A Dancer\u27s Image

Dancers are amazingly dedicated athletes who train for hours a day to try and perfect their craft. In doing so, they can become hyper focused on the details, picking apart every aspect of themselves and their technique. With so much time spent training, it can be difficult to take a step back and analyze the role the mirror plays in a dancer’s training and everyday life. There are many factors that can affect a dancer\u27s body image, including the social environment between educators and peers, social standards and social media, dance clothing, and so much more. This report and creative project will look specifically at how the mirrors can be a hindrance to female collegiate dancers by paving a way for mirror gazing and body checking. With this project, it will aim to show what mirror gazing and body checking can look like in a dance environment. This project can also provide instructors with the knowledge and awareness of the effects of mirror gazing and body checking in students. Instructors will then be able to use this report to determine new methods of using the mirror as a more positive tool to better help their students. This project will also encourage dancers to have conversations with each other about the importance of mental, emotional health, and body image to create change in the dance community. In making mental health a priority, dancers will be able to continue making art and sharing their passion with others