10/09/2020
Does Ballet Blanc Show the Diversity Problem in Ballet? By:
It is evident that ballet has a so-called white reputation. The term ballet blanc indicates the hue of the tutus worn in Swan Lake, Giselle, and La Bayadère, but the term might just as well describe the conspicuous racial makeup of many ensembles that perform these ballet.
Even though many expect some progress in racial diversity on stage, especially in the United States where the population of color is growing dramatically, there are still arresting likenesses in the companies. Not a lot of companies have instilled an inclusive program for dancers of color.
There are many factors contributing to ballet’s lack of diversity but the most prominent factor is economic inequality; ballet training is particularly expensive for a lot of minorities who are prone to be in the bottom of the economic pyramid and can’t afford it. Thus, there is a lack of role models for aspiring dancers of color to emulate which can also be in itself a factor.
There is also, of course, the factor that schools and companies have failed to grant aid in the track of professional accomplishments for young dancers of color. Even though directors and artists deny this, there remains a reluctance to drag the art when white bodies and pale clothes are its image from the 19th century into the present day.
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