Sharp criticism of the ballet school in Vienna - children were encouraged to smoke

The prestigious Ballet Academy, founded in 1771, attracts young talents between the ages of 10 and 17 from all over the world. Following an investigative report in the Austrian newspaper Falter in April this year, accusations were made against the school, which was reportedly using "19th century methods" for learning. The students must also have had condescending comments about their bodies.

On Tuesday, an investigation was initiated by the Austrian government, in which several of the data from the report return, reports AFP. According to the investigative leader, Susanne Reindl-Krauskopf, the school's students should, among other things, have been advised to start smoking in order to stay slim and addressed with first name and clothing size, rather than first and last name.

"It is obvious that the children and young people at school are not adequately protected from discrimination, neglect and impaired health," the study says. It is also stated that the students' amount of exercise is not controlled adequately - which risks threatening the well-being of the students according to the investigation.

In connection with the report in Falter in April, the head of the State Opera, Dominique Meyer, promised that they would set up their own investigation into the school's working environment. A course where students learn about nutrition and body perceptions has been added and psychologists should also have been hired. But according to the investigation, this is not enough.

In response to the criticism, the school refers to the fact that they have already taken measures and, among other things, looked at the students' amount of training. They also point out that they will go through the investigation more carefully before commenting on the content.