Seeing the invisible
What research reveals about race, wellbeing and the dance studio.
Dance is often described as a universal language – open, expressive, and inclusive. Many of us, as teachers, take pride in creating environments that nurture every student who walks through the studio door.
Yet research suggests that for some dancers, the experience is more complex.
Findings from the Representation and Equity in Dance (RED) project begin to shed light on an important and underexplored issue: the relationship between racial discrimination and student wellbeing in professional dance training.
About the research
This article draws on findings from the Representation and Equity in Dance (RED) project, developed by the TIRED Movement to explore issues of race, representation, and wellbeing in dance training. The original study was led by Dr Imogen J. Aujla, with contributions from Stacey Green and Laura Grant, and represents the first large-scale investigation into the impact of racial discrimination on dance students in professional training.
Beyond the idea of inclusion
At a glance, dance can appear relatively diverse. In England, for example, Arts Council data indicates that representation of dancers from Global Majority backgrounds is proportionally higher than in the general workforce. However, representation alone does not guarantee fair or equal experiences (equity).
The RED project, involving 150 students in UK professional training, found no overall differences in wellbeing scores between White students and those from Global Majority backgrounds (a term often used to describe people from Black, Asian and other ethnically diverse backgrounds). At first glance, this may appear encouraging.
But a deeper look tells a different story.
Students from Global Majority backgrounds reported significantly higher experiences of discrimination across multiple areas, including:
- Exclusion or rejection
- Negative stereotyping and devaluation
- Discrimination within training environments
Crucially, while wellbeing levels may appear similar at a surface level, experiences of discrimination were strongly linked to reduced wellbeing within the Global Majority group.
Why this matters for teachers
Perhaps the most important insight is not simply that discrimination exists, but how it operates and affects students’ day-to-day experiences in training.
Two areas emerged as particularly influential: both discrimination at college and social exclusion were strongly associated with:
- Lower competence perceptions
- Reduced autonomy
- Lower body appreciation
- Reduced feelings of relatedness (social connection with others)
- Diminished expectations of future competence
- Lower life satisfaction
These findings suggest that when students experience unfair treatment, assumptions or biases about their ability, and are ignored, excluded or made to feel different, their wellbeing suffers in multiple ways. Furthermore, given that the students in the study spent upwards of 20 hours per week in training, the studio environment can be understood as a powerful space where these experiences accumulate.
A subtle but significant reality
One of the most striking findings is that even low-to-moderate levels of discrimination were associated with lower wellbeing.
This is important because discrimination in dance is not always overt. It may manifest as:
- Assumptions about body type or suitability
- Limited representation in teaching or leadership
- Long-standing aesthetic expectations influenced by Western traditions
- Casting expectations linked to ‘look’ rather than ability
- Rumours and gossip
- Social exclusion e.g. during group work
- Stereotyping
- Mispronunciation of first and/or surnames
- Frequently confusing one dancer with another
- Touching a dancer's hair without permission or making comments about it being "unprofessional"
- Minimising experiences of racism e.g. "I don't see colour"
- Cultural appropriation without understanding or acknowledgement
- Mimicking accents and cultural practices
These experiences may be cumulative, rather than dramatic – but they are no less impactful.
Ambition is not the issue
Encouragingly, the research found that students from Global Majority backgrounds were just as ambitious as their White peers. They aspired to perform, choreograph, and succeed at the highest levels.
However, they were more likely to anticipate barriers – particularly around:
- Casting
- Physical aesthetics
- Discrimination within the industry
Some expressed concerns about ‘having the right look,’ or whether opportunities would be limited by factors beyond their control (e.g. casting directors’ decisions).
This highlights a critical distinction:
The challenge is not a lack of aspiration, but unequal conditions in which those aspirations are pursued.
What this means in practice
For ISTD teachers, this research does not call for abandoning structure or tradition. Instead, it invites reflection on how existing practices are experienced by different students.
Key areas for consideration include:
Reflecting on expectations
Are assumptions – about ability, style, or progression – being applied consistently across students?
Examining studio culture
Do all students feel equally seen and included within peer dynamics and group work?
Do all students see themselves in the school’s imagery (e.g. posters in the studios and changing rooms)?
Can groups be changed regularly during group tasks to encourage inclusion?
Rethinking norms
To what extent are long-established aesthetic standards rooted in a narrow cultural lens?
Can uniform requirements be updated (e.g. encourage students to wear skin tone-matching dancewear; adhere to the Halo Code)?
Broadening representation
Whose histories, bodies, and artistry are visible within the curriculum, references, and role models we present?
Are show/production choices sensitive; do they avoid cultural appropriation?
Could the history of different genres (e.g. jazz) be explained to help all students appreciate their origins?
Moving from awareness to action
One of the challenges highlighted in the wider sector is that discussion does not always translate into change.
For meaningful progress, small, intentional shifts in teaching practice can make a difference:
- Designing inclusive group work to reduce isolation
- Openly discussing inclusion and bias within training environments
- Creating pathways for mentoring and representation
- Ensuring access to appropriate wellbeing and mental health support
Importantly, this is not about having perfect answers. It is about engaging in an ongoing, reflective process.
A shared responsibility
Dance education plays a formative role in shaping not only performers, but people – their confidence, identity, and sense of possibility.
This research reminds us that:
- Students may experience training very differently
- Subtle inequities can have significant long-term effects
- Teachers are central to shaping inclusive, equitable environments
The question, then, is not whether our studios are welcoming in intention – but whether they are experienced as such by every student.
Reflection
As we nurture the next generation of dancers, it is worth asking:
What might our teaching look like if we placed equal emphasis on belonging as we do on technique?
Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Hub
Read more about our plans to drive positive change in dance.
Representation and Equity in Dance (RED) investigates racial discrimination in dance training. The RED papers that informed this article can be found here:
The impact of racial discrimination on the well-being of dance students
Lived experiences of discrimination among Global Majority dance students: A qualitative exploration of racial inequity
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