REAL TALK: My "Today Show" Appearance | Body Image & Mental Health in Ballet | Kathryn Morgan 

I want to thank you all for so openly sharing your stories in the comments. It's amazing to me how many people have been affected by this. That breaks my heart even more. I know it must be scary to open up, but your comments are meaning the world. And this is what we need! This is what brings about more awareness. So much love to you all! xoxo

This isn’t inspiring,. This isn’t brave, this is LIFE SAVING INFORMATION! Your voice has reached so many. Speak loud. Speak proud. We are with you.

I'm literally speechless you didn't perform in Firebird because of your body...you got the contract with Miami City Ballet looking the way you looked...were they silently expecting you to loose weight? It's mind-boggling. I think we all support you on your journey regardless of whether or not you're dancing with a company. You have been through so much, I think you know your worth. Using your voice to speak for those who were crushed by the industry is a wonderful purpose. It's time for things to change, ballet needs to catch up with reality. I'm writing this as a former pre-professional ballet student who couldn't cope with the pressure to be thin. Thank you for speaking your truth.

Imagine how many talented dancers were rejected unnecessarily because of their body. It's stupid. Thank you for your advocacy!

I'm 67 and still remember when I was taking ballet lessons that I was told "she needs to lose weight". It was not body shaming then. Weight issues still haunt me. I'm so proud and happy You are representing ballet in such a positive way. Thank you.

who wants to aspire to being the thinnest dancer! i woud aspire to being the best dancer! or really the happiest dancer!

I agree with so many of the comments saying that I don’t think ballet directors and producers know what people want to see anymore. Eating disorders and the look that is often associated with them are very well known in our culture now. And I think for many people, seeing extreme thinness in a dancer (or anyone else) is no longer linked to beauty. It now culturally signifies illness and unhealthy conditions. I don’t think it’s a coincidence that dancers like you and Misty Copeland are the ones getting known by people outside of the ballet world. The world wants to see something different now

I vividly remember being so stressed about going through puberty, because once it started, all the comments from one of my dance teachers in particular, came rolling in. "Your thighs jiggle when you relevé, you need to cut out dairy" was one that really stuck with me. I was 13 years old, 5'3", and about 88 pounds, very much considered underweight, and I was being told to watch what I eat, because my body was doing what a lot of female bodies do during puberty and storing a little extra fat in a couple of places. Madness. I ended up dropping dance classes entirely about a year later, but never lost my passion for it. I now, ten years later, attend an open ballet class once a week, and even though I am definitely the biggest in the class weight-wise, I don't let that stop me or make me feel bad throughout the whole class anymore. All I care about is whether or not my dancing is good, and I'm enjoying myself. Thank you for speaking up, and acknowledging that it is not okay that there are teachers out there that are putting people down for their size, when that size is not affecting their stamina, technique, or artistry.

Also, are we absolutely positive that audiences need to see waif-thin dancers? I saw a ballet once that cast dancers who were considered normal to overweight. They practiced and danced their hearts out. It was beautiful. Perhaps I am the minority.

First of all, I can’t believe you were taken out of Firebird. That shocks me. Not to mention, I thought you have been looking very fit and healthy so it REALLY shocks me your body was the reason. I hope you don’t get backlash from MCB for speaking up about this. Second- I have always followed you for your personality, nice nature, and determination. Your tutorial videos got me following you but your dancing itself is not what made me stay. You have a wonderful presence and are so kind. I think that’s why we all follow you 💜

You’re amazing Katie ❤️❤️❤️❤️

When a 12 year old is told to lose weight - this is child abuse. It's nothing less and nothing different than full on, full frontal child abuse. Let us call it what it is - so that we are not confused. Just as you said, "for what?" It's a whole different thing when an adult professional chooses to maintain a low body weight for the sake of roles. A child is not the property of the institution of ballet. Now.....moving on to adult professionals who understand the choices that they make: Being thin does not always equal being unhealthy. A lot depends on how it was attained. I do believe that there are healthy ways to get there, having been there before, dancing at 100 pounds and feeling great. It has to happen very slowly with strict attention to excellent nutrition. Starving oneself won't get you there, and neither will cocaine. Cocaine is how you get a heart attack. Thanks for talking about this.

