Mental Health in Dance

By Austin Sexton

A singer, dancer and actress, Austin has been honing her triple-threat ability since childhood. She grew up among the Lake Washington studios of Spectrum Dance Theater, the company her mother, Jenny Hillock, co-founded. And, with two parents as dancers, Austin developed a passion for the performing arts at a young age. After training at Spectrum for many years, as well as Seattle Children's Theater, Austin studied at Dance Fremont! during her teen years.
Throughout her stage career, she has performed leading roles in "The Wiz," (Glinda),"Cabaret," (Sally Bowles) and "Anything Goes" (Reno Sweeney) with Summit Youth Theater Company. As a concert performer, she has danced the works of Eva Stone, Kabby Mitchell III, Jenny Hillock, Jason Olhberg and Dance Fremont! co-founders Mary Reardon and Vivian Little and many more.
After graduating from high school, the mezzo soprano went on to pursue her degree in music, where she studied music theory, piano, choir and vocal performance, During her college years, she pursued an opera workshop, performing scenes from "Falstaff" and Gloria Swisher's one-act opera, "Poker Alice."

As a co-founder of Relay Dance Collective, a formerly well known dance company in Seattle, she was inspired by the vision that allowed her mother, and other great dance artists such as Dale Merrell, to create a company based on inclusiveness and recognition that talent comes in many colors, shapes, forms, and sometimes, from unexpected sources.
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Today, Austin remains active in music and dance, and enjoys teaching at Momentum Dance Academy, where she is the Rehearsal Director for their Performance Division. She has choreographed and set works for The Nutcracker, Sleeping Beauty, Alice In Wonderland, Cinderella and Swan Lake. At Momentum, she promotes inclusivity, body positivity, and mental health awareness in addition to the high quality training she gives dancers. She remains a positive impact on the youth of her community by creating a healthy safe environment for students to thrive in.

Medical Disclosure: Dancewear Center does not claim to have any medical expertise on any circumstances or diseases discussed. This is Austin’s personal experience and opinions. If you need help see the resources listed at the bottom of this post. If you or someone you know needs immediate medical attention, call 911.

Mental health in dance is a phrase I never heard growing up. I grew up in a time where there was a huge stigma on mental health. If you needed counseling or help, there was “something wrong with you”. So, every time I was struggling, I pushed it down. I could build a mountain with all the struggle stones I’ve shoved deep down inside.

Growing up as a larger bodied dancer came with so many extra hurdles and it deeply affected my mental health. I have been ignored, looked at with dissatisfaction, and even been refused training because of the way my body was just naturally built. In addition to that, my mother, who is built in a petite and thin frame, was one of my teachers and I compared myself to her every day. (Despite this, she was so incredibly supportive of my training).

I was struggling with body dysmorphia, depression, and anxiety and despite all the dance training, I was never taught how to ask for help. So instead, I built stones and pushed them down. I suffered. I self harmed, I developed an eating disorder, I was resentful and destructive. I needed help, but I didn’t know how to ask how.

Now, as a dance educator, I have made it a mission of mine to teach dancers how important it is to know how to ask for help. I think mental health awareness should be part of dancers training. The dance world puts so much pressure on dancers to be technically perfect, thin, and fit, but it can take a toll on our mental health. Long term, it can cause dancers to either be destructive or burn out and quit.

One of the ways I try to train mental health awareness and body positivity In my classes is by discussing strength and anatomy: but never size or weight. I advocate for all my dancers--no matter their shape--to have equal access to roles and opportunities. If I see one of my students struggling, I immediately reach out to them. Because I was experiencing my own series of mental health crises during my youth, I now recognize the signs. I talk to their families and help them access the tools and resources to get help. 

Most importantly, I make my students feel seen. I wish that just one of my teachers would have taken the time to make me feel seen. How much that would have changed my life. I make sure that in every class, every student gets not only a correction, but also praise for something they’re doing well. Building their self confidence in each class motivates them from within to feel that they are safe to make mistakes with me. I preach to them that they are never wrong for making a mistake, because that is where they can learn and grow.

About once a month, I take 5 minutes at the beginning of class (no matter the genre) as a mental health check in/affirmation and goal setting time. We close our eyes and breathe together, and set goals to achieve in the month. We identify where we’re struggling and what we think we can do to improve together. We acknowledge where we’re thriving and honor that together. If I had had a teacher doing this with me as a young dancer, I absolutely believe I would have not resorted to destructive behavior to feel seen. It would have completely changed my life. 

Lastly, I take accountability if I have unintentionally hurt their feelings. I show them that I am not perfect and that even adults can make mistakes. I never had an adult apologize to me in my youth for hurting me. If I ever expressed that I was hurt, it was always spun around to what I did to make them do or say whatever it was that hurt me. In taking responsibility for my actions, even if I know that I wasn’t intentionally trying to hurt them, I teach them that their feelings are valid, that they are visible to me and that they are safe. 

Now, instead of struggle stones, I am working on building stones of strength and compassion, in hopes of building a generation of healthy, strong and happy dancers. Will there always be struggle stones? Yes, but I’m hoping that there will be enough supportive ones to hold up the struggle ones when they need it.

RESOURCES

Students, please talk to your parents or an adult you trust if you need help. They can connect you with a doctor. If you need immediate help, here are some resources: