coffee Posted January 30, 2004 Share Posted January 30, 2004 I am really sorry if this isn't allowed, for a few reasons. One, I ask this to find information for a paper I am writing. I am not really asking for help with the homework, just help with the sources. Also, it kind of has to do with eating disorders, but not completely. Please delete if it's not allowed. I have looked around a lot and havn't been very successful so I thought I'd give this a shot. So here's the deal. I am writing a paper that has to do with the 'ideal ballerina body' and its kind of an ambiguous topic and I plan to narrow it down as I find information because I wasn't sure what kind of stuff I was going to come across. Right now I wanted to focus on lawsuits similar to the one brought against the Bolshoi Ballet by Anastasia Volochkova. I have some info on that case, and also on one from a few years ago brought against the San Francisco Ballet School by a mother after her daughter got rejected. So I have thoes two, but I don't know the final court rulings on either of them. I also wondered if there have been any similar cases to these two. (basically cases brought against companies about body type etc.) Have any of these cases actually been won by whoever was going against the company? Also (I feel like I am going on forever...sorry!) I wanted to know if there were any classical ballet companies that have really broken the barrier and is hiring dancers outside of the normal body type. By the way, I am trying to present all views without a bias and this post is related specifically to one side of the argument I am presenting, so I am not stating personal views or anything. I am only looking for information! I feel like this is a rather disjointed post, and I apologize! Link to comment
Leigh Witchel Posted January 30, 2004 Share Posted January 30, 2004 Coffee - Can you get a friend who is a lawyer (maybe a friend's parent) to do what is called a Lexis or Westlaw search? It may be the most effective way for you to get some answers - it searches libraries of lawsuits and case decisions, and you'd certainly learn something about research even by doing the search. This may not help with the Volochkova matter as that's not venued in the US. What I recall about the Keefer matter (my recollection may be faulty so be sure to look it up) is that as of about a year ago the issue was still pending, and it was not a lawsuit. Krissy Keefer (the mother) had threatened a hearing before the Human Rights board in San Francisco. Good luck with your paper. Link to comment
coffee Posted January 30, 2004 Author Share Posted January 30, 2004 Thank you!! My uncle is a lawyer so I will give a try. That was the latest I had on the Keefer situation as well, but thanks for the info. Link to comment
coffee Posted February 2, 2004 Author Share Posted February 2, 2004 Does anybody know about any ballet companies that accept a wide variety of body types? Link to comment
Mel Johnson Posted February 2, 2004 Share Posted February 2, 2004 How about the Joffrey Ballet? Historically known for making unexceptional bodies do extraordinary things! B) Link to comment
coffee Posted February 3, 2004 Author Share Posted February 3, 2004 Which specific person in their history who had a particularly unexceptional body that I could highlight? Somebody whose 'flaw' would be apperant to those who are not familiar with ballet Link to comment
Mel Johnson Posted February 3, 2004 Share Posted February 3, 2004 Well, you could start with Rochelle Zide, who was "too short" and "too busty" for ballet, but did a lot of musical comedies with Agnes de Mille - she was a Joffrey leading dancer. Link to comment
Petra Posted February 3, 2004 Share Posted February 3, 2004 coffee, Lexis-Nexis holds quite a few European and other international databases including news services like Reuters so it is quite possible that your uncle (or his paralegal) can find info. on the Volochkova case too. There was some discussion on BA a few months ago about investigations into the Paris Opera School too - and I think the French posters put up quite a few links, so search the site, perhaps use 'Claude Bessy' (the principal of the POB school) as a key word. Good luck. Link to comment
coffee Posted February 4, 2004 Author Share Posted February 4, 2004 That is perfect, Mr. Johnson! And I will search for that thread, GWTW. Thanks for all your help! The paper is due tomorrow so I didn't get a chance to do the Lexis search because my uncle was out of the country. Oh well. The information I have is good enough. Thanks a lot, everybody! Link to comment
coffee Posted February 4, 2004 Author Share Posted February 4, 2004 I can't seem to find that thread when I searched using Claude Bessy as a key word. Do you remember what forum it was in? Any other search suggestions? Link to comment
Petra Posted February 5, 2004 Share Posted February 5, 2004 This is the first (out of 4) page of the thread http://balletalert.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=8019&st=0. If the link doesn't work it's on the Paris Opera Ballet forum and the thread is called "moral harrasment at the POB". Link to comment
coffee Posted February 7, 2004 Author Share Posted February 7, 2004 Thanks so much guys! Your info was incredibly helpful! I think my paper turned out great. I turned it in, so we will see what my teacher thinks. *Crossing my fingers* Its a really big grade, and you guys helped a ton! Link to comment
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