The impact of racial discrimination on the well-being of dance students

Little is known about the impact of racial inequity in dance contexts. This study aimed to investigate the effects of racial discrimination on the well-being of dance students from Global Majority backgrounds. A total of 150 students (109 from White backgrounds and 40 from Global Majority backgrounds) in professional training completed an online survey tapping into several domains of psychological well-being and experiences of discrimination. The analyses revealed that, although there were no significant differences in well-being scores between the two groups, Global Majority students scored significantly higher on all measures of discrimination except for threat/aggression. Furthermore, there were significant negative correlations between discrimination and well-being among Global Majority students. Discrimination at work/college and experiences of exclusion/rejection appeared particularly influential in relation to measures of life satisfaction, competence, expectations of future competence, autonomy, relationships, and body appreciation. Responses to open-ended survey questions indicated that Global Majority students were as ambitious as their White peers but often cited discrimination as a potential barrier to career establishment post-training. The impact of discrimination in dance is an important research area, and further research is encouraged with larger samples of dancers at a range of levels (e.g., recreational, student, professional). On a practical level, organizations and individuals must work to reduce inequity in dance training and beyond.