Ballet as Ethnic Dance and Classical Art

3 units

This course examines the origins and major developments in ballet theory, technique, and production practice, emphasizing their relationship to concepts of ethnicity and classicism. Issues to be considered include: the influence of classic Greco-Roman theatre on the themes, aesthetic ideals, and theorization of ballet; analysis of ethnic content not only in thematic material but in ballet movement vocabulary and training process; the conscious reformulation in the U.S. of European ballet as an equally American art form; the expansion of Euroamerican classical ballet in the work of Balanchine and Tudor; the appropriation of ballet by non-Western countries (such as China and Japan) and its impact on native dance genres; typical construction of the ballet dancer's body and movement, including gender definition, in relationship to a specific ethnic community context. Seminar format with lectures, discussion, and video materials. Three 5-7 page papers and final. No prerequisites.