Former dancer reaches settlement with Royal Ballet School over body-shaming

Former dancer reaches settlement with Royal Ballet School over body shaming

The Royal Ballet School (RBS) has reached a financial settlement with former student Ellen Elphick, who claims the body-shaming she experienced while training at the elite institution has left her with lifelong psychological damage.

Elphick, now 31, attended the prestigious London-based ballet school between 2009 and 2012 and argued that RBS breached its duty of care to her during that time. Despite the settlement, the school has denied any liability and has not issued an apology.

The Royal Ballet School acknowledged that both parties had reached a mutually acceptable settlement and extended well wishes to Ellen Elphick and her family. The institution also reaffirmed its commitment to prioritizing the well-being of its students.

Elphick first spoke publicly about her experiences last year, describing to the sources how, at the age of 16 and just two weeks into her training, a teacher humiliated her in front of a mirror by tracing a line around her body.

“If I had a knife, this is what I would cut off,” the teacher allegedly said.

Elphick said that the comment plunged her into shame and worsened her struggles with disordered eating. She was later diagnosed with atypical anorexia and body dysmorphia. She also claimed that multiple teachers at the school made similar remarks, further eroding her confidence and intensifying her eating disorder.

Dino Nocivelli of Leigh Day solicitors, who has been representing Elphick, emphasized that the settlement brings attention to the mistreatment dancers have endured and reinforces the urgent need for change. He reiterated the ongoing demand for a government inquiry into body-shaming within the ballet industry.

Elphick’s case is part of a broader pattern of alleged mistreatment within elite ballet institutions. More than 50 former dancers had previously told the sources that some of the UK’s top ballet schools have a long-running “toxic” culture of body-shaming and bullying.

Although Elphick has not revealed the financial details of her settlement, she emphasizes that her legal action was driven by a desire to raise awareness rather than financial compensation. Her goal was to shed light on the realities of the ballet world and highlight the unacceptable treatment she experienced.

Despite the settlement, she expressed disappointment that RBS had not issued an apology. “That they couldn’t even say ‘sorry’ shows there is so much more to do,” she said.

Now a mother, Elphick is determined to protect her daughter from the pressures of the ballet world, firmly deciding against enrolling her in dance classes. Despite her personal decision to distance her child from the industry, she remains hopeful that her case will drive meaningful reform.

She believes RBS has a responsibility to set a precedent by prioritizing students’ health and well-being over performance expectations. Her experience underscores the urgent need for ballet schools to foster a supportive environment, where young dancers are nurtured rather than harmed. As calls for change continue to grow, there is increasing pressure on institutions to implement policies that safeguard students’ mental health and ensure educators are trained to recognize the profound impact of their words.