I remember being a young dancer in the early 90's. I was barely 98 pounds. I was constantly reminded that I should not gain an ounce of " more" weight. It made me feel horrible and worthless. Thank you Kathryn for being so outspoken about this important Issue! Remember ladies you are beautiful and good enough regardless of body type♥️

This video is SO important. I remember having meetings, one at a time, with our artistic director in our pre-professional program, being given individual feedback on our technique and our weight. The number of girls who were told to lose weight and developed eating disorders that year (and even years later) was staggering. I was one of the lucky ones who skated by without having my body commented on, and even I developed an eating disorder 3 years later due to constant pressure and comparison to other women who did have EDs, being told what roles I could play based on what costumes I could fit into (which typically had been worn by much shorter and smaller framed dancers in the past) and struggling to accept my adult womanly body after being forced into an ideal of a prepubescent body from a young age. I consider myself about as recovered as someone can be 6 years later, but I don’t think I’ll ever be fully free from this mindset that was drilled into me as a young girl just trying to dance because I loved it more than anything. I am so shocked and disgusted to hear the stories you shared about the 12 year old girl and your friend being told to do cocaine to lose weight. How are we still in this place in 2020?? I am also very upset about MCB pulling you from a role for your body (which is beautiful and incredibly capable). It’s so wrong on so many levels. I hope MCB learns from this and becomes more progressive and realistic in their casting, and I hope the entire ballet industry is able to take a step back and consider if their desire for an aesthetic of waif thinness is worth the lives of their dancers. Because EDs kill more than any other mental illness. Thank you for your bravery, Katie. We follow you because you are such a strong beacon of light within an industry that is so often shrouded in mystery and classism and unrealistic expectations. We may love ballet, but we love YOU for your openness and genuine kindness.

I'm one of the non-dancers that follow your channel. I love watching your tips and exercises, but it's videos like this that I find particularly interesting. Personally I don't understand why being a dancer has to equal being skinny. That doesn't even look good. And how are you supposed to keep the muscles needed and be thin at the same time? It reminds me of Katelyn Ohashi, who told a similar story about body shaming in gymnastics and how it made her lose all the joy in the sport.

The clips from your Firebird practice - you look ABSOLUTELY AMAZING! The "standards" in ballet sometimes seem to me more like personal preferences of the higher ups and not about whats actually widely considered beauty.

Speaking as an audience member and ballet lover, I find the focus on weight and body type to be ridiculous. We don't care about a few pounds on or off, in fact we don't even notice it. We are there to be swept up in the dancing, the music, the story, and the otherworldly beauty of it all! As long as the dancers perform the piece beautifully I am happy, and if they are able to do that with all the skill and artistry that it demands, their body is probably just fine anyways. Thank you for speaking up!!

This video is SO RELEVANT! Actually i am so disgusted by all this crazyness for being skinny in ballet, that i really changed my aestetic preferences. When i was younger, i’d love to watch the skinny russian dancers perform, nowadays i feel really uncomfortable to see all this thinness and prefer to watch the more athletic dancers. However i know that the most of directors and choreographers still prefer the thinner girls. I think that your voice will help so much the community of ballet to open its eyes and learn to change its concepts like i did, seeing that true beauty is a healthy body and a healthy mind behind the dancer on stage. Love your videos Katie, you’re a light for us! Love from Brazil 🇧🇷❤️

I can't believe you were taken out of Firebird 😤 You're an incredible artist and would nail that role! It's so sad that here we are in 2020 and this crap is still happening, and it happens in the contemporary world too (I just got taken out of a project because I'm bigger than the other dancers and the choreographer wants a more "uniform" look).

I an an old lady always loved ballet and dancing I am a Cook and live in Peru and believe me you are my inspiration you are beautiful outside and inside. Time os passing for all of us and when you dance and teach to.people like me you glow and time, bodies images etc dont care. A hug from Lima Perú

It’s heartbreaking when you watch videos of dance schools, especially out of Russia, where they are literally screaming at the kids and telling these young girls, who are already very clearly emaciated, that they are fat and need to lose weight. And calling them cows and pigs and things like that. One of my ballet teachers told me that when she was in a company back in the early 2000s, they would verbally and physically abuse them. Not just when they were students, but as professional dancers. They were being slapped and hit by their directors.

