Ballet as Ideology: Giselle, Ballet as Ideology: Giselle, Act 2Act 2

by Evan Aldersonby Evan Alderson

Natalie CollinsNatalie Collins

Edited by: Dr. Picart and Donna Edited by: Dr. Picart and Donna GallagherGallagher

Key termsKey terms

Ideology:Ideology:

Ballet Blanc:Ballet Blanc:

Key Terms, contd.Key Terms, contd.

““Balanchine” body type:Balanchine” body type:

Anorexia: Anorexia:

Anorexia nervosa:Anorexia nervosa:

Key terms, contd.Key terms, contd.

Anorectic:Anorectic:

Romanticism:Romanticism:

Wilis: Wilis:

Ballet TermsBallet Terms Ronds de jambe:Ronds de jambe:

Pointes:Pointes:

Discussion QuestionDiscussion Question

1. How have films such as “Shakespeare 1. How have films such as “Shakespeare in Love,” and “10 Things I Hate About in Love,” and “10 Things I Hate About You” in the film world helped to You” in the film world helped to lessen/increase our ability to lessen/increase our ability to understand the art of the past?understand the art of the past?

Theophile GautierTheophile Gautier ( (1811-1872)1811-1872)

““More than one eye More than one eye which thought it was which thought it was seeing only seeing only ronds de ronds de jambe jambe and and pointespointes found found to its surprise its vision to its surprise its vision obscured by a tear—obscured by a tear—which does not often which does not often happen in ballets.”happen in ballets.”

GautierGautier

Born in 1841, he started out as a poetBorn in 1841, he started out as a poet following faithfully the principles of the following faithfully the principles of the

romanticism period. In 1832 he moved away romanticism period. In 1832 he moved away from these doctrines to embrace the idea of from these doctrines to embrace the idea of

l'art l'art (the art by the art).l'art l'art (the art by the art).

GiselleGiselle

Discussion QuestionsDiscussion Questions

2. What is the connection between 2. What is the connection between George Balanchine called, “the George Balanchine called, “the man who defeminized women” man who defeminized women” and anorexia?and anorexia?

Contd.Contd.

3. How is the 3. How is the female body female body expressed in expressed in Giselle?Giselle?

““The Female The Female Dancer and the Dancer and the

Male Gaze: Male Gaze: Feminist Critiques Feminist Critiques of Early Modern of Early Modern

Dance”Dance”By Susan ManningBy Susan Manning

Key TermsKey Terms Gaze TheoryGaze Theory: :

Voyeuristic GazeVoyeuristic Gaze: :

FetishisticFetishistic::

What’s Your View……What’s Your View……

Do you feel that ballet Do you feel that ballet or modern dance or modern dance engages in voyeuristic engages in voyeuristic gaze? In what dance gaze? In what dance forms would you forms would you consider yourself as a consider yourself as a spectator to be a spectator to be a voyeur? voyeur?

Yvonne Rainer: Choreographer and Yvonne Rainer: Choreographer and WriterWriter

Yvonne Rainer and Becky Arnold inYvonne Rainer and Becky Arnold inContinuous Project – Altered DailyContinuous Project – Altered Daily

???Discussion Questions??????Discussion Questions??? Do you feel that productions of modern film and dance are Do you feel that productions of modern film and dance are

controlled by men or women, why or why not? What would be controlled by men or women, why or why not? What would be an example?an example?

““Mulvey aims to deconstruct the structure of film using Mulvey aims to deconstruct the structure of film using Althusser’s terms, Althusser’s terms, hailshails or or interpellates, interpellates, spectators into a spectators into a “masculine” subject position.” Of the film clips viewed during “masculine” subject position.” Of the film clips viewed during the class, which have relied heavily on male gaze? How could the class, which have relied heavily on male gaze? How could they be deconstructed from such?they be deconstructed from such?

Do you believe there are films that incorporate the female gaze Do you believe there are films that incorporate the female gaze more than the male?more than the male?

Works CitedWorks Cited Alderson, Evan. “Ballet as Ideology: Giselle, Act II”. Alderson, Evan. “Ballet as Ideology: Giselle, Act II”. Meaning in Motion. Meaning in Motion. Durham: Duke University Press, Durham: Duke University Press,

1997. (p.121-132).1997. (p.121-132).

Manning, Susan. “The Female Dancer and the Male Gaze.” Manning, Susan. “The Female Dancer and the Male Gaze.” Meaning in MotionMeaning in Motion. Durham: Duke University . Durham: Duke University Press, 1997. (p.153-166).Press, 1997. (p.153-166).

Mulvey, Laura. “The Active/Male vs. Passive/Female.” Fju.edu.tw. From 1975 essay.Mulvey, Laura. “The Active/Male vs. Passive/Female.” Fju.edu.tw. From 1975 essay.

Saco, Diana. “Feminist Film Criticism: Saco, Diana. “Feminist Film Criticism: The PianoThe Piano and the Female Gaze.” Gate.net. November 1994. and the Female Gaze.” Gate.net. November 1994. <http://www.gate.net/~dsaco/Female_Gaze.htm><http://www.gate.net/~dsaco/Female_Gaze.htm> http://www.eng.fju.edu.tw/Literary_Criticism/feminism/Gaze.htmhttp://www.eng.fju.edu.tw/Literary_Criticism/feminism/Gaze.htm

Walley, Jonathan. “From Objecthood to Subject Matter.” Senses of Cinema. (p.1-4).Walley, Jonathan. “From Objecthood to Subject Matter.” Senses of Cinema. (p.1-4). http://8.19llencyclopedia.orghttp://8.19llencyclopedia.org http://www.nycballet.comhttp://www.nycballet.com Gordon, S. “Off Balance the Real World of Ballet.”Gordon, S. “Off Balance the Real World of Ballet.” http://www.websterdictionary.comhttp://www.websterdictionary.com http://freewebs.com/ballet/giselle.htmlhttp://freewebs.com/ballet/giselle.html

Thank You For Your Patience and Thank You For Your Patience and ParticipationParticipation