The Ballet Body as a Space of Fascination and Discrimination Cover Image

Baletno tijelo kao prostor fascinacije i diskriminacije
The Ballet Body as a Space of Fascination and Discrimination

Author(s): Ivana Katarinčić
Subject(s): Anthropology
Published by: Institut za etnologiju i folkloristiku
Keywords: dance; classical ballet; body; community; discrimination; values

Summary/Abstract: The esthetics of ballet, based on stylized openness and verticality of the body as its basic esthetic principles, can be achieved only when dealing with a strictly defined type of bodies. The ballet standard contains requirements which are incompatible with all bodies, societies, mentalities or individuals, and this codification created values and value frameworks which operate within the community of ballet artists. The philosophy of training a ballet body results from reflecting about the manner of movement, of exercising the body to do certain figures and a carefully designed methodology of transferring this knowledge and skills. This paper deals with (debatable) discourses, processes and conditions of creating a dance body in classical ballet.

  • Issue Year: 50/2013
  • Issue No: 2
  • Page Range: 68-86
  • Page Count: 19
  • Language: Croatian