Kylie Morton Berry, principal dancer and ballet mistress with the Appalachian Ballet Company, shares her story.
I developed breasts late—around age 15—but it happened fast. By senior year of high school, I was wearing a DD-cup. I didn't grow or gain weight anywhere else, so I was very uncomfortable. I felt out of proportion. Also, I'm hypermobile, and having that much weight on the front of my body gave me lower back pain.None
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During senior year, I started talking with my mom about having breast reduction surgery. Since she is also in the dance world, as a former ballerina and now teacher and studio owner, she understood. But it wasn't until I became an apprentice with Charlotte Ballet in Charlotte, NC, that the time felt right. In the spring of my apprentice year, I had a conference with the company's leadership, and they agreed that the surgery might be a good idea if I wanted to pursue a professional path. It wasn't just about how I looked. Because I had a lot of back pain, I would limit myself on certain movements. I also held back because I felt self-conscious.
After talking with the doctor about my needs as a ballet dancer—most breast reduction patients don't aim to reduce as much as I wanted to—I booked the surgery for the beginning of summer break. The surgery itself took about five hours. Afterward, I was uncomfortable, but not in too much pain. I had an eight-week recovery period, during which I wasn't supposed to really use my arms. I couldn't dance or do yoga. I couldn't swim, because that can affect your stitches. I did do some Pilates for core strength. I was able to take one ballet class before Charlotte Ballet asked me back to rehearse with their second company.
In the end, the surgery took me from an E-cup to a B-cup. I felt lighter—it was literally a weight off my chest. I also found I was able to use my core muscles more effectively, after years of focusing on holding my body in a certain way. I didn't have chronic back pain anymore, and I felt more confident. Breast reduction surgery isn't for everybody, but it was the right choice for me.