Katie, I am in awe of your constant support of those who don’t have a voice in the dance world. When I met you in Atlanta, you confirmed to me what I always suspected: You get it. You are real. You understand the struggles that every single dancer faces. My son even said to me after meeting you: “Mom, I love how genuine Katie is. She’s so kind and approachable.” A million thanks for your love and support and for being the real advocate that you are. 💜

Thank you for speaking out Katie. At 15 I weighed 105 pounds and was told by my PARENTS to “go away, you’re too fat”! I’m now 55 and have become disabled all my adult life, but have found joy dancing in an RAD Silver Swans class. I may be 4’10” and weigh far too much (I’m now over 140lbs thanks to my own chronic illnesses), but thanks to your encouragement I am NOT going to let my mother’s toxic idea of body image or my own chronic pain from EDS steal my joy of dance and in still being able to take class, even if I may never get beyond the stage I’m at now. Thank you so, so much for giving me back the confidence to seek out my wonderful teacher, Emma McMahon and for giving me the courage to try again. (We’re currently all learning - including my equally rotund husband Martin, who comes to class as my carer - a very simplified version of Kitri’s Act III variation in Don Q and laughing such a lot. It’s funny to be the baby of the class again at my age, because Silver Swans is for the over 55’s. Our eldest dancer is in her 80’s) Martin and I both send you and Chris all our love xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

I cried with you as you told us about the 12 year old. How can this be seen as okay. Thank you for what you are doing ♥️

As an adult ballet dancer I'm so over being told, "We'll put you all in a longer tutu, I'm sure you want some coverage", actually no, most of us are pretty fit and would like to wear a pancake tutu sometimes.

If I see an extremely thin dancer I find myself feeling sorry for them rather than concentrating on the dancing. I dont know why extreme thinness is considered desirable. The viewers are watching a ballet, not a weight-loss advert. We dont want it, ye managers of ballet companies!

25-30 years ago, when a teenager, I still remember the class being told 'it's beautiful when your chest bones stick out', us being lined up facing the wall in pink tights and the dimples in our bums being called 'cellulite', 15 years olds on sponsored slims etc etc. I thought things might have changed! Thanks Kathryn for talking about this x

The secret about gaining weight as a dancer that no one seems to acknowledge is that it can sometimes make you stronger. We exist in a culture that tells us that a thinner dancer is always a better dancer. As someone who does ballet purely as a hobby, no one is breathing down my neck to maintain a low weight. As a result I have experienced a lot of natural fluctuations over the years. I have put on about 40 lbs in the 16 years since I was 16, the age at which I had the most traditional “ballet body.” Some of that weight gain is fat but some of it is muscle. I find myself being told I am a great jumper at 32, something that never would have been said about me when I had the visible hip bones and protruding clavicles of the stereotypical ballet dancer.

I needed so much to hear this when I was 13 and battling an eating disorder. Thank you Katie.

Thank you for this. I stopped training seriously when I was 17 and close to getting so much of what I wanted. I got a full scholarship to Joffrey NY and moved there three days after auditioning. But I moved back a month later--hating dance and wanting to get as far from it as possible. I realize now I was burned out by the way it made me think of myself. I developed an eating disorder at 11 after the teacher who taught the audition class for SAB said "it's all about the aesthetic." At 15, my teacher at Atlanta Ballet said I needed to lose weight in my lower stomach (I had stomach issues I was in and out of the hospital for). At 16, a teacher at Washington Ballet asked what flavor jello by butt was. "Strawberry?" he asked. I was a size zero. I'm 27 now and have a hard time bringing myself to take open classes. I've taken classes over the years and have come closer to the joy and passion that was once greater than anything I'd known. I wish to perform one more time. And to rid myself of the guilt of my single mother sacrificing everything for summer intensives, moving me to NY and back, only for me to quit with such angst. I've taught ballet within the last few years, and teaching young people to love what their body does for them, and the beauty of it, was and is so important because technique and talent won't matter if they can't bring themselves to dance any longer. This was long, but thanks again for what you're doing!

