Why I Have a Problem With "Balletcore"

2022 started with me deleting most of my social media apps except for Instagram and Pinterest. My Pinterest feed is usually full of coffee, recipes, clothes, dogs and cats, and dance. I assumed that most of the dance pins have been showing up because I have a dance board, until a video titled “explaining the ballet trend in fashion (balletcore)” came up on my YouTube explore page. After watching the video and doing some research, it seems the fashion world has predicted that spring 2022 styles will be dominated by ballet trends and aesthetics, and honestly? I have a problem with that.

The video, “explaining the ballet trend in fashion balletcore,” was made by creator Mina Le, and she uses most of the video to explain how ballet has already been impacting fashion for the past century or so. From soft colors to tutu-esque skirts, the dance world has heavily impacted the fashion world. “Balletcore,” however, focuses on the aesthetics of casual dancewear rather than theatrical performance looks. Le suggests that balletcore has risen out of the love of athleisure in American fashion. While sportswear, or activewear, is specifically designed for working out, athleisure is designed for simple exercising (e.g. walking) and everyday wear. Athleisure is described as being “both comfortable and aesthetically pleasing,” but Le believes that balletcore has become popular because it’s a soft, feminine take on athleisure.

InStyle published an article last month titled “You Don’t Need to Dance in Order to Embrace Balletcore” where writer Julia Guerra argued that “the aesthetic is comprised of anything feminine and comfortable that allows you to move freely, like a dancer.” The article goes on to give a list of links for ballet-inspired clothes sold by Old Navy, ASOS, and other brands (they do list a leotard that’s advertised as being for dance, but it’s $98… I have never heard of spending practically $100 on a leotard). And you know, if people want to run around in leg warmers, wrap sweaters, and tulle skirts, be my guest. You’ll look a little silly to an actual dancer, but go ahead. However, before embracing "balletcore," it’s crucial to know and understand the history of body dysmorphia and eating disorders in the world of dance.

The stereotypical ballet body— tall and thin— became popular in the 1960s with director and choreographer George Balanchine (shoutout for giving us “The Nutcracker” and body image issues!). Balanchine believed slender bodies were aesthetically pleasing, and we continue to see the impact of his preference today. Directors and choreographers who were dancers during the 60s have passed down Balanchine’s aesthetic, which has led to dancers having unhealthy body images. One dancer told Dance Magazine that she was fired from a dance company because she had a curvy figure and “while dieting, she lost focus, endurance and emotional stability.” Dance Magazine went on to describe how many dancers resort to starvation, purging, and substances to combat appetite. The dance world finally began to address the problem of unrealistic body standards in 2012 when London’s Dance UK held an international convention on eating disorders. Since then, a handful of companies have started to embrace and encourage different bodies, but the stereotypical ballet body continues to prevail throughout the majority of companies.

While dance is a beautiful art form that requires athleticism, it can be difficult to wear skin-tight clothing in a room plastered with mirrors— especially when you’re a teenager already experiencing body image issues outside the dance studio. Ballet teachers saying to students “Remember to tuck in your tummies!” or simply making teenage girls feel bad for developing breasts cannot be tolerated. And this isn’t just an issue for teenagers— I’m in college and I know dancers who continue to struggle with body image issues.

I fear that “balletcore” will promote the stereotypical thin and lean ballet body. While changes have started within the dance world, popularizing ballet clothes and slender bodies in the mainstream fashion world could be damaging to these successes. All bodies are dance bodies, whether you’re thin or curvy. Ballet requires muscles and strength and over feminizing, simplifying, or romanticizing the art seems to glorify dance in unhealthy ways. Recognizing the problems in the dance world must be addressed before people adopt the spring 2022 trend of “balletcore.” There are too many dancers who have suffered from body dysmorphia and eating disorders for us to ignore and glamorize ballet trends. Dance is for all bodies. Dance clothes are for all bodies. And we cannot forget about the women who have been told otherwise.