Mums on pointe - how ballerinas are breaking taboos in the profession

"We dance for the love of art," is a phrase ballerinas often hear. But love of art doesn't pay for rent and baby nappies.

There is a growing maternity rights movement in major US ballet companies: dancers are demanding paid maternity leave, flexible schedules and normal treatment of their pregnant bodies. In the meantime, many have to choose between their profession and motherhood - or work until exhaustion without support.

Elle writes about the struggles of American ballerinas.

One of the first to talk about it was Alexandra Basmaghi, a soloist with American Ballet Theatre (ABT). In 2019, she taught at New York City ballet schools while being four months pregnant to make up for the loss of income. Her official maternity leave began shortly after the tour, but not on her own initiative. Her salary was cut by 80 per cent during her leave.

"It wasn't a hostile attitude, I just felt like I didn't have a voice," Basmaghi recalls. - "Everyone was doing it before me, and I thought - this must be the norm."

But already in the pandemic, she realised: it was not the norm, but a systemic problem. Together with other dancers, including Lauren Post, Basmaghi set up a chat room for mothers from different ballet companies in the US. It started with support during a difficult time - and grew into a collaborative fight for justice.

The results of the survey were shocking: in some companies, women were paid in full until they gave birth; in others, they were forced to take unpaid leave. Some spent all the months of their maternity leave before the baby was born. Many simply left the profession.

"I didn't even think it was possible to stay with a company until after giving birth until I heard about that experience from others," Basmaghi says.

According to Tracy Jones of the American Guild of Musical Artists (AGMA), ballet has long been dominated by body and gender stereotypes: thin body, perfect shape, no pregnancy. But things are changing: new contracts allow for light work - helping in the office, rehearsals, teaching. Rights for parents regardless of gender are also spelled out.

"The pregnant body in ballet is often considered uncomfortable because it doesn't fit in," notes professor and choreographer Ali Duffy.

In the U.S., there is still no federal law on the right to paid maternity leave. Because of this, each company operates differently, and the dancers depend on the goodwill of management. Elizabeth Intema of the Dance Data Project says, "When there is no common standard, everyone suffers: artists and companies alike."

Jocelyn Watson, a former dancer with one company, left her job when she was seven months pregnant - simply because the company had no maternity policy.

"If there had been an opportunity to move into another role temporarily - it would have made all the difference," she believes.

ABT is now operating under a new collective agreement that includes leave for both parents and the option to stay on contract until the dancer herself decides. Soloist Betsy McBride danced until mid-pregnancy and then moved into teaching and administrative work.

"If I had just gone on maternity leave, I wouldn't have had enough money. Now I had a stable salary and the opportunity to work until I gave birth," she says.

Zhong-Jing Fan was pregnant with her second child throughout the 2024 summer season. She continued to perform for the first four months of her pregnancy and then focused on overseeing rehearsals and attending meetings with sponsors and donors. In November, she joined ABT's incubator project as a choreographer.

Phan believes motherhood has made her more free as an artiste. It's not easy to combine both paths (and she especially credits her husband's contribution to childcare), but she doesn't believe a dancer is obliged to choose only one role.

"I am a dancer. I'm a mother. Together it creates a holistic image of who you become on stage," she says.

Ballet West's artistic director Adam Skluta explains: after an agreed maternity start date, dancers can take "light" duties and then go on paid leave, spelled out in their contract. Paternity leave also applies.

One activist is Allison DeBona, head of artÉmotion and former soloist with Ballet West. She openly shares her experience of returning to the stage with postpartum depression and burnout.

"I was in the audience with an electronic breast pump under my leotard. No one realised what I was going through," she says.

Together with Ingrid Silva, they founded the collaboration Dancers & Motherhood to support parents in the profession. The aim is to include basic safeguards in AGMA contracts and other regulations.

"Pregnancy shouldn't mean the end of a career. We should not just be parents and artists - we should enjoy both of these roles," Basmaghi emphasises.

She retired from ABT in 2024 after 13 years on stage, but continues to fight for the rights of those who follow.

The dancers continue to fight for a work environment that is more open to parents and families.

"It's an incredible feeling to know we're not alone and we support each other," Phan says. "Now that I am part of this movement, I will use my strength to advocate and continue to help the younger generation."