Sexual Harassment in Performing Arts

The performing arts industry is built on talent, expression, and physical presence but behind the curtain, it’s also an environment where power imbalances and unspoken rules can breed serious abuse. Dancers, models, and performers often depend on the approval of a small group of directors, agents, or casting professionals to make or break their careers. Unfortunately, that dependency puts many at risk of sexual harassment, coercion, grooming, and retaliation especially in non-union environments or pre-professional settings with little oversight.

Whether you work for a ballet company, model for a fashion agency, or perform with a precision dance troupe like the Rockettes, your workplace should never include pressure for sexual favors, unwanted touching, or fear of speaking up. At HarassmentHelp.org, we understand the unique challenges performers face when the abuse is coming from someone who controls your casting, your contract, or your public image.

HarassmentHelp.org is here to offer confidential, compassionate support. You’re not overreacting. You have rights, even if your industry makes you feel powerless.

Who’s at Risk of Sexual Harassment in the Performing Arts Industry?

In the performing arts world, sexual harassment can affect individuals at any stage of their careers from young dancers in conservatories to seasoned professionals in national tours. It often comes from the top: directors, agents, choreographers, or producers with the power to influence your career. The risk is especially high for those in physically intimate workspaces,

Because so much work happens in private spaces, rehearsal studios, dressing rooms, hotel suites, where personal boundaries are often blurred or dismissed as part of the artistic process. Vulnerable groups include not just dancers and models, but anyone working behind the scenes in costumes, casting, or choreography.

Roles at High Risk for Workplace Sexual Harassment in Performing Arts:

• Dancers (Ballet, Broadway, Modern, Cruise Productions) – Careers depend on casting choices and physical roles often require close, supervised interaction, creating opportunities for inappropriate conduct.
• Models (Fashion, Commercial, Promotional Work) – Success relies on agencies, clients, and photographers for jobs and exposure, making it difficult to challenge harassment without risking future work.
• Pageant Contestants and Spokesmodels – Advancement often depends on the approval of judges, sponsors, and event organizers, leaving participants vulnerable to unwanted attention or coercion.
• Artistic Directors, Casting Agents, and Photographers – While they hold authority in creative decisions, they are also subject to pressure from producers, funders, or venues, which can lead to harassment or exploitation.
• Stylists, Makeup Artists, and Stage/Tour Managers – Extended hours in backstage, travel, or private settings, often with limited oversight, heighten the risk of misconduct going unchecked.

Common Performing Arts Employers Where Sexual Harassment Happens

Sexual harassment happens across every level of the performing arts from elite ballet companies to regional theater groups and independent modeling gigs. Common environments include:

• National Ballet Companies and Modern Dance Troupes – Dancers often fear replacement or loss of roles if they report misconduct.
• Broadway and Touring Productions – Casting decisions and contract renewals are concentrated in a few hands, creating pressure to tolerate inappropriate behavior.
• Cruise Ship Entertainment Crews – Performers live and work in confined spaces far from outside oversight, allowing harassment to persist unchecked.
• Modeling Agencies and Freelance Photography Settings – Jobs and visibility depend on client approval, making it difficult to challenge misconduct.
• Theme Parks, Casino Shows, and Vegas-Style Productions – Strict control over image and performance standards can discourage employees from speaking out.
• Pageant Training Programs – Power imbalances between young contestants and older mentors or organizers heighten the risk of boundary violations.
• Student and Pre-Professional Academies – Dependence on instructors for opportunities and advancement can blur lines between mentorship and coercion.
• Backstage Crews and Creative Staff – Retaliation fears tied to leadership authority can silence reports of harassment.

What Sexual Harassment of Actors, Dancers, and Other Peforming Arts Employees Can Look Like

The line between coaching, casting, and coercion can be deliberately blurred. Performers are often told to tolerate “difficult personalities” or normalize invasive direction as part of the industry. But no matter whether you experience sexual harassment during an audition or performance, no matter whether it is physical, verbal, or digital, it is never part of the job.

