I walked into my ballet class one morning expecting to go through a rigorous workout that would leave me more exhausted than when my alarm went off. However, my professor had the class sit and read an article published by Dance Magazine about the necessity of ballet. I read the article and agreed with what it had to say, but my classmates and professor quickly engaged in a conversation that opened my eyes to a new perspective on dance.
First of all, this article works on an assumption that being a performing dancer is equivalent to being a successful dancer. However, there are millions of ways a dancer can be successful that don't always have to include performances .
One point made by one of my peers was the fact that the statement, "ballet is the necessary foundation under all other forms of dance," might come from an elitist point of view. First of all, some ballet classes are more expensive to take compared to other classes. Many talented dancers do not have access to ballet class and must find training elsewhere.
In addition, there are some potential physical and mental dangers with ballet if not taught properly. A lot of the demands of ballet require their students to do things that their bodies are not capable of. For example, I am naturally built with narrow hips that do not allow me to turn out my legs as much as some ballet teachers have required of me. If I try to push for that level of turn out, I could seriously injure my body. Ballet also requires you to hold your back and other parts of your body stiffly, preventing freedom in other areas of dance.
If we hold dancers to the standard that being a successful dancer comes from being a successful ballerina, there will be students that believe they will never be successful. Certain body-types do not fit into the ballerina body-type, so they will most likely not be good at ballet. How can we inspire dancers to reach their full potential if we keep them stuck in a specific art form?
Lastly, ballet is not the only form of dance that exists. Other forms such as tap, jazz, modern, contemporary, hip-hop, belly dancing, and more all offer just as valuable lessons as ballet, yet those are not considered as important foundations. Why is the freedom of hip-hop considered less necessary than the structure of ballet? Why is the rhythm of tap considered less valuable than the gracefulness of ballet?
There are certain ways to present ballet that can be very useful to dancers. For example, my professor in college presents ballet as an opportunity for me to get to know the way my body works and how to use it to its full potential. We could also look at ballet through a historical lens, discussing transitions between styles and techniques over time to give dancers tools to use in other styles. We have come so far in the science of ballet that it is time to bring both modern findings and traditional techniques together to make a powerful style of dance.
Through these conversations in my collegiate classes, I have developed a deeper appreciation for ballet, a style I previously despised but believed was necessary for my success. I have learned that all styles of dance can benefit me in the long run and are just as necessary to my growth as ballet. In a world that demands versatility from its performers, we can not simply rely on ballet to be our recipe for success. It's time to make ballet more inclusive to all body types and races by combining historical techniques with modern scientific discoveries. In general, no dancer should be forced to stand at a barre to be ignored because they do not have the potential to be a prima ballerina. Rather, ballet should be used as a tool to help a dancer better understand thier potential just like any other style.
