Ballerina Aušra Krasauskaitė Speaks Out About Cruel World of Ballet

Aušra Krasauskaitė, a 38-year-old Lithuanian ballerina and now chief choreographer for the national ensemble "Lietuva," has spoken out about the demanding and often cruel environment within the world of professional ballet.

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There is such a professional requirement, you come to terms with it. They used to measure our thighs with a centimeter on Saturdays after classes. Sometimes the grade depended on it.

Krasauskaitė shared a particularly scarring memory from her youth: during a rehearsal, a director instructed her to remove her warm-up pants, only to tell her she could return to dancing when she stopped "eating like a loaf of bread." This incident, which led to her being removed from a performance, highlights the intense pressure and body-shaming dancers face, where physical appearance can dictate their participation and grades.

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And they say – when you stop eating like a loaf of bread, then you will go dance, now you are free. And they take me off the performance.

The challenges extend beyond physical demands. Krasauskaitė described encountering sexism throughout her career, particularly after transitioning to directing. She recounted an instance where a director placed his hand on her thigh during a rehearsal, leaving her confused and distressed. "I was young and very confused. And what to do at that moment? You really want that job, this is your whole career," she recalled, reflecting on the manipulation young artists can face.

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I have encountered such remarks – how old are you? So, do you want to be a choreographer, a director? When I was dancing, it was one thing, but when I came into the field of directors, the question of gender constantly got in the way.

Krasauskaitė also touched upon the sacrifices required from a young age, including living away from parents in a foreign city to pursue ballet. She noted that the belief that "the more you push, the better the results on stage" fueled grueling diets and intense training methods. Despite the hardships, she continues to pursue her passion, stating, "I can't afford to live in a luxury neighborhood, but I live my dream."

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There have been such moments when one director held my hand on my thigh during a rehearsal, I won't hide it. I was working as a choreographer at the time. It was a strange moment.