I was blessed to have wonderful teachers, I never heard any of that. I specifically remember hearing, "you're past puberty now, you're never going to have a flat backside for the rest of your life. Don't expect yourself to, and don't let anyone else expect you to. You just have to keep your hips square so that you're not letting it stick out more than it would. That's all I'm asking." I will say, though, that there are two ways I've heard people claim they are being "body shamed" that I would argue are not. One is encouraging healthy choices, especially for eating. I don't think it's body shaming to tell your students to cut out junk food as much as they can, IF it's a "general advice to the class" thing or a "pull someone aside afterward and say 'I'm seeing a pattern in the snacks I've seen you with'" thing. It's definitely not okay to call out a specific person in the middle of class about it. The other thing is a piece of advice that was given to a friend of mine once: "Let me be clear: I *do not* want you to lose weight. But I *do* want you to find some cross-training you can do and convert a bit more fat into muscle." Again, it's one that should be given privately, and it's definitely a bit more borderline, but I think it can also be done well. (This one should probably also only be used if the teacher knows that the student has professional aspirations. Someone taking ballet only for recreation... who cares what they look like?)

I'm not a dancer; I watch your videos because of your brutal honesty. I've struggled with body image for 7 years because I've been gaining weight despite doing everything I should to lose it. I also resorted to unhealthy means and STILL DIDN'T LOSE WEIGHT. I kept going to my physician because I knew something was wrong with my body but he'd run all the bloodwork and I didn't have a metabolic disorder that was apparent in blood tests. It got to the point where my physician started thinking I was crazy and just wanted medication to lose weight without having to eat less. I have a bachelor's in exercise and health science. I'm headed to med school. I KNOW WHEN SOMETHING IS WRONG WITH MY BODY. After a 7 year struggle, difficult time getting pregnant, finally having a kid, and going to my OB for bleeding issues and requesting a pelvic ultrasound two weeks ago, I got the diagnosis of PCOS. My weight gain and inability to lose it wasn't my fault. Something had been wrong with my body. I felt so validated but also so low. I needed this video from you, and I'm so glad you've decided to go this direction.

“HAVE YOU THOUGHT ABOUT COCAINE” JESUS CHRIST IM SCREAMING

“Have you thought about cocaine” ARE YOU KIDDING?! like that just trashes your everything for life. just to dance one role. what an awful person to suggest that to a CHILD

I found your channel, because I love to dance. Never took any classes. Just getting joy out of dancing around the house every single day :) My childhood dream was to do ballet. I never tried it. Because I thought I was too fat to do it... At 7... Never found the courage to put myself out there and learn. It's been 10 years and I'm still passionate about dance. I don't have a problem with bodyimage anymore, though I still haven't pursued ballet. I live my dream through your videos - especially the performences. I dream of one day seeing professionals live! Ballet is so beautiful... Also one day I'll try it for myself just to see how it is and make my 7-year-old self happy :)

The most important video you’ve ever made Katie. Thanks for breaking this topic wide open. Sometimes I feel the ballet world is forever in debt to your bravery and strength as you talk about one taboo after the other. We see you, we love you, we are so proud to be a part of breaking this awful cycle with you.

I left the ballet world at age 13 after dancing since I could walk because it quite literally caused my childhood trauma. It’s a long story I may someday feel brave enough to share, but it was a mix of many factors, mainly repeated abuse by my instructor(s). Over ten years later, the wounds those experiences caused have yet to fully heal. I am not the same person I was before. In good and bad ways. The negative impacts were plenty, including that I have trouble with eye contact, I have yet to be able to fully relax from the tension, and I frequently limit myself. But it’s not all bad, and with time and professional help I’m learning to undo the side effects of the trauma, slowly but surely. My confidence is peaking, I can handle criticism better than ever, and I’ve found what makes me the most happy. I’m now a singer and actress in a much safer environment that fosters growth and development at our own pace, valuing the individual performer for what we can uniquely bring to the table rather than having to force ourselves to conform to industry standards. I have a Vocal Music degree and have sung solo at Carnegie Hall, none of which would’ve been possible had I continued to stay in that cycle of abuse. I would’ve never realized my true potential and calling in this other field of performance art. As much as I would’ve absolutely loved to be a professional dancer, and trust me there were glimmers of my experience where I was told this could be my future, ultimately I was more often led to believe by people I trusted that this could never happen for me because of who I am - that no matter how hard I worked, it’d be for nothing. I’m sad that I had to be bullied out of ballet completely, and I often wonder what would’ve happened had I found a different studio to go to, but the trauma led me far away from dance to start sharing my voice in a new way. In spite of all the crap I had to go through, I’m so grateful to have found something even better for me. To any of you out there being bullied or abused for pursuing your passion, I support you in your artistic endeavors. Keep going. And if respect is no longer being served, it takes a great deal of courage to leave the table. Try new things if you can and reevaluate what it is you really want for yourself. It’s ok to question things, your best interests really do matter. Are you dancing because you love to dance or because you were told you’re good at it and you don’t want to disappoint? Is there something else you’ve been longing to try? Has no one been in your corner and ballet is truly the thing you’ve wanted more than anything? Is this something you’re willing to fight for? No matter what it is, I’m on your side. Fight for your dreams and cut out the naysayers. You are enough. You are so enough. It is unbelievable how enough you are.

