Australian Ballet hits back at Sydney Morning Herald’s description of dancers as being ‘unusually thin’

The Australian Ballet has fiercely defended its dancers following a critical review of a performance which described them as “unusually thin”.

A review of the company’s show Circle Electric in the Sydney Morning Herald criticised the performance as “unrelatable”, however writer Chantal Nguyen also commented on the appearance of the dancers.

“The dancers are fabulous, although — and perhaps this was the lighting — seem unusually thin this season,” Nguyen said in the piece published on May 6.

But Australian Ballet artistic director David Hallberg said he was “shocked” when he read the line about the dancers’ bodies.

“We welcome the critique of the artform but we don’t welcome critique of the dancers’ bodies, shapes and sizes,” Hallberg told the ABC.

He said The Australian Ballet asked the publication to remove the line, but the editors refused.

“They said they felt it was frankly ridiculous that any discussion about body image cannot be discussed in a review,” Hallberg said.

Earlier, Hallberg said the organisation prioritised the health and welfare of dancers.

“Comments about weight, shape and body comparisons can have a serious negative impact on a person’s self-esteem and body image and can be detrimental to individuals’ mental and physical health,” he said.

It can be really triggering, you don’t know what someone’s words can mean to someone else and I think that can be really dangerous.

“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.”

Researchers have found ballet dancers are an at-risk group for body image distortion and eating disorders because a lean body was historically considered essential to perform some movements.

Hallberg said the company’s Artistic Health Team developed guidelines on body image and eating disorders with the National Eating Disorders Collaboration (NEDC), which he said were the first of their kind in professional ballet.

“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.

“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 artform, in sporting codes and in society,” Hallberg said

The Australian Ballet principal artist Benedicte Bemet said she was “offended” by the “off-hand remark” following the company’s dedication to change ballet culture.

“It can be really triggering, you don’t know what someone’s words can mean to someone else and I think that can be really dangerous,” she said on the ABC.

Circle Electric by multi-award-winning Australian choreographer Stephanie Lake is on show at the Sydney Opera House this month and Melbourne’s Regent Theatre in October.

A promotion of the performance said it “looks at a fundamental paradox of our existence – how we can be both utterly insignificant and profoundly important at the same time.”

In her review, Nguyen said the set, costumes and lighting of the performance were “gorgeous” and the lead performers demonstrated “grace and technical flair”.

But she went on to say the work was flawed.

“Circle Electric drops crumbs of good visions, but ultimately it’s impossible to defend the indefensible,” Nguyen said.

“If you want good modern dance by young female choreographers, there are other works that can speak to your humanity and challenge, uplift, or edify you.”

Nguyen has been contacted for comment.