The Royal Ballet School (RBS) has settled with a former student who claimed she suffered from body-shaming during her time at the prestigious institution, leading to long-lasting psychological distress.
Ellen Elphick, 31, accused the London-based school of breaching its duty of care during her attendance from 2009 to 2012.
While the school denied liability and refrained from an apology, an RBS spokesperson expressed satisfaction with the mutual agreement reached and wished Ellen and her family well, emphasizing the school's continued dedication to student welfare.
Ellen recounted a teacher's hurtful remark: If I had a knife, this is what I would cut off, which deepened her shame and worsened her struggles with disordered eating, culminating in diagnoses of atypical anorexia and body dysmorphia.
Amid the alarming accounts, Dino Nocivelli of Leigh Day solicitors, representing Ellen, stressed the need for change and called for a government investigation into body-shaming in ballet.
Joining over 50 former dancers in disclosing a toxic environment in some UK ballet schools, Ellen pursued legal action to raise awareness about the harm of body-shaming. The financial terms of her settlement remain undisclosed.
Despite finding some validation in the resolution, Ellen expressed disappointment over the absence of an apology from RBS, highlighting the ongoing work needed to address such issues.
Now a mother, Ellen vowed to protect her daughter from the ballet world and advocated for reforms in ballet schools to prioritize students' mental well-being and equip teachers to understand the impact of their words.
RBS should set an example by prioritizing health and well-being over dance alone," she urged. "Children should enter dance without leaving feeling harmed.