I started wearing a sports bra under my leotard when I was 12. At first, the extra support helped me feel more secure. But I was the only one at my school wearing one, and while no one ever explicitly told me as much, to me, one message became clear: In the pre-professional space, sports bras did not belong.
I abandoned the bras. But ever since then, I’ve continued to think about the fraught topic of breasts in ballet, and how it affects dancers of all ages and sizes.
Keeping breasts adequately supported is a matter of health, and it improves performance. But deep-seated industry biases complicate matters. For artists wondering what to do, here’s what to consider about ballet and breast support today.
Why Support Matters
Without proper support, breasts can move several inches in any direction. In a jumping jack, they can move up to 7.5 inches, says Dr. Stephanie Potreck, a dance medicine specialist based in Germany. For context, she says, “that’s nothing compared to the allegro we do in ballet.” Intense, repetitive movements over time can stretch unsupported tissue, causing pain and irreversible sagging, no matter the cup size.
Proper support also affects physical performance. Potreck explains that when unsupported tissue moves, the body counterbalances with micro-adjustments, which increases the chances of landing incorrectly or compensating in other parts of the body. Support improves movement efficiency, says Potreck. “That means you run less risk of injury.” Plus, improper support negatively affects stride length and acceleration, says Lucy Horsell, co-founder of the UK–based sports bra company PEBE. It also affects posture, causing back and neck pain, and even compromising core engagement and breathing. “With the right support,” says Horsell, “you’re going to feel stronger, and you’re going to recover more quickly.”
Narrow Standards
There’s a harmful, historically perpetuated belief that people with larger breasts are not fit for ballet, says Alex Maureen Newkirk, a New York City–based freelance dancer and adjunct dance instructor at New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts. The irony of wearing sports bras is that they can draw attention to what makes you feel insecure in the first place: “You want to feel comfortable and safe physically, but you also don’t want to feel like you’re sticking out more than you do already,” she says.
In college, Newkirk wore racerback leotards with Nike bras underneath. While the bras helped, they were a hassle with laundry and an extra expense, and she was one of the only dancers in her college program who wore them. Then a professor said Newkirk’s bra was disrupting her line because it was a different color. “I thought, You know what also ‘disrupts the line’?” Newkirk recalls. “Pink tights on a Black woman.” In her own experience, ballet’s breast problem had clear racial implications.
Alex Maureen Newkirk in Matthew Powell’s The Space You See. Courtesy Newkirk.
In general, she continues, bras are less common in more professionally affiliated programs—which sends a message that they aren’t professional. Some dress codes require specific leotards with softer fabrics that provide little support. In some cases, bras must be hidden. Others prohibit undergarments altogether. “It’s like you’re telling dancers they have to get out from the start,” says Newkirk. “Because of centuries-old standards, you miss out on fueling talent.”
Sewing Up Solutions
Julia Cinquemani, a former dancer with Miami City Ballet and Los Angeles Ballet, chose not to wear bras so she wouldn’t stand out. Instead, she sewed bust panels on her leotards using old tights. “There’s a lot of shame around not fitting in the literal mold of certain leotards,” she says. “In your teen years, you’re already constantly comparing and criticizing yourself. If there’s an extra bounce or jiggle, you immediately feel looked-at. It affects your confidence.”
Even with the panels, Cinquemani found herself dancing smaller to reduce movement and avoid accidental slips. But as a Professional Division student at Pacific Northwest Ballet, she had an “aha” moment: Why not construct a leotard around a sports bra? In 2011, she founded Jule Dancewear to do that, using compression fabrics to construct a “supportive silhouette” on the body that was also flattering.
Still, says Cinquemani, “most of the cute stuff is not engineered for all body types,” and most dance-specific undergarments provide little help. Potreck notes that because breast tissue moves in multiple directions, dancers need support across the back, preferably with adjustable straps, to avoid straining the neck and shoulders. Body tape is an option, though it’s time-consuming and can irritate skin with repeated use. For performances, costumes should be tailored to fit the dancer accordingly, providing the support they need.
Newkirk hopes to see supportive dancewear options become more mainstream. “I’d love to get rid of the need to wear a sports bra. We have the technology. I’d love to see major companies, like Yumiko, put forth an effort for all women.”
Conversation and Change
Horsell believes that overcoming taboo requires open conversation. Last March, PEBE partnered with The Royal Ballet School for an educational workshop and school-funded bra fittings. While the fittings were optional, nearly all the female students showed up. TRBS students now have the option to put a T-shirt over their leotard while rehearsing. “The fact that the school is bothering is hugely commendable,” says Horsell. “I would encourage other schools not to shy away from these topics.”
Lucy Horsell (bottom right) with students from The Royal Ballet School at a PEBE workshop. Courtesy Team PEBE.
Potreck encourages educators to focus on science. “Let’s say your teacher gets sick,” she says. “Are they going to be okay with medical treatment from the 1960s? Because that’s basically where we are in terms of breast health with ballet.” Newkirk makes it clear that bras are welcome in her class, and if she sees a dancer struggling with confidence, she reaches out to a trusted guardian to discuss their options. She encourages others to do the same. “I know the amount of money, time, and sorrows it took me to get through it,” she says. “We have the opportunity to change things. Why wouldn’t we?”
The post How Inadequate Breast Support Impacts Health, Performance, and Confidence appeared first on Dance Magazine.
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