New research reveals how freelance dancers use psychological techniques to protect their mental wellbeing - and calls on industry to do more to support them.
(c) Cottonbro studio
Of the 17,000 registered dancers in the UK, around 12,000 work freelance. Without the security of a permanent contract, these artists face a set of pressures: financial instability, fierce competition for limited work, and a professional culture that has long discouraged them from showing vulnerability.
A new study, led by researchers at the University of Birmingham's School of Sport, Exercise and Rehabilitation Sciences, finds that mental skills training (MST) - a structured approach that can include self-awareness, self-talk, goal setting, emotional regulation, reflection, imagery and confidence-building strategies - could play a vital role in helping freelance dance artists (FDAs) not just survive, but thrive. The study forms part of a wider programme of participatory research developing MST4Dance, a mental skills training programme for freelance dance artists.
The research, funded by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) and the University of Birmingham, draws on in-depth interviews with eight freelance dance artists and eight psychologically informed practitioners (PIPs) - including sport psychologists, mental performance coaches and certified counsellors working with the dance sector.
Some participants described being encouraged to suppress difficult emotions. As one artist recalled: "My training was very much like 'you don't show your emotions. You aren't honest even with yourself about what you think and what you are feeling'."
Leaving formal training with few tools to cope, many freelance dancers found themselves having to figure things out alone - navigating audition anxiety, competition with peers, and the emotional toll of precarious work.
Importantly, employers offering psychological support during emotionally demanding projects seemed to be the exception rather than the rule. Consequently, FDAs were either inspired by peers or sought the help they needed themselves.
The study identified three key ways in which mental skills training helped dancers manage these challenges:
Reconnecting with thoughts and emotions - using techniques such as journalling and group check-ins to develop greater self-awareness and metacognitive skills.
Self-regulation - developing mental skills like confidence and regulating difficult emotions to manage challenging situations, from auditions to demanding touring projects.
Life-enhancing benefits beyond dance - enhancing mental qualities such as adaptability, openness and confidence that proved valuable far beyond the dance studio.
One artist described the impact of building confidence over time: "Coming out of the performance, I just feel strong. I just feel like the version I want to be all the time."
A key finding of the study is that mental skills training in dance is not just an individual pursuit - it has an important interpersonal dimension. Dancers benefited from co-regulating difficult emotions with peers, and from working in environments that encouraged connection and mutual support.
Practitioners played a vital role in this process, facilitating workshops where dancers could recognise shared struggles, build trust, and develop skills collaboratively. As one practitioner noted: "Chances are, if you're feeling it, someone else is as well."
Freelance dancers possess remarkable psychological strength, but they are often left to navigate enormous pressures alone. This research shows that mental skills training can make a real difference - not just to their careers, but to their lives as a whole
Our findings suggest that many freelance dancers continue to encounter workplaces where psychological support is limited. Creating psychologically safe environments should not be viewed as an optional extra but as an important part of supporting dancers' health, wellbeing, and performance.
The researchers are clear that the responsibility for dancers' mental wellbeing should not rest with individual artists alone. They are calling on dance companies, choreographers and employers to embed psychological support into freelance dance workplaces - and to help destigmatise mental health struggles across the sector.
The study also suggests that mental skills training need not be complex or time-consuming. As one practitioner reflected: "I don't think it's complicated. It's just about making that time - people need that time, too."
The open access paper, Freelance Dance Artists' Experiences of Managing Career Challenges: Insights into Mental Skills Training from Artists and Practitioners, is published in Qualitative Research in Sport, Exercise and Health. It was funded by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) and the University of Birmingham.
Michelle is a doctoral researcher, investigating the lived experiences and insights of dancers and how MST can be conceptualised in dance.
Professor of Sport and Exercise Psychology
Professor Jennifer Cumming is an expert in the imagery and observational learning use of athletes, exercisers, and dancers.