Inappropriate Comments and Sexual Jokes

• “You should wear something tighter for this number.”
• “Smile more, you’re too pretty to be that serious.”
• “You’re here for your look, not your talent.”

Unwanted Touching and Physical Contact

• Choreographers placing hands on your hips or chest unnecessarily
• Directors brushing against you in tight rehearsal rooms
• Photographers adjusting clothing or posing you without consent

Late-Night Messaging and After-Hours Pressure

• Texts from casting directors asking to “discuss your future” over drinks
• Mentors pushing one-on-one “coaching” in hotel rooms
• Pressure to socialize or “entertain” producers at wrap parties

Flirtation That Won’t Stop

• Repeated romantic advances from choreographers or agents
• Co-stars crossing boundaries even after being told no
• Being teased or punished for not “playing along” with flirtation

Quid Pro Quo Harassment (“This For That”)

• “If you sleep with me, I’ll make sure you get the solo.”
• “Keep flirting with the judges, and you’ll move on to the next round.”
• “We’ll get you a contract—just meet me privately first.”

Retaliation After Ending a Relationship

• Being removed from a role after rejecting advances
• Harassers spreading rumors or calling you “difficult” to work with
• Pay, schedule, or performance opportunities suddenly disappearing

Grooming by Directors or Mentors

• Early praise, gifts, and opportunities followed by emotional or sexual pressure
• Career help offered in exchange for secrecy or intimacy
• Threats of withdrawal or blacklisting if attention is rejected
• Young performers may be pressured into coerced relationships under the guise of mentorship or career advancement.

Harassment at Off-Site Events or Tours

• Being touched or propositioned during afterparties
• Asked to share hotel rooms with directors or agents
• Drinking pressure at entertainment or fashion events

Who We Are – HarassmentHelp.org

HarassmentHelp.org is a project of Phillips & Associates PLLC, a law firm focused on workplace sexual harassment and employee rights. Created by award-winning sexual harassment lawyers, we offer confidential support and practical guidance to help employees understand their rights, navigate workplace retaliation, and make informed decisions to protect their careers.

The HarassmentHelp.org RGA Approach

We guide you through RGA — Rights, Guidance, and Action, a safe and supportive process designed to help you protect yourself, preserve your career, and stop the harassment.

• Rights – Understand Your Protections
  We help you understand what’s acceptable in the workplace, what crosses the line, and how the law protects you from harassment and retaliation.
• Guidance – Build Your Case Safely
  We offer confidential, nonjudgmental support before any formal action, helping you evaluate the safest and most effective steps for your situation.
• Action – Take Steps With Full Support
  You never have to face harassment on your own. We can help you create a plan that feels safe and manageable, and connect you with trusted sexual harassment attorneys who can draft complaints, handle communication for you, or work toward a private resolution.

Why It’s So Hard to Report Theater and Dance Company Sexual Harassment

Performers often fear retaliation, rejection, or reputational harm if they come forward.ff Reasons many stay silent include:

• Fear of being blacklisted, recast, or dropped by their agency
• Contracts with NDAs or unclear reporting channels
• Close working quarters and blurred personal boundaries
• High-profile harassers protected by status and revenue
• Normalization of flirtation and “difficult personalities”
• Peer silence-because everyone is afraid of losing their role

But fear doesn’t mean you have no power. We help you navigate the process discreetly, legally, and safely.

How HarassmentHelp.org Supports You Every Step of the Way

Here’s what working with us looks like from start to finish:

1. Confidential Conversation – Share your story in a safe space — no pressure to act right away.
2. Evidence Building – We help you keep detailed records of incidents, messages, and witnesses.
3. Strategy – Connect you with top sexual harassment attorneys who can help with preparing complaints, filing complaints on your behalf, or pursuing private resolutions.
4. Retaliation Guidance – Understand your rights and what steps to take if your employer pushes back.