Dance_Scholar_London

The Society of Dance History Scholars has a new 'Practice-as-Research' in Dance working group. I am founder and chair of this new working SDHS working group which investigates dance practice as a research tool, and aims to understand underlying epistemological issues which can only be generated through a practical approach to studying dance. 'Practice-as-Research' (or sometimes 'Research-into-Practice', 'Practice-based Research', or 'Performance-as-Research'), in a performance studies context, is a methodology exploring the close relationship between theory and practice as forms of research. The focus of this group is discussions and exchange of information concerning Practice-as-Research in university instructional settings. The group shall serve as a platform to share knowledge, goals, strategies, materials and research ideas. All those with interests in Practice-as-Research are invited to join the Practice-as-Research working group. The group will meet during the SDHS conference in Banff for the first time and will remain in touch throughout the year via email. The society has a considerable number of researchers in the field of ballet. Practice-as-Research in Ballet is a new and exciting field and offers opportunities to investigate ballet from a practical side (unlike dance history studies). Please find more info here. Please no PMs on BA about the group but please follow the links and drop me an email

Do you think we are moving away from high extensions and emphasise more artistic skills rather than technique in the future

I always wondered when a dancer does a double fouette is it counted as one fouette or as two? The actual whipping-movement is just done once in a double or triple fouette... so is it counted then as one or multiple? :-)

When did this happen?

Were there not some very young Russian ballerinas in the past who could do 64 fouettés in the past? Though this was not in Swan Lake...

Sorry for bringing up this old post but I am interested in Suki Schorers book on Balanchine. Are all her books about how to teach Balanchine technique or does it involve cultural aspects as well? I am also interested in her book on pointe work. :blush:

So true. After seeing the high extensions of the dancers I will put some more effort in mine. They had sooooo beautiful legs :yes:

I saw the performance on Thursday and I loved it. I was in the front row, surrounded by a rather mature audience (55+) and most of them did not enjoy it a lot. I think they were expecting something more classical - and not neoclassical. The older couple next to me did even no clap!! I love NYCB dancers, they have extraordinary bodies, especially the girls. I did not enjoy "circular motion" so much. The choreography was rather simple and monotonous. "halleluja junction" was great. Very "speedy" :rolleyes:

The original story-line of "The Wise Virgins" from William Walton is based on a biblical parable (of the foolish virgins). I have recently re-choreographed the complete ballet with a complete new storyline (though not related to the bible). It might be interesting for you to compare both :-) Feel free to email me - I am much more active on the dancer board but you should have my email from previous post over there.

Mel, I have concerns about the educational aspect of this Barbie animation. Actually, it reflects a highly unrealistic world of ballet. Young kids are dancing on pointes, commented by a girly voice "Look how she can dance on her toes". In her previous animation "The Nutcracker", the educational value is also doubtable as the computer-animated film does not reflect a healthy training method. In the final scene of the Nutcracker, Barbie and Shelley, who is apparently not older than five or six years of age, are dancing together in the ballet studio. Although Shelley dances 'only' on demi-pointe, they perform the same step combinations such as pas de chat, pas de bourrée and even pirouettes. Every serious ballet dancer knows that it will take a couple of years of disciplined training to perform in a way that is reflected in this production. From an aesthetic point of view, is it reasonable to put Barbie and her friends on pointe or would it undervalue the art of ballet? In every ballet book it is argued that too early pointe work will lead to severe health problems... Is Mattel Entertainment simply not aware of ballet technique or is the aesthetic pointe work more important than health? :cool2:

I just found this old post about pointe shoes as fashionable shoes in the archives. As a fashion historian, I would like to add that fashion pointe shoes are more look-alike pointes in stead of traditional flour-and-paste pointes. At the end of the twentieth century, the fashion industry has picked up the idea of ribbons and look-alike pointe shoes and designer brands such as Manolo Blahnik, Sonia Rykiel, Etro, and Blumarine have used the pointe shoe style to create “ballerina” fashion shoes. Even pointe shoe manufacturers, such as Gamba have followed the trend and created a line of street look-alike pointes. Anybody who knows the Gamba shop in London: they have currently decorated their shop window with their look-alike pointes (with ribbons). (July 2004)

I was watching Barbie in Swan Lake a couple of days ago and was wondering about the ballet scenes. Do they objectively reflect ballet steps - it seems that Barbie has a bad turnout although she knows her steps! I would be delighted to get some opinions about Barbie as a ballerina. Should Barbie be animated in a ballet movie? Will she inspire young girls to become a ballerina? Or does she represent an unrealistic image of the ballet world?

