Today’s episode is an important discussion...perhaps one of the most important ones I have had on the podcast over the last two years. I address something that is going on in the ballet competition world today. You might have heard of it, know someone who has done it, or even engaged in it yourself.

I am talking about misrepresenting health data on competition applications. This episode might be triggering for some and shocking for others, but it is an important conversation. I bring on Stephanie Potreck of Ausdancers Overseas, who has been conducting field research on the topic, and the preliminary results are disturbing.

Please know that neither Stephanie nor I have the answers…but we both strongly believe that opening the conversation is the first step in affecting change. We also have not spoken to any competition representatives regarding this topic. All we have is self-reported data from the dancers themselves. Listen on to hear the results of the data, and how you can get involved.

To connect with Stephanie and engage with her research on this topic:

Survey Website: https://ausdancersoverseas.surveysparrow.com/s/ballet-and-dance-competitions/tt-df6fb27607

Instagram: @ausdancersoverseas

Please remember that I am not a mental health professional. Anything you hear me say on the show is based on my personal experience and perspectives and should not be considered medical advice. By listening to this podcast, you agree not to use any of the content to diagnose you or anyone else with any mental or health condition.

If you are in crisis, please call 1-800-273-TALK (8255) to reach a 24-hour crisis center, text MHA to 741741, call 911, or go to the nearest emergency room. To find a local MHA affiliate who can provide services, check out https://www.mhanational.org/

The theme music is, "A Journey" by Kevin Hartnell It has been edited and reproduced under the Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-SA 4.0).

Follow the pod on Instagram!

Dance; Better Podcast @dancebetterpodcast

Send in your questions or episode suggestions to dancebetterpodcast@gmail.com

If you relate and found this episode helpful, please click follow/subscribe and leave a review. (I might even read it on the next episode!)

And don't forget to check out the show sponsor, @we.are.minding, or at www.wearemindingthegap.org