Thank you for speaking up and bringing to light the problems in the ballet world. We need to talk and change this. I neither have never been the skinniest and am not the best at ballet but I do it because I love it. It doesn’t matter what we look like or how we dance as long as we love doing it. Thank you for being an advocate to bring ballet back to its foundations, the love for the art form.

You are so inspiring! I have struggled a lot with body image over the last few years as a dancer, and you have helped me a lot.

This made me cry. It’s so nice to hear someone so powerful in the field of ballet say “this is not okay.”

All the love to all the dancers that struggle with these problems. And that includes myself. Stay brave , keep on dancing!

I’ve been following your channel for years and I remember being sat in a cafe with tears in my eyes when you announced you were joining Miami City Ballet. I’m a former classical dancer in my 40s who has battled hypothyroidism for over a decade. I’m now a ballet teacher in the UK that has taught at RBS, ENBS etc. What I still struggle with is being ok with seeing myself in the mirror with my ‘new’ more average body type. I was told that my hypothyroidism was probably triggered with a bad break up. This break up sent me down a dark path of fast weight loss to ‘show him’ what he was missing. What also made it worse is that I then started my next contract to my fellow dancers telling me how great I looked when I was so ill and frankly unhappy. To come back around to now, I really try to empower my dancers, many of whom are adolescents, that being mentally healthy is just as important as physically. As dancers it’s so easy to value yourself simply by how you look and I still struggle with this now. Jameela Jamil’s ‘i weigh’ movement has also been a source of strength to make me reflect on how I value myself. Thank you for being so open and shining a light on such important topics. X

People love to crap on the body positivity movement for “promoting obesity” the very core of the movement is the acknowledgment that very few women are ever considered “thin enough.” Society likes to pretend that the preference for thinness is about health, but if dancers, literal athletes, are being told that they need to lose weight clearly that is BS. I am also a former dancer and I have been called fat my entire life no matter what size or my level of physical fitness. I have an hourglass figure and have been told by teachers as soon as I walked in the room that I was in the wrong class. I was constantly told not to stick my butt out. I could go on and on. To those criticizing me, my health mental or physical was never a consideration-only the way that I looked. All because someone arbitrarily decided that I didn’t fit whatever standard they determined was ideal.

I cried right along side with you there. First time I was told to lose weight (from my volleyball coach), I was 13 years old and 16 years later I'm still struggling with it. It was also one of the reasons why I didn't start dancing until I was 26 because I was so afraid to be judged even more, even though I love dancing so much. Over the last five years I found many different health issues that have been there for a long time, which the excessive weight was just a symptom of, but no one really cared and just told me to lose weight instead of looking for the root cause of why I didn't lose weight with every method under the freaking sun. So now the health issues escalated and I have to fight really hard to get back to a substantial level of health and your videos help me a lot (both the educational and funny ones). So thank you for all you do! It IS important!

This would have changed my life if I had seen it as a teenager. I was dancing competitively and convinced I would win if I could just be smaller. Thank you for starting this conversation. I'd love to see you talk to nutritionist and PTs about wellness as well ❤️

This is good timing. I recently tried watching the Prix de Lausanne and just couldn't keep watching any of it. Despit the insane skill and artistry, it is simply not plesant to watch girls who are deathly skinny.

As a dance teacher and former dancer who has faced these destructive issues I am supportive of Kathryn and here passion and candour

I'm a gymnast who is doing your class on zoom with my gymnast friends while we are in lockdown. You are fab, we love you, and your repeated message that no one performs perfectly, that the effort and delight in movement is what is important. I have also more recently become aware of your strength in putting out the message of healthy body image for dancers. Bravo, what a wonderful and good thing to do.

I wonder how many beautiful dancers we miss out on the opportunity of seeing because they're not dangerously skinny. It feels like a loss to the art as well as heart breaking and immoral. Thank you for speaking out on it.