You are right, it was last performed in the 1940s - and it had 9 tracks of music, 3 of them are lost, which makes now around 20 minutes of ballet. I have a cast of 3 girls and 1 guy. Rehearsals will start tomorrow and the story-line will be created within the rehearsal space as part of my research in creativity. There will be a lot of "gestures and arm movements" - music is very slow and baroque-like. I have hired a mime teacher to train some gestures and facial expression. :-)

Actually, I am talking about the Ashton choreography, but as far as I can read from my documents, it was first performed in April 1940 at Sadlers Wells - I dont think that it was performed until the 70s... but it would be great to find out if this information is correct. I will check the reference that you gave me. Thanks Jane

Be also careful with the metal - if it is too humid you will have stains of rust in a very short time. Best would really be to ask at a local museum about storage possibilities - costume historians are usually quite helpful. Let me know if you find something out about its heritage B)

I am currently choreographing William Walton´s "The Wise Virgins". The original ballet has been danced by Margot Fonteyn, however, the choreography and the story-line got completely lost. I am re-inventing the story-line, and testing the creative limits of the dancers, though I would be grateful if anybody has an idea of the original choreography. :rolleyes:

I am a fashion historian specialised in ballet costumes but for a proper analysis of the garment I would need to have to see it with my own eyes - and not just as a picture. Therefore, I would recommend to bring it to a museum which has a costume department. I know that the London museum has done intensive research about Pavlova´s costumes; they could tell you for sure if it is from her or not. I could establish some contacts and give you the name of the person you would have to contact. PM me. However, treat the costume careful. Most people make the mistake and wash or dry-clean an ancient costume in order to make it more clean before they show it to a museum. PLEASE dont do it. If it is from Pavlova times, it is around a century old and would certainly fall apart. If you decide to keep it at home, store it in a dry place, same constant temperature and best is NO light - light does not only trigger fading of colours, costumes will literally fall apart over the times. Hope this was helpful

Age of ballerino - great point of view! Has the male dancer than replaced the female of pointe or has the female lost power (or may I suggest control), which she had for a very long time due to her pointe work? I would claim that the audience does expect from a ballerina to have an excellent technique - but the spectator does not judge as strict in terms of the ballerino. When you mentionned the age of the ballerino - does this more apply to the American dancer? I just want to come back to my initial question about ballet culture in America. By the way, I also dont think that ballerinas are victims - I do pointe work myself and think its hard work but fun This could also be a sign that Postmoderism is dying... Welcome to the ballerino era :yes:

Do you think then that there will be a tendency to go back to (liberal) feminism on stage? There has been much written and argued about gender equality in dance in the recent years, thus I might suggest that there will be a reversion of gender/power/construction within the next decade. Hence, when the diva-ballerina celebration is dead now, does ballet go back to the victimisation of ballerinas?

Alexandra - that is an interesting point. Hence, would you say that there was a difference between American and European ballet culture in the past and now it is all more or less on the same level? And if so, where do these tendencies come from? Is this a late postmodern impact on ballet, i.e. in the new millennium, ballet culture will not progress anymore? :sleeping:

I think you just hit the point of my question: Are primaballerinas "created" in a different way in the US than in Europe (by the audience, or the PR department of a ballet company for example) or is it a matter of dance training, which starts at a very early age to educate individuals with a particular personal style? I guess I have difficulties to explain what I mean.... sorry English is not my first language

I was wondering about the development of ballet culture in the United States. Ballet in America has been different from its European counterpart since its arrival. Of course, especially Balanchine has contributed to an American ballet culture but I was more talking about traditional story ballets (and not about neoclassical ballets). I have observed that US companies have used and promoted different aesthetic values: In my opinion, American dancers are represented "stars" and have more and individual personality and dance style than Euopean ballerinas. Might this be true - or am I justed blended from the outrageous costumes of ABT and SFB?