How Smoking Affects Relationships in Dance Companies

A 2016 study published in the Journal of Dance Medicine & Science surveyed 138 dancers across three settings — a performing arts high school, a college-level conservatory, and a professional ballet company [citation:1][citation:2]. The findings reveal a complex picture of smoking culture in dance:

• 🚬 Substantial minority smoke: While the majority do not smoke, 18% were current or former smokers, with male dancers smoking at nearly five times the rate of female dancers [citation:1].
• 👩‍🏫 Role models who smoke: Nearly 80% of dancers had teachers or choreographers who smoked — a powerful influence on company culture [citation:1].
• 🧠 Perception vs. reality: Over half of participants overestimated the number of dancers who smoke. This misperception can normalize smoking within the company, making it harder to quit [citation:1].
• 📊 International variation: In some countries, rates are even higher. A study of professional dancers in Croatia found 45% were smokers [citation:5].

One of the most immediate ways smoking affects company relationships is the social divide it creates between smokers and non-smokers. In an environment where camaraderie and trust are essential, this division can be significant.

• 🚪 The “smoke break” clique: Smokers bond over shared breaks, creating an informal social group that non-smokers are excluded from. This can lead to feelings of marginalization among non-smokers [citation:6].
• 👃 Olfactory aversion: As one dancer noted, “I can’t stand the smell of cigarette smoke on a woman’s clothes and definitely not her breath” [citation:8]. This aversion can create interpersonal friction, especially in partner work where proximity is unavoidable.
• 💨 The studio escape: A ballet dancer recounted leaving the dressing room early to avoid the cigarette smoke: “I would put on my makeup before anyone got there so I would be out the door to the studio before the other dancers started their ritual of smoking” [citation:6].
• 🎭 The aesthetic dimension: For some choreographers, smoking is part of the artistic vision. Roland Petit, the legendary French choreographer, was known for “elevating smoking to a terpsichorean art” [citation:4].

Choreographers and artistic directors hold significant influence over company culture. When they smoke, it sends a powerful message — one that can undermine health messaging and normalize the habit.

• 👨‍🏫 The hypocrite director: A choreographer who smokes while preaching health and discipline creates cognitive dissonance. Dancers may see this as permission to smoke themselves.
• 🎵 The aesthetic of smoke: As critic Judith Mackrell noted, choreographer Roland Petit “elevated smoking to a terpsichorean art” — using cigarettes as props in ballets like Carmen and Le Jeune Homme et la Mort [citation:4].
• 🔄 The irony: In a 2015 Korean anti-smoking campaign, the choreographer of a ballet depicting the pain of smoking was himself a 20-year smoker who lit up 20-30 cigarettes daily [citation:3]. He quit after choreographing the piece.
• 📉 The impact on quitting: Dancers who want to quit may feel pressure to continue if their choreographer or artistic director smokes.

Ballet demands extreme physical standards. The pressure to maintain a thin, lean body is immense. For some dancers, smoking becomes a weight-control tool — a dangerous trade-off that prioritizes appearance over athletic performance.

• 🍽️ Appetite suppression: Nicotine is an appetite suppressant. As one discussion noted, “Ballet dancers are infamous for smoking, largely as a substitute for food to keep their weight down” [citation:8].
• ⚠️ The contradiction: Dancers who smoke to control weight are undermining their own performance. Reduced stamina, impaired breathing, and increased injury risk are well-documented consequences [citation:1].
• 🤝 Peer pressure: The prevalence of weight-control smoking creates peer pressure. Dancers who don’t smoke may feel pressure to start, or smokers may be reluctant to quit.
• 📉 The quitting barrier: Fear of weight gain is a significant barrier to quitting for dancers, as it is for many smokers [citation:8].

The vast majority of dancers recognize that smoking diminishes one’s ability to dance [citation:1]. Yet the habit persists. This disconnect has real consequences for company performance and relationships.

• 🫁 Breathing and stamina: Dance demands exceptional cardiovascular capacity. Smoking directly impairs both. Smokers in a company may struggle to keep up with non-smokers during rehearsals and performances.
• 🤕 Injury risk: Smokers have slower wound healing and higher injury rates. In a company, this means more absences, substitutions, and strain on other dancers.
• 🎭 Artistic compromise: Choreographers may have to adjust pieces to accommodate dancers with reduced stamina, compromising artistic vision.
• 😤 Resentment: Non-smoking dancers may resent the limitations created by colleagues who smoke — especially if it affects casting decisions.

Over 40% of dancers who smoke express a desire to quit [citation:1]. However, the dance environment presents unique barriers to cessation.

• 🧠 Peer normalization: When teachers, choreographers, and colleagues smoke, quitting becomes harder. Social support networks are essential [citation:8].
• ⚖️ Weight concerns: Fear of weight gain is a major barrier. Dance companies can help by providing nutritional support for dancers trying to quit.
• 📞 Resources: The Smokers’ Helpline (1-877-513-5333) offers free, confidential support. NRT (nicotine replacement therapy) is safe and effective.
• 🩺 The role of the company: Dance companies can support quitting by creating smoke-free environments, providing cessation resources, and ensuring that choreographers set a healthy example.

For dancers who continue to smoke, native cigarettes (Playfare, Canadian, DuMont, Nexus, Rolled Gold) offer an affordable alternative to overpriced commercial brands. A carton costs $29-50 — compared to $140-180 for commercial brands — a savings of 70-80%. However, they contain the same nicotine, tar, and carcinogens.

• 💰 Cost savings: A pack-a-day smoker saves $5,000-7,000 per year by switching to native cigarettes.
• 🚫 Not “healthier”: Native cigarettes contain the same health risks. They do not improve lung capacity or stamina.
• 📦 Online delivery: Cigstore.ca ships to every province and territory with $29 flat shipping (free over $290).
• 🩰 The dancer’s decision: For dancers who cannot quit, native cigarettes are the most affordable option. But the ultimate goal should be cessation.