You're the person that every young dancer needs in their life.

I'm 14 and already have the same experience. I love u Kathryn. You're a great role model. Thank you

I'm sure so many people have said this already - but I'm crying watching this video. I'm not a professional dancer AT ALL. I wanted to be, but had to stop dancing because of M.E. when I was very young - I went on to have an eating disorder which I've more or less beaten. But like all of us, I still struggle with "conventional beauty standards" and the expectations imposed on us. I'm 40 now and returned to dancing 10 years ago and it's become an obsessive hobby. I honestly wish that I had had someone like you for me to hear when I was 9, 14, 16, 21 - hell, 29! And your words have still brought tears to my eyes. I can't thank you enough. I've just discovered your videos recently - I started following them because your instruction is so good. So clear, down to earth - and so realistic - I'm so impressed with the focus on working with your body, not against it. Your body positivity has shone out in other videos too. But I've found so so so much more than I bargained for when I first found your channel. You are amazing. Thank you. x

How can anyone give a thumbs down on a video like this?! What is there to be disliked??

Kathryn is such a beautiful person. She genuinely cares. I love that she cried and we can really see her heart.

I am so grateful this topic is being brought to light and talked about! It is too important. A comment from my ballet teacher (which was the first of many) is what started my own journey through disordered eating and negative body image and lead me to eventually leave dancing professionally. As a dancer now without any expectations I can feel all of the joy and beauty of ballet and it saddens me how this is destroying young dancers. As a teacher it is our highest responsibility to speak life into our students. Thank you for speaking up!

Kathryn, THANK YOU SO MUCH. My eating disorder developed at age 14 and shifted between anorexia and bulimia throughout my young adulthood. It was quite severe, almost requiring hospitalization, for over 6 years in my mid-20s. Now, at age 32, I have normalized my eating and have gone 4 months without restricting, binging, or purging (for literally the first time in over a decade). I know it is going to take quite a while for my hormones, weight, and etc to balance out, and I am sure that I have created physical and mental scars that I may not fully recover from. This video came just at the right time to help lift my spirits as I'm trying to wade through the medical scene and figure out how to advocate for myself and reclaim my health. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

Amazing video as always and such a strong message! One of the reasons why my mom refused to buy a scale. And many reasons why my mom would always tell us we look beautiful no matter what. It helped me to realize I don't care what anyone else thinks of me or my body. I have accepted it that I'm not the tallest and definitely not the smallest and that is alright. But whenever I hear people talk negatively about their own body image, I try to tell them they are amazing!

This is so important to talk about, thank you! I remember when I was a teenager and dancing in the 90s, I had a friend in a ballet class who was told to lose weight... from her thighs. Luckily instead of spiraling to eating disorders, she got angry instead, because how are you going to lose weight from your thighs only? - and later quit ballet. I myself was fully body dysmoprhic at the time, because I was comparing myself to others - who were barely thinner than I, but I was not able to see myself as I was. I'm now in a much better place, having had years to process those ideas, but there's still a little voice in my head, saying "everything would be better if only I was thinner". I know so many girls (and nowdays guys too) who have struggled with their weight, and how they look. Ballet world is one of the last bastions saying "thin is best", and it will change. Thank you for being a part in making that change.

I was told at sab at 12 to loose 10 lbs which started me on my anorexic journey n probably is what killed my ballet career. Thank you for bringing awareness for these much needed conversation that needs to happen way more often ❤love u ur an inspiration

I am not a dancer. I was never allowed to dance in anything other than my high school musical because I was "fat". Now, at 25, I'm starting to look at joining a dance class (I'm thinking either tap or jazz) simply because you've given me the courage to give it a go with a body that looks very much like yours. Thank you for speaking out, for being willing to stick your neck out for people who need to know they don't stand alone.

I really needed to hear this this morning, thank you Katie!!💕💕

Thank you so much for being so honest. Everybody needs to hear this message💜💜

Thanks for sharing this Katy! I appreciate how honest you are and I admire your persistence and strength! You are inspiring to dancers and also to other people! And I saw you live in DC and you also are a beautiful dancer!

You looked beautiful in the Firebird clip, Kathryn - never doubt it!!

