Saturday 19 November 2022 10:17 PM Ballerina Ashley Bouder claims she was body shamed by NYC Ballet board member trends now

A principal dancer at the New York City Ballet (NYCB) has revealed that she was 'strongly encouraged' not to perform at the renowned troupe's star-studded fall gala this year because of her 'appearance.'

Ashley Bouder, 38, has been a principal dancer at the NYCB since 2005 starting her journey as a ballerina more than three decades ago at the Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet.

The 38-year-old reflected on her career in an explosive social media video posted to her Instagram in which she realized not a lot had changed from when she first started her professional career.

Recounting a story from the start of her career, age 16, Bouder said she was first confronted about her weight in Saratoga, New York, during a three-week summer season while dancing minor roles.

'One day as I was walking down the hallway between rehearsals, I was pulled aside by an influential ballet mistress who said that the big boss really liked me,' she said.

'[She said that she] wanted to use me in bigger roles right away but in order for that to happen I should think about losing five to 10 pounds.'

Bouder questioned what would have happened had she not lost the weight adding that body shaming is 'institutionalized' and 'systemic.'

'Now that I reach the twilight of my career body shaming is still a big thing and its still happening to me which is heartbreaking,' she said.

'If you all remember back to the fall gala the New York City ballet when it was announced that I was being replaced last minute in Symphony in C people thought it was due to injury but it wasn't.

'I was way to embarrassed to reveal the truth, in that moment, but I was strongly encouraged to not perform because of my appearance.'

Instead, Bouder appeared at the gala, having to watch another ballerina dance in her role after the last minute change.

She said she held a brave face for her daughter, Violet, who had been sitting with her at the event along with her husband Peter de Florio.

'I respectfully sat in the audience and watched another ballerina dance in my place while I sat next to my daughter who takes ballet,' she said.

'There was no one there to protect me, the systems, the social norms, the institution of ballet those were the problem.

'I had thought or maybe hoped we'd be past this but clearly, we are not and now I've had a situation take me right back to that embarrassment.'

Bouder finished by saying that the term 'fat' was commonplace and often used in a harmful way against dancers.