165,415 research outputs found
Dance, class and the body: a Bourdieusian examination of training trajectories into ballet and contemporary dance
No full textThis article is a result of a small-scale interview-based study that explored the social conditions of ballet and contemporary dance production in the city of Glasgow. This study draws on interviews given by twelve professional dancers and choreographers, both freelancers and company based, who for the purposes of this research offered to share their experiences of studying and making dance. More specifically, this article aspires to map the social conditions of possibility of dancing and making dance, drawing on the class condition and career trajectories of those individuals who became dancers. With the aid of Bourdieu’s (1984; 1990; 1993a) concepts of ‘capitals’ (economic, social, cultural and physical), ‘habitus’ and ‘trajectories’, this piece of work will discuss how class conditions give or limit access to vocational training as a career pathway to dance. It is argued that, although the social origin of this sample presents relative variety, dance is an activity that demands different types of support, which are eventually more accessible to those social groups with more assets.Publisher PD
Physiological demands of performance in Classical Ballet and their relationships with injury and aesthetic components
No full textA thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements of the University of Wolverhampton for the degree of Doctor of
PhilosophyAt performance level, classical ballet is a form of high-intensity, intermittent exercise, requiring a strong aerobic foundation. Existing training methods have remained largely unchanged over the past century, resulting in poorly conditioned dancers who are prone to injury. The purpose of the thesis was to examine, through several inter-related studies, the demands of training and performance at professional level, and whether fitness levels of classical ballet dancers affect both aesthetic components of performance, and injury. All participants were either in the final year of elite vocational training or were professional dancers. Initial, observational, investigations indicated that both rehearsal and performance posed a variety of demands on different ranks of dancer within a company’s structure, and depicted daily workloads which supported previous complaints of fatigue. Before examination of fitness or performance could begin, novel tools to assess both aerobic fitness, and performance proficiency in ballet dancers were designed and tested for reliability and validity. Both tests met with test-retest reliability standards, with 95% limits of agreement of ±6.2 ml.kg.-1min-1 for the aerobic test, and ±1.5 points (out of 10) for the performance rating scale. High overall performance scores were then best predicted by high jumps of both legs and good active flexibility of the left leg (F=4.142, df=3, P=0.042). Following this, an intervention study investigated the effects of a period of supplemental fitness training, designed to enhance aerobic fitness, jump height and local muscular endurance, on the performance scores of a randomly assigned group of dancers. A control group continued with regular training. Performance scores at the outset of the study were compared to those following the intervention period. Overall scores for the intervention group increased by significantly more than those of the control group, (p=0.03), with greatest gains seen for control and skill, indicating that supplemental fitness training, specifically targeting aerobic and local muscular endurance, can help improve performance, particularly elements such as control and skill. Finally, two separate studies confirmed that low aerobic fitness and low body fat percentage were related to injury in ballet dancers. Further research needs to focus on fully ascertaining the physical demands of ballet, and whether better training dancers to meet these demands results in enhanced performance and reduction in injury
Ohio Ballet poster, 1982
No full textColor slide of an Ohio Ballet poster that lists the days of free ballet performances
The dancer as a performing athlete: physiological considerations.