I follow you for *you* ! Whether it's more lifestyle or dance. I'm not a dancer but I love watching and hearing about it. Your voice and experience is so helpful for so many people in and out of the ballet world! Thank you for doing what you do! I'm so glad young people especially have you to look up to :)

You are SO brave, Katie

Yes!!! Thank you only thank you❤️❤️ I have my own issues with stuff like that, and sometimes you feel so alone.. but you’re not the only one and it’s soo important for everyone to know that! You’re doing an amazing job with that💗

Ex ballet dancer following you from Venezuela! I quit when I was 16 for 2 reasons: 1. I was always in the shadow and I thought it was because I was no good, but it made me feel as if I was not worth it, I was not a good enough person. 2. They said I had to lose weight when I was 15 and I got obsessed with it and almost starved myself to who knows where (I lost weight, though and they loved it, inside I was broken). I decided I couldn't take it anymore and quit. I resented ballet for 12 years when I finally was able to be at peace with everything and I actually did 4 more years as an adult but my knees began to struggle and I have other goals in my life today in my 30s.

Thank you so much for this, and also amazing job on your segment on the show! Also, I'd love to see you and Christopher do some partnering tips and give us dudes a few tips, that would be awesome.🥺

Thank you for listening to us, and making us feel heard. So many people feel they get no help nor support from anyone around them, and you've made them feel important and their problems relevant. You've shown that they are not alone in their struggles. This is invaluable. I've said that before and I'll say that again - You Are Phenomenal :)

Thank you for your courage!!! And congratulations!!! Thanks for speaking for so many of us, dancers!

i’ve been waiting for someone to talk about this for a long time. thank you so much.

Oh Kathryn, thank you so much for this heartfelt video! I know that many of my students struggle behind the scenes with body shaming. I will be sharing this video with them during my classes this week. You are truly a blessing to the the dance world ♥️♥️♥️

With each video you post, each article I read, and each interview I see, I admire you more and more. I am a dancer for over 50 years and studio owner for 30! I’ve seen and lived this. I am on board with this message and have been for years. My studio is definitely inclusive of all and I hope to continue spreading positivity through dance just as you are. Thank you for all of your gifts that you share with us.

I love you so much for this! You are an extremely special person, I’m so proud of everything you stand for!! Keep going Katie, I’ll always be behind you! ❤️❤️❤️

Thank you for being brave, thank you for being honest, thank you for speaking for those who cannot speak for themselves! A change has got to come, and you are going to be a mighty voice!

Yesss! This is so awesome, you are amazing. I am a 62 year old choreographer and ( former) modern dancer and I had to struggle so hard this past Thursday to stop mentally hating myself in Pilates... just picking my body apart... thank you.

i will always be grateful for you talking about this and it makes me happy to know that my body is the way it’s supposed to be and that i can be confident in myself

You have such an amazing purpose in this life. Thank you for being so brave and strong to dig in and make this happen.

Great new focus Kathryn! Absolutely spot on. Love of dance needs to come with love of ourselves and our bodies in all shapes and sizes xx

Thank you much for being so honest 😺 You are so right that we follow you for many other reasons than ballet. I love your ballet videos but I am touched more profoundly by videos such as these. These issues are applicable far beyond the world of ballet.

Katie you are such an amazing person! thank you for being open about this and being the role model we all need. we all stand behind you and we love you!!!

wow, this is such an important video. Thank you for your courage to share! I also want to use this to thank you for your int-adv pointe class video, which I am still doing regularly. All the best to you!

I weep for all the talented people who could have been such amazing artists, but have been shamed out of dance. Truly tragic that an art form that can bring so much joy, instead brings so much pain.

Thanks to you I got interested in ballet and in March I'll go to my first show! Swan Lake performed by the Russian National Ballet. I'm incredibly excited for this once in a lifetime experience since ballet isn't very big in Sweden! And it's all thanks to you and your passion for this art ❤️

You're such a beautiful person inside and out. Thank you for being an inspiration! This is soo important that someone speaks up about it.

Love that you talk about and expossed this theme cause me as a ballerina I strugle every single day with a constant battle between what I see in the mirror and how I really look like.

Thank you for this. I only wish someone had said these things to me 10 years ago when i quit ballet because nobody could accept that puberty makes your body change...

