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As the body extends, movements expressing each feeling are shown. Dancing is one of the forms of art that allows a person to express his/her creativeness through his/her body movements. It is something that is free and fun but at the same time powerful. According to the Department of Health & Human Services, State Government of Victoria, Australia (2013), dance is a popular recreational activity that can be done by an individual, partners, and groups. It has different types which are ballet, hip-hop, jazz, ballroom dancing, belly dancing, tap dancing, salsa, square dancing, and pole dancing. Ballet is a classical way of dancing that is performed in the theatre that uses costumes, props, and also pointe shoes that lets the dancers stand on the tip of their toes (Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre, n.d., para _). Ballet just like any other type of dance has a combination of music and movements, yet it involves things such as lighting and costumes that make the performance more dramatic and sensational (King, 2016, para 2). All types of dance cater to different movements, techniques, and methods but it all gives people satisfaction through seeing the power, passion, talent, and hope of the dancers to be heard. Ballet despite being a wonderful form of art, there are factors that not just the professional dancers, but also future dancers should be aware of.
The ballet world lets us see more of a disciplined, yet magical way of dance that tells us a story through the techniques that are shown (King, 2016, para 1). Ballet dancers do not bring us ballet mainly by its choreography, but by telling us about its history (Bedinghaus, 2019, para 7). In the previous centuries, ballet was performed at celebrations such as weddings and extravagant events mainly for elites. Then, the community grew when it was funded and supported by an Italian Noblewoman which is Catherine de Medici, and when King Louis XIV transformed ballet from a hobby into a training. In the 19th century, ballet became a movement for romantic acts such as courting. And as of the 20th Century, ballet is now performed in a refined version of classical ballet which is called neo-classical ballet (PBT, n.d.). Ballet introduces many techniques but the most dominant right now is the Russian ballet. In the history of ballet, the Russian and American ballet greatly contributes to the expansion of neo-classical ballet (Bedinghaus, 2019, para 6). As they are a refined version of the classical form, the Russian ballet has the touch of the Russian traditional folk dance (Kent, n.d.). While the American ballet all started with George Balanchine and Lincoln Kirstein who started the School of American Ballet in New York City which provides training that focuses on classicism (School of American Ballet, 2019). The Russian ballet is known for its technique which is the Vaganova Method. It is a method by Agrippina Vaganova which has a strict system that gives a clean and rich movement that is still evolving as of today. However, if the instructor or coach does not teach it very well, it can lead to injuries. Meaning to say, the Vaganova method is a very disciplined technique that aims to perfect the new poses and aims to have continuous growth throughout its process (International Ballet Summer Workshop Estonia, n.d., para 5-7). Meanwhile, the Balanchine method by George Balanchine is the opposite of the Vaganova method. It is a method that disrupts the rhythm of the music creating a bouncy, energetic, and jazzy performance (Lukens, 2003, para 3-4). On the contrary, it only offers in developing the strength and control of the dancer(IBSWE, n.d., para 10-11). Thus, this method aims in portraying a more independent movement.
Dancing requires the movement of the whole body. As the ballet dancers extend their movements, their bones and muscles are stretched, but it is not the only effect of ballet on the body. In ballet, there is a discipline in weight because the lower the body fat of a dancer, the higher the quality of the performance can be. On the contrary, ballet dancers are having menstrual cycle disorders, particularly amenorrhea with 20%, and oligomenorrhea with 10%. In addition, ballet cancers have a later occurrence of menstruation and have an irregular menstrual cycle that lasts longer than 30 to 60 days (Stokić, E., Srdić, B., & Barak, O., 2005). On the other hand, ballet dancers are required to have a proper diet that can boost their stamina which includes the intake of calcium, vitamin D, and fibers due to its intensive training. However, it affects the health of the dancer. Due to the strict requirement and pieces of training, there is a higher prevalence of eating disorders in ballet dancers with an estimate of 83%, and anorexia nervosa (Ringham, et. al., 2006, p. 503-505). Ballet may look like it is relaxing and therapeutic, but circumstances are not good for the body of the dancer as it makes them prone to having both eating disorders and menstrual cycle disorders, particularly for female dancers.
Over the years, ballet was under continuous debate about whether it is a sport or not. A sport or not, ballet dancers are somehow like athletes. For athletes as well as dancers, their feet, ankles, or legs are one of the foundations of their careers. Once it was damaged, it can greatly affect or impact an individual’s performance (Ackiewicz, 2015, para _). Dancers need to ensure that their ankles can withstand the stress of balancing their bodies. Also, in ballet, dancers use a specific shoe called the pointe shoes that allow them to stand through the tip of their toes.
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