No full textThe physical demands placed on dancers from current choreography and performance schedules make their physiology and fitness just as important as skill development. However, even at the height of their professional careers, dancers' aerobic power, muscular strength, muscular balance, bone and joint integrity are the 'Achilles heels' of the dance-only selection and training system. This partly reflects the unfounded view, shared by sections of the dance world, that any exercise training that is not directly related to dance would diminish dancers' aesthetic appearances. Given that performing dance itself elicits only limited stimuli for positive fitness adaptations, it is not surprising that professional dancers often demonstrate values similar to those obtained from healthy sedentary individuals of comparable age in key fitness-related parameters. In contrast, recent data on male and female dancers revealed that supplementary exercise training can lead to improvements of such fitness parameters and reduce incidents of dance injuries, without interfering with key artistic and aesthetic requirements. It seems, however, that strict selection and training regimens have succeeded in transforming dance to an activity practised by individuals who have selectively developed different flexibility characteristics compared with athletes. Bodyweight targets are normally met by low energy intakes, with female dance students and professional ballerinas reported to consume below 70% and 80% of the recommended daily allowance of energy intake, respectively, while the female athlete 'triad' of disordered eating, amenorrhoea and osteoporosis is now well recognised and is seen just as commonly in dancers.An awareness of these factors will assist dancers and their teachers to improve training techniques, to employ effective injury prevention strategies and to determine better physical conditioning. However, any change in the traditional training regimes must be approached cautiously to ensure that the aesthetic content of the dance is not affected by new training techniques. Since physiological aspects of performing dance have been viewed primarily in the context of ballet, further scientific research on all forms of dance is required
"Terra Australis", Borovansky Ballet, 1946 [picture] /
No full textCondition: Good.; Part of the collection of photographs documenting ballet in Geoffrey Ingram archive of Australian ballet.; "Choreography: Edouard Borovansky, designs: Eve Harris"--Accompanying notes.; Title devised by cataloguer based on accompanying notes.; "Peggy Sager as the Spirit of Australia, Martin Rubinstein as the Explorer"--Accompanying notes.; "J. Stewart"--Photographer stamp on lower right corner below the image.; "J.C. Williamson - Official stamp - Publicity Office - Melbourne - Theatres Ltd."--Stamp on reverse.Peggy Sager as the Spirit of Australia, Martin Rubinstein as the Explore
Utilizing creative movement and ballet in the classroom to enhance instruction: a pilot project
No full textThis is a case study conducted at East Clark Elementary School. East Clark is located in the inner city of Cleveland, Ohio, USA. In the study an Action Team explored a way to incorporate ballet and creative movement into the regular classroom of three, second grade classrooms. It was funded by ICARE, a grantor that supports integrated arts curriculum endeavors. The funding granted was for four years, contingent upon successful completion of a pilot project. This thesis investigates the implementation and results of the pilot project. Using the concept of metamorphosis as the subject unit, the art, classroom, and guest dance teacher worked as a team to conduct science, reading, and literacy classes. Students and teachers attended performances of the Cleveland San Jose Ballet Company's production of Swan Lake, and two dancers from the company performed at East Clark with the students. Drawing upon E. D. Hirsch's theory of Cultural Literacy, area corporations were invited to participate in the project with the students. The study utilizes a project journal, interviews of the Action Team, and exploration of current research to both analyze the results and to place the issue of arts education in a wider context. America is a young democracy, and the drive to explore new frontiersimpacts on how democracy and capitalism are realized in the culture. While there is room for creativity, the place allotted to the arts is limited. For a democracy to thrive, its citizens must develop shared metaphors and experiences. One of the concerns about the inner city is the risk of is enfranchisement from the mainstream. While sub-cultures will exist in cultures, they can become divisive if populations become too estranged. We found that by using a multiple-intelligences teaching approach and community interaction, a rich, contextual environment was created. Feelings of empowerment and self-esteem began to emerge. Motivation to learn improved. Students retained the materials they had learned more than six months later. An unexpected result was that the Special Education students excelled to the point of leading the rest of the class in movement exercises and participation in the performance. Ultimately, systemic change of an educational setting w i l l require that the teachers change. Students pass through the system, but the teachers remain. The project proved motivating to the teachers who felt that they had each changed in some way. In the end, the recommended improvement from the teachers was their desire to incorporate the integrated arts curriculum approach school-wide
Ballet instruction, University of Utah
No full textPhoto shows a ballet class at the University of Uta
Peggy Sager as the Ballerina, Miro Zloch as Petrouchka, and Charles Boyd as the Blackamoor in "Petrouchka", Borovansky Ballet, Sydney, 1951 [picture] /
No full textThis is a copy made by the National Library from an original in private ownership.; Condition: Good.; Part of collection: Peggy Sager ballet photographs.; Title from accompanying list, see file 452/4/34.; Caption: "J.C. Williamson Theatres Ltd. present the Borovansky Ballet, Petrouchka, ballet in four scenes"--Printed below image
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