Let’s take a deeper dive into body positivity and dancing! Just to make sure we are all on the same page, we are all in agreement that our culture often puts forth unrealistic beauty standards, which sometimes makes it harder to feel good about ourselves. While society is showing signs of improvement in the self-acceptance department, the body positivity conversation can still be tricky for all of us!
Let’s look at the facts…
With a shocking 40-60% of elementary school children worrying about their weight, it’s clear that the inner body image conversations are more than just common, they are impacting the majority of us!
In fact, 84 out of 100 teens struggle with feeling dissatisfied in at least some part of their appearance. 70% of teenage girls avoid activities such as dance due to low self esteem and anxiety caused by how they view themselves. And you know how awesome classes are at SDSD, nobody should be missing out on the fun!
What does all this mean?
This means we need to step up our game when it comes talking openly about the importance body positivity in all of us, regardless of our age and especially within the dancing community. Check out these seven tips on how to maintain positive vibes and not judge our bods while we are grooving away!
Tips for building a stronger and more body positive you
- Practice self-care: Take care of yourself with effective exercise, good nutrition, and getting plenty of sleep. When we prioritize self-care, we can appreciate our bodies for what they can do rather than focusing solely on appearance or what we assume they can’t do.
- Embrace diversity: Celebrate your uniqueness and the uniqueness of others. By embracing diversity, we learn to appreciate different body types, shapes, sizes, people, cultures, and so much more!
- Challenge negative self-talk: Encourage yourself to identify and challenge negative self-talk. When we recognize that negative thoughts are just thoughts and not necessarily the truth, we can reframe our thinking and focus on positive self-talk.
- Focus on strengths: Focus on the strengths and abilities of yourself and others. When we do, we can appreciate the value of contribution rather than appearance.
- Engage in positive affirmations: Encourage yourself and your friends to use positive affirmations regularly. This can help everyone create a positive mindset and boost self-confidence.
- Consult with your family physician: Always start your health journey with as much knowledge as possible. Start by having a conversation with your family physician. They will be the best person to truly set you on the healthiest path for your body type, age, mindset, and experience.
- Speak up, even when it’s difficult: The inner monologues that we have with ourselves around body positivity can be really intense at times. But just like the facts we listed earlier say, YOU AREN’T ALONE! You do not need to navigate the winding road by yourself. Even if it feels difficult, the best solution will be to talk to your parent / guardian, school counselor , family physician, or the most trusted adult in your life to help you talk it out or find professional assistance.
At Stage Door School of Dance our classes prioritize self-care habits like body positivity, boosting knowledge, and inclusivity. We created this safe space intentionally for everyone to become their own celebration with dancing as the soundtrack. With the well-rounded education we provide here at SDSD combined with the understanding of healthy affirmations & the importance of challenging self-negativity – embracing a confident mindset is within reach for all of our dancers!
