How did Sara Mearns lose her hearing?

Sara Mearns experienced hearing loss after a loud rehearsal in a large metal gym with 100 drummers.

What challenges did Sara Mearns face due to hearing loss?

She missed musical cues, struggled with conversations, felt isolated, and was exhausted from trying to hear.

How did hearing aids help Sara Mearns?

The hearing aids allowed her to hear every instrument and the full power of the music, enabling her to perform accurately again.

Home / Arts and Entertainment / Ballerina's Silent Struggle: Hearing Loss in the Spotlight

Ballerina's Silent Struggle: Hearing Loss in the Spotlight

19 Jan

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Summary

A principal dancer at NYC Ballet, Sara Mearns experienced sudden hearing loss after a loud rehearsal.
She struggled with missing cues and conversations, impacting her performances and daily life.
After being fitted with hearing aids, she regained her ability to hear music and her career flourished.

Ballerina's Silent Struggle: Hearing Loss in the Spotlight

Sara Mearns, a principal dancer with the New York City Ballet, has publicly shared her journey with hearing loss, a condition that significantly impacted her career and well-being. Mearns, who has been dancing since she was three, experienced a notable decline in her hearing following a loud rehearsal in 2014. This led to difficulties in perceiving musical cues and conversations, causing immense distress and exhaustion.

Her hearing impairment worsened during the pandemic, exacerbating feelings of isolation. Mearns revealed she was crying daily, feeling disconnected from her art despite being at the height of her career. Recognizing the need for intervention, she sought professional help in 2020, leading to a diagnosis of nerve hearing loss and a search for suitable hearing aids.