Along with the rewards of a dance career come numerous sources of stress, from the demands of a busy schedule to challenges in the studio. “We want to be perfect,” says Shuaib Elhassan, a dancer with Alonzo King LINES Ballet, “and we want to reach for the best we can do.” While occasional acute stress—like […]

Let’s say that today you’re having a terrible time following your class’s choreography and are feeling ashamed—you’re always stumbling a few beats behind. Do you: 1. Admit it’s your fault because you didn’t study the steps last night? Tonight you’ll nail them down. 2. Feel worthless and alone? You slump your shoulders, avoid eye contact […]

When it comes to mental health, dancers are the ones on the frontlines trying to support each other. Many find themselves routinely confronted with concerns for their friends. Maybe it’s the dancer down the barre who you know is cutting, or the partner who only speaks about himself with disparagement and disgust. According to Dr. […]

As a dancer going through a mental health challenge, loneliness can feel like your only companion. Pacific Northwest Ballet soloist Steven Loch has managed obsessive-compulsive disorder since middle school, and for nearly a decade felt too scared to speak up. “We feel like if we say something people will be horrified by some of the […]