The Introduction of Wellness Programs in Pre-Professional Ballet Schools in the United States

This essay examines the introduction of wellness programs into pre-professional ballet schools in the United States. Wellness programs typically focus on the mental, physical and nutritional health of young ballet students during their training. The essay traces the rise of wellness in the United States and in the field of dance in particular. Case studies track how seven American schools have chosen to define wellness and what structure their programs have taken. Analyses of the issues related to wellness and the reasons for its necessity, as well as recommendations for schools interested in adopting wellness, are undertaken as well.