A former Royal Ballet School student has settled a legal case over claims of body shaming, her lawyers have said.
Ellen Elphick, who attended the London school between 2009 and 2012, brought legal action alleging body shaming by several teachers in breach of the school’s duty of care.
On Thursday, her lawyer Leigh Day announced the case had been settled in what is thought to be the first settlement of its kind over body shaming in ballet.
The school has not admitted liability or offered Ms Elphick an apology, her lawyers added.
Ms Elphick, who attended the school until she was 19, developed an eating disorder resulting in anorexia which she believes was the result of body shaming she received during training.
She claimed this included being made to stand in front of a mirror while a teacher pointed out the parts of Ms Elphick’s body she was disgusted by and would cut off due to their size, as well as being poked in the buttocks and thighs without permission.
The former dancer continues to have body dysmorphia and was unable to pursue a career in dance after the treatment she received, her lawyers added.
Ms Elphick said: “As I reflected on the training I had experienced at the Royal Ballet School and the eating disorder I developed, I felt there could have been different approaches in teaching in the years I was there.
“I have had children coming to me with issues they had had and I started to realise there is a huge issue for people in my year who had had similar treatment to me.
“I decided to bring a legal claim, which I am making public because I want to bring awareness so that children can go into dance and not leave it damaged as I am.”
Dino Nocivelli, who represented Ms Elphick, said: “It is time that the ballet community now finally accepts the duty of care it owes to its dancers, accepts where failings have taken place and the harm caused, and changes significantly for the better.
“We continue the demand we made in 2023 that the government conducts an inquiry into body shaming and abuse in ballet. We cannot stand by while another generation of ballet dancers suffers.”
