Eating disorders are common amongst the dance population, like famous ballerina Gelsey Kirkland
Ballet dancers have always been known as tiny, wispy, thin and fairy-like. They are supposed to move as if floating and create perfect lines with their bodies. Unfortunately, with the pressure to stay skinny even after going through puberty, many dancers develop the eating disorder anorexia as a result.
Famous ballerinas like Gelsey Kirkland have made public their struggle with eating disorders. They possess the characteristics most typical in anorexic patients, including perfectionism, high ambition and the excessive drive to succeed.
Incorporate the intense lifestyle of a ballet dancer and the demands of a strict teacher, and dancers are highly susceptible for developing body image distortions. The constant reflections in the omnipresent mirrors, the dress code of a bodysuit and tights, the close scrutiny of every muscle, and the final presentation on stage for hundreds or thousands of viewers leaves some daunted.
This unique existence is articulated excellently in Lorie Ann Grover’s novel On Pointe. Through free verse, readers are taken into teenage Clare’s head. She has been training as a ballet dancer for ten years, living and breathing dance. Her goal to make it into one of the sixteen spots in the City Ballet Company, which has been a dream of her family’s since she was a little girl.
However, the strain put on her body and mind threatens to burst as she tries to deal with everything surrounding her. Her best friend Rosella has taken to puking in the bathroom after class, with her mother’s encouragement; their classmate Dia has gained weight and everyone snickers that she will be kicked out any day; the girls silently compare their bodies to the others; and Clare can’t stop herself from growing into the tallest girl in class.
The first half of the novel builds up to the City Ballet Company auditions, which decide the fate of so many young hopefuls. The audition makes or breaks these students and the apprehension is high. With each fouetté, arabesque and jeté, another dancer’s dreams are started or shattered.
Lorie Ann Grover knows the gruelling pace that dancers must go through. She was part of the Miami Ballet Company when she was a teenager, before hitting six feet tall. Her “undiluted, insiders' look at both the wondrous and (hidden) ugly parts of dance, including the eating disorders that some girls suffer,” is a moving story about a young woman trying to achieve her dreams in a world that limits them (Lorie Ann Grover, 2007).
A book for both dancers and “regular” people alike, the narrative’s focus on determination and inner strength is universal. You can purchase a copy of Lorie Ann Grover’s On Pointe from AMAZON.
