Modern fairy femmetales

Recently Meghan Daum spoke about her take on modern feminism in a spate of articles and podcasts (including this one). Her discussion covers cancel culture, attempts to characterise the “waves” of feminism (from first wave suffragettes to 4th wave millenials) and ponders the question of what it is to be a “wokescenti”.

What does it mean to be a wokescenti ballerina in 2020?

Dancers like Ashley Bouder express the view that ballet should embrace feminism. Other recent commentators (here, here , here and here ) have remarked on the tensions between the gendered traditions of ballet and how modern dancers want to express themselves.

Ballet is a knot tied up in the class and gender wars that permeate our mediatised culture and offers a platform that we might choose to use to explore the battle between progressive and conservative politics.

How do people who describe themselves as feminists navigate their identity as ballerinas?

Do we feel represented by recreations of the classics with a modern twist on them (Akram Khan’s Giselle or Matthew Bourne’s everything)? What would works authored by women say about how fairy tales need to play out for modern eyes?

Ballet deals with ideals of femininity in particular. Women in the image focused culture of social media might gravitate towards the glamour and fashion influenced aesthetic of classical ballet, but wearing short or dyed hair or androgynous activewear to class is still not wholeheartedly welcomed by the ballet world in which middle class chic style that celebrates posh feminine looks is still the norm.

If women owned and directed the ballet companies they work for would that change the output of those companies?

If we extend the philosophy of habeas corpus to mean that a person has the right to exploit themselves, would women make different choices about the ways they are exploited?

Does ballet teach women how to prepare to be society wives? Good grooming, aristocratic carriage, aloof manners, never speaking unless spoken to… are still norms of ballet training that are enforced in the earliest years. Discipline is the most highly regarded attribute.

How could ballet training adapt to teach young women more progressive values about their bodies, their stories, and their ambitions?

We still watch Sleeping Beauty and call it an all time classic, holding up the innocent princess who is manipulated by the witch and then rescued by first a fairy and then a man and lives happily ever after as a great love story and a model for the fantasy world girls should inhabit.

What do feminist mothers want their daughters to learn about the world?

Meghan Daum’s comments in her take on 4th wave feminism explore the vocal volume of woke criticism and intersectional awareness. Misty Copeland and Precious Adams carry the weight of black women who seek representation in the world of ballet. Tamara Rojo runs a company and wants ballet to be about and for everybody. But all of these women have been subjected to public criticism and backlash, particularly in relation to their appearance or choices in their personal life and whether or not they “deserve” their success.

Ballet training is expensive and success is often the preserve of only those dancers whose families have spare cash to spend on private lessons, costumes and travel to galas. But government funding comes with charters that require more accessibility and representation in the wider community. What is the vision for who dances and why, that modern feminists embrace?

Dance costuming represents ideals of fashion and beauty throughout the ages. Women are still being evaluated and judged on their appearance in every aspect of the world, frequently at the expense of their intellectual or political contribution, and appearance and sexual slurs are used as insults even at the highest levels of politics. What effect does that have on how empowered feminist ballerinas feel to speak up, speak out, make choices and express their true potential?

The development of ballet from both the spectacles of the aristocratic powers and the music hall and burlesque stage have left a legacy of physical ideals and financial patronage that influence who is selected for ballet training and who is seen on stage. If dance is a performance for the male gaze, what happens if female gazers appreciate and pay for the arts?

How would the look of ballet change if women had the power to direct and dictate it?

How does the dancer’s own choices about presenting themselves and their body and vocalising their opinions change the art?

Let us know your views in the comments below. What would you like to hear from us next?