Body image is an issue that is always in evidence when addressing different types of dance. The search for the ideal body image among dancers goes beyond the parameters of the general population and, as they become professionals, the need to maintain the appropriate weight increases. This study aims to verify the level of satisfaction of classical ballet dancers and jazz dancers with their body image, identifying differences and similarities between the two groups. Furthermore, similarities and differences in the level of satisfaction with body image of classical dancers of different countries will be identified. This is a descriptive research. The sample was composed of 15 professional adult ballet dancers and 16 jazz dancers from Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil, and nine professional adult dancers working in New York, United States. The instrument used to assess the level of satisfaction with body image was the Body Shape Questionnaire - BSQ, which measures the degree of concern with the body shape, self-depreciation due to physical appearance and the feeling of being overweight. Data were analyzed with the statistical program SPSS 15.0. Chi-square test and ANOVA test were applied for data comparison and p < 0.05 values were considered significant. The findings show that the dancers, regardless of their modality of choice, present levels of dissatisfaction and distortion of their body image. There were no statistically significant differences (p = 0.96) in the three groups evaluated. In conclusion, studies about body image in risk groups are important for the identification of serious disturbs in concomitance with eating disorders, which bring deleterious consequences to the health of dancers.
classical ballet; jazz dance; body image; dancers
