featured-image

Ballet director Carlos Acosta doubles down after pupils at top dance schools accused teachers of body-shaming them over their weight - as he insists dancers 'have to watch their shape' WARNING: graphic content relating to eating disorders Read More: Dancer scouted for Royal Ballet School at 11 tells Panorama how class nutritionist told her 'don't eat carbs' By Lydia Hawken For Mailonline Published: 12:28 BST, 10 June 2024 | Updated: 12:33 BST, 10 June 2024 e-mail 9 View comments A top ballet director has said dancers 'have to watch their shape' - after pupils at prestigious schools claimed they were encouraged to lose weight by their teachers. Carlos Acosta, 51, has been the artistic director of Birmingham Royal Ballet since 2020 and was a professional ballet dancer for 28 years. Speaking to The Independent , Carlos - who was born in Cuba - explained how the topic of weight has become increasingly fraught in recent years in the wake of the BBC Panorama documentary.

Last year, a young dancer told BBC Panorama that a Royal Ballet School nutritionist told her 'don't eat carbs' and revealed how she would sleep with clingfilm on her legs to 'sweat it out'. Describing how 'weight' has become a 'very hard word' in his industry, Carlos said: 'As a professional, you have to watch [your weight]. You have to "watch your line".



Pictured: Carlos Acosta. The artistic director of Birmingham Royal Ballet was a professional ballet dancer for 28 years 'Women have always been carried [in ballet.

Back to Food Page