How Love Your Body Week Started
In 2005 Rachel Stewart struck by the constant negativity she heard from her dance students about their bodies. She felt a strong conviction to counteract the negative messaging about their bodies that young people face, and to acknowledge the additional pressures that dancers experience. Inspired by NEDA’s National Eating Disorders Awareness Week, and knowing that dancers are in the the highest risk group for eating disorders, she wanted to create a program to promote positive body image, but oriented towards dancers of all ages. She went to ATD’s Director Maygan Wurzer with the idea, and the two of them held the first Love Your Body Week (LYBW) that year. The basic concept is to take time out of each class to talk or dance about body positivity and self-love.
In 2009 Mary Pisegna Gorder took on the responsibility of managing and continuing to develop LYBW. She began making use of teen leadership, having NHSDA members facilitate LYBW activities for younger children and for their peers. Their engagement on this level helps to inspire a great connection to and understanding of the LYBW ideals, and allows for deeper investment. The program has changed and evolved over the years, with many teachers contributing their expertise, artistry, and support; it continues to be a collaborative effort between the teachers and students.
Today, Rachel and Mary run LYBW together. Over the years they have developed the curriculum to include a number of different activities, some discussion based, some that include readings or videos, and some focused on movement. At the culmination of each activity, dancers write or draw a message of self-love to post on the mirror. By the end of the week the mirrors are completely covered with positive statements.
