Advice For Dancers - Brief Article - Column

Dance Magazine, July, 2001 by Linda Hamilton

AN ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR AT FORDHAM UNIVERSITY, LINDA HAMILTON, PH.D., IS ALSO A PSYCHOLOGIST IN PRIVATE PRACTICE, A FORMER DANCER WITH NEW YORK CITY BALLET, AND AUTHOR OF ADVICE FOR DANCERS (JOSSEY-BASS). Thank you for your thoughtful response to "Dancer's Mother in California" [Advice for Dancers, Dance Magazine, April, page 74], whose daughter was victimized by a male supervisor at a summer dance camp in Maine. I would like to offer this family some additional information, based on my own work as the national director of victim services with Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD).

First, because this young woman was a minor, she is the victim of a sexual assault under Maine law, even if the sex was consensual. I trust this crime was reported to the police. If not, there is still time to do so. The family can also find out about their civil options by contacting the Maine Bar Association for an attorney where the crime occurred (800/860-1460) or the Victims Assistance Legal Organization (703/748-0811).

Victims of crimes may also be eligible for compensation in the state where the crime took place by calling the Department of the Attorney General. The victims compensation program in Maine (207/624-7882) provides a cap of $15,000, which can help pay for counseling expenses. I would also urge this family to contact the National Center for Victims of Crime (703/276-2880) to find out about free or low-cost counseling at their local rape crisis center.

As a victim of crime, the more this dancer is able to make her own decisions, the better chance she has of becoming a survivor.

Stephanie Frogge From Irving, Texas

It's rare for me to include such a long letter in this column. But I think the value of your information speaks for itself Sexual assault is no laughing matter. In fact, the problem usually begins in school settings, where children spend most of their time. While no group is immune from this form of abuse, the dance community can help by addressing all forms of sexual harassment--from explicit sexual comments, inappropriate touching, and propositioning for sex to consensual sex with minors. Ideally, dance schools and companies should have a specific policy in place, including a "safe contact person," as well as penalties against the harasser who files a false complaint.

Help! I'm big-busted and maybe twenty pounds overweight. I've been dancing for almost two years and would love to join the San Francisco Ballet, but these two things are holding me back. What should I do?

Asha From Cherry Hill, New Jersey

I'm always torn when I hear from a dancer with your passion who has several strikes against her. On the one hand, I'd love to encourage you to go full speed ahead in ballet. Yet, based on your letter, it would seem that you started ballet training in your teens and your body is not naturally suited to the profession's prepubescent shape.

What should you do? My advice is to keep your options open by studying several dance techniques and continuing your education. While healthy weight management may help you to achieve more of a ballet look, professional training usually needs to begin in childhood to slowly mold your bones while they are still growing.

I feel really stupid. None of my friends seem to freak out when they get a good part, while I panic. Yesterday I got so nervous in rehearsal that my back felt like it was about to go into spasm. A massage helped, but I'm still a wreck.

Lost in Miami

Please try to calm down! It's normal to get nervous before a big performance, even if your friends won't admit it. The problem is that too much anxiety can also lead to injuries. Besides causing fatigue, nerves make your muscles tense, forming body armor that can disrupt the fine motor control needed to dance. The good news is that there are a number of techniques that can reduce anxiety, beginning with breathing exercises to help you relax. Mental skills, such as cognitive coping techniques, also improve performance. For example, I often help dancers change the way they look at a new role, reframing it as a challenge rather than a way to fail.

Do dancers ever feel relieved to not have to dance? For the last few years, I've been worried that I didn't have the right body for doing ballet. Then my dance school asked me to leave because of my feet, and the weirdest thing is that I'm actually happier. Is this real? My mother thinks I'm in denial.

Free at Last

Dancers are smart, according to lots of research. They also tend to be perfectionists, making it agony for those who can't compete because of a physical deficit beyond their control. As a result, your sense of relief isn't surprising. Still, the challenge for all dancers who want another career is to discover other areas of talent where their hard work will pay off. While I don't think you're in denial, you do need time to adjust.

Send your questions to: Linda Hamilton, Ph.D. at 2000 Broadway, PH2C, New York, NY 10023 and read her answers exclusively in Dance Magazine.