Or, perhaps more common and insidious, “I’m sorry, but your daughter doesn’t have the right body type to become an elite dancer, so investing in her training is not a good idea.”

I’ve seen that happen in dance, and I know a little bit about it because my late partner used to be really into modern dance.

The thing is, when dance company leaders talk about the “right” body type, they’re talking about body types that are much more common among white women than Black women.

Of course some Black women succeed in elite dance, but white women do so disproportionately, because body standards are rigged in their favor.