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Task 2: Dance training

In this task you are going to focus on crucial aspects of your dance training, including the feeling of vulnerability as a dancer.

This is a black and white photo of a couple practising ballet in a studio. The woman is on her right knee bending her upper body backwards, her arms stretching to the back as well and her left leg extends to the front. She is wearing a short sleeve leotard, a little skirts and point shoes. Her hair is tide behind her neck. Her male partner is leaning towards her, his left knee slightly bended and his right leg extended to his side, both arms are opened to the sides. He is looking at her and is wearing a white t-shirt and dark leggings. The room has a double wooden door, ballet bars around it and two large windows.

Activity 2.1

In this activity you are going to read a few more pages (pp. 3-7) Paskevska's book and reflect on what dance training involves.

Paskevska, A. (2005) Ballet Beyond Tradition: The Role of Movement Concepts in Ballet Technique. New York and London: Routledge.

1

In her introduction to her book (pp. 3-7) Paskevska mentions three aspects of dance training. Which are these? Do you agree with this description? Do you think there are additional aspects to training?

Paskevska mentions the physics of movement (potential for motion and acquisition of technique), mechanics of movement (acquisition of vocabulary) as well as the aesthetics (shape of gestures).

In your personal response to this question you might have suggested other aspects of training such as musicality, range of dynamics, psychological or emotional dimensions. You might have considered how, for example, in exploring (somatically) the 'shape of gestures' you engage creative thinking and emotional expression. Also how 'acquisition of technique and vocabulary' in ballet involves timing and a relationship between music and dance.

Check your answer

Activity 2.2

Now read another passage (pp. 15 -16) from Tully's text and answer the question below about his idea on the dimensions of dancing.

Tully, R. (2011) The Song Sings the Bird. A Manual on the Teaching of Classical Dance. Rome: Gremese.

2

According to Tully, what three worlds need to be united in a dance? Do you agree with his description?

For Tully, the physical, spiritual and mental dimensions need to be combined by the dancer in order to be able to connect with his/her audience. The physical forms are shown by his/her moving body, and the mental dimension explores ideas and attitudes. In these pages he does not explain the spiritual plane of the dancer, he simply states that it is not easy "to work directly in the spiritual world" (p. 16). You might agree or disagree with these ideas. What is important is that you form an idea of what dancing is about and that you can explain it in full.Check your answer

Activity 2.3

In the extracts you have read so far, Paskevska uses the terms 'good' (p. 6) and 'correct' (p. 7), and Tully uses 'truthful' (p. 15) in relation to ballet performance and practice.

This is a black and white photo of a group of five female ballet dancers in class. They are all leaping forwards with their right legs extending the left leg at the back. Their right arm is extended to the side and the left arm is extended forwards, palms looking down, faces looking up towards their right side. They are all wearing short sleeved leotards and long white tutus and pointe shoes. One dancer looks at them standing at the back next to the ballet bar. Their is portrait hanging on the wall.

3

What do you understand by each of these terms in this dance context?

This is an open response. The following are just a suggestion of how those terms could be understood in the context of ballet.

Good: 'Good ballet' accords with the natural laws of the physics of movement. Good practice relates to Tully's idea of diligence, sustained application and effort in class and in reflection in order to understand the principles through experience. Relating conceptual and practical aspects of practice, to deepen understanding of where the 'dance' is and what dance is and how dancing involves spiritual, mental, and physical engagement).

Correct: It means that the dancer applies a ballet technique in an appropriate way, that is "in harmony with the physical laws of motion" (Paskevska, p. 7). Ballet vocabulary is correctly articulated with attention to its fundamental principles.

Truthful: Being attentive to the physical laws, the aesthetic principles in relation to your own experience of your body dancing, for example, recognising the feeling of your weight distributed around the line of the aplomb.

Note however that these terms do not indicate that there is one 'right' way of performing or exploring. Ballerina and Director Maina Gielgud commented on the importance to be opened to different approaches: "I worked with so many teachers as a student and it helped me tremendously because I didn't have this sort of blocked thinking, that there was only one way" (in Newman, 2004, p. 143)

Check your answer

Activity 2.4

As you know, dance training implies a number of challenging experiences. Read this text and contribute to the online discussion forum.

Jackson, J. (2005) My dance and the ideal body: looking at ballet practice from the inside out. Research in Dance Education 6:1-2, pp. 25-40.

In her text, Jackson suggests that the dancer is "open but not vulnerable". Jackson refers here to the strength that the dancer will derive from diligent practice. The student must be open and engaged in learning and able to trust that her or his vulnerability will not be abused. On the other hand, Tully suggests that "in order for something to happen, the artist must be vulnerable" (Conversation with Jackson, 2012). Teacher and student co-create the 'climate' in which the artist can take risks and emotional/personal vulnerability is a part of what enables new connections and discoveries.

This is a black and white photo of a mature male ballet teacher in class with a young male student. The teacher is in front with legs apart, one before the other, and arms extended forward with the right hand crossing on top of the left one. The student is behind copying his movements. The teacher is wearing a thick dark jacket and trousers and the student is wearing a sleeveless black t-shirt and tights. There is a ballet bar behind them.

Go to the discussion thread "Dancers' vulnerability" in the module forum and write your opinions about in what ways you think the dancer is vulnerable, and in what ways you think he/she is not. Discuss with others answers to the following questions: What might vulnerability open up? Is vulnerability necessary? How can it be supported?