A new wave of former ballet dancers have come forward to describe incidents of bullying and body-shaming they faced during their studies in various schools across the United Kingdom. Following an earlier BBC investigation earlier this year, over 100 former dancers have now come forward, claiming that the culture within these institutions was “toxic.” Among them is Sian Mort, who said that she was locked in a room by staff while having a mental health crisis. Madeleine Cunnah, who attended the London Vocational Ballet School, stated that her experience there left her contemplating suicide.

Both schools have denied the allegations of mistreatment and claim that their records differ from the accounts given to the BBC. They emphasized that student welfare had always been a primary concern for the institution. In addition to Elmhurst Ballet School and the Royal Ballet School, which were previously investigated for such issues, the BBC’s investigation has since included a third ballet

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