form, in sporting codes and in society.”

Mr Hallberg’s work in this space follows similar measures taken by the AFL this year to eradicate skin fold tests for junior and potential professional footballers and banning the publishing of player’s weights in its season guide in order to prioritise the health and wellbeing of its athletes.

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Additional reporting: Geordie Gray