I remember when I was 11 or 12 I received the book Bunheads for Christmas. I loved the book overall, but I remember how in the book, the ballet mistress had told the main character to loose weight in her breasts. I was starting puberty then, and I was terrified. My older sister had an above average bust, and I was scared that if I had one too, I couldn't be a professional dancer. I remember praying that my breasts wouldn't grow and scared of when I would need a bra (in the book they talk about how all the other professional ballet dancers were, at the very most in training bras). Luckily, my dance studio had a wide variety of body types there, so was able to slowly realize that I would be ok. But I still remember how a simple book my parents got me, knowing how I wanted to be a Ballerina, was so harmful to my body image.

Kathryn, you are just so beautiful inside and out! Thank you so much for this video and for taking a stand! I may not be a dancer but as a mom of two, i struggle with body image constantly and accepting the body changes that have happened. I admire and respect you so very much! Lots of love to you!

Thank you for this incredible heart wrenching and the truth reality of the ballet world. You have changed the perception of this world and it's consequences. I follow you because of your heart, your incredible artistry,your compassion, your intelligence. You have changed the world of dance, it started when you started teaching classes on line, making it available to all. The world of dance was so remote and mysterious,you have opened up and opened the door to the art, that we can all dance and you should be so proud!!! You have changed the world for better. You are an amazing artist, woman and spokeswoman for those who don't have this platform. I am in awe of you a d your mission...and can't wait to see you dance again!

Is there anything we can do as ballet audience members to put an end to the ballet companies insistence on an unachievable body type?

I'm 41, and wanted to be a ballet dancer from about age 6. At about 11/12 I was constantly told to lose weight, sometimes in front of my entire class (which was humiliating) and I wasn't getting the right support from my home life - my mother was also telling me to lose weight. I was very talented and had some wonderful opportunities, but would be taken out of roles because of how I looked in the costume. You would assume that I was a very large person, but looking back at photos, I was very thin, you could see all my ribs on my chest - I was not overweight, but I believed I was. In reality, I simply had a body - I had hips and was broad in my shoulders and ribcage. I wasn't a long Russian ballerina. I eventually left ballet. I have dealt with disordered eating and poor body image for most of my life. I am still too self conscious to walk into a studio. I experience such heartache and sorrow that dance is no longer in my life. It broke my heart. While I think the ballet world has changed some since I was dancing - for example, when i was dancing the only acceptable body was that of a Russian ballerina, now companies (at least American companies) are much more open to different body types but have not seemed to let up on the pressure to be thin, or more accurately, underweight. Thank you for having the courage to speak out and to be an advocate for so many people, you are a much needed voice.

I am almost 70 years old. I was never a professional ballet dancer but took classes at a local studio for several years into my 30’s. I had many solo and partner performances. I weighed between 95 and 100 for years. When I was in my early 60’s I started taking classes again. Of course by this time, I had gone through the ‘change of life’ and weighed 140+ lbs. Even at this older age, I was horrified by my belly fat when I saw my profile in the mirror. This is not ok. We as a society have an image of what a young dancer and even a young woman, whether a dancer or not, should look like. That image has been stuck in my mind for all of these years even into my late 60’s. It needs to change within our society, not just in ballet, but our entire culture. Thank you, Kathryn, for all you do for dancers of all ages. You are AWESOME!

wow thank you so much! it's so great of you to speak out, be honest about your experience. you're helping so many !

I feel for that 12 year old that was told that. The one who did that appears to be unprofessional in speaking voice. They forgot the dancer is not an adult and they have a parent or guardian that should be running interference for the kid. No one should have to suffer the adage "The Thinner The Better". It should be "The Role for the Best Dancer" Meaning if they feel this dancer shouldn't do that role - offer them another one instead that fits the needs of the person. Its a win-win for both and no body imaging issues need to be uttered.

So inspirational!

I used to do ballet at a small town school in Russia when I was 6-7. I was bullied and called a 'fatso' by the other students constantly while being at a perfectly healthy weight for my height/age. The day I was allowed quit, I was so genuinely happy. And I was happy to never go back after that. If even that short experience at a no-name small town school was so awful, I cannot image what dancers at much much higher levels of the profession have to go through. Thank you for your words Kathryn! You are helping so many people and saving lives.

We love you, thank you so much for talking about this things

Thank you for this. I have multiple sclerosis and fibromyalgia and I have some healthy fats (by doctors standards). I'm always hearing that I'm fat and huge although I'm only 65 kg and my doctors are very happy whit my health (well, relative health hehe). To have someone to talk about body positivity (in general) does miracles for the soul