Luke Jennings' comment on the changing shape of ballet dancers

[aileen]

In today's Links there is a review of the RB's current mixed bill by Luke Jennings, an experienced dance critic and, I believe, a former professional ballet dancer. In it he says:

 

'It's noticeable, too, that changing training methods are giving the dancers a blockier, more athletic musculature with decreasing pull-up through the back of the legs. What effect this will have on the look of classical ballets such as Swan Lake is anyone's guess.'

 

I wonder whether anyone has any views on his observation.

[taxi4ballet]

Have any other reviewers mentioned anything similar?

 

Perhaps dancers now need to be much more versatile and adaptable.  Rather than being able to solely concentrate on pure classical technique, they also need to cope with the demands of new works by more contemporary choreographers. I know that the vocational schools teach contemporary as part of the curriculum - it is now viewed as an essential part of their training. 

[Lisa O`Brien]

Talking of "blockier" dancers,was anyone else watching the World Gymnastics Championships from Glasgow on TV this week? With the exception of one or two of the Chinese females,all the other females were very solid and curvy. All had quite a bit of "meat" on them. So different to the slight frames they used to have. I was quite surprised.

[Melody]

Maybe at some point there needs to be a rethink of what we're asking our ballet companies to do. I assume nobody would expect a contemporary dance troupe to spend a couple of weeks a year performing a classical Swan Lake or Symphonic Variations as a regular part of the company repertoire, so I'm wondering why the need for our ballet companies to perform the sort of contemporary dance that's very little different from what the choreographer would be mounting on his own company. Injuries seem to be getting more and more common, and the need to be performing and practising contemporary as well as classical and newer ballet choreography simultaneously has often been called out as part of the reason.

[Fiz]

Lisa, I thought the floor routines were very inelegant. There were only two that reminded me of the grace we used to see. The tumbling was very impressive but the rack that they made in the run up to performing them was defeaning. I was not impressed. It is good that that women can now how longer gymnastic careers but does anyone belief the so called ages of the Chinese and Korean gymnastics? They looked about 12, if that!

[sarahw]

The nature of gymnastics has changed - they are pure athletes now I would say. I was lucky enough to be there yesterday. Only the Russians (who are more dancer shaped) and tiny Chinese have any elegance. But maybe this is best? There always seemed to be so much bickering over artistic scores. The marking is more objective now I think. And the skill levels are staggering.

 

I can tell I've turned into a dance mum - finding fault with the technique of the dance that does remain.....

[sarahw]

What does less pull up through the back of the legs mean? That quads are bigger so less core pull up?

[Flora]

I was amazed at the physique of some of the gymnasts in Glasgow. I'm probably a bit old school but I much prefer the light svelte look. Perhaps it shouldn't matter at all but I do find it inelegant too I must admit especially for the floor/tumbles.

 

What does he mean by blockier- shorter, chunkier/muscle legs? I've noticed some of the female principals now have much more of a look of being regularly in the gym, especially the upper body. I'm afraid I find that gets in the way for some ballets esp when acting scenes showing emotional vulnerability. Again probably wrong of me to see it that way and very subjective.   

[aileen]

The increasing trend for ballerinas to dance without tights in some more contemporary works does display the muscles in their legs. I agree that some ballerinas have quite muscular arms as well (one at the RB immediately comes to mind). I think that some if not all ballerinas lift weights.

[Vonrothbart]

I watched one young dancer at a recent festival, and I don't think she would have been out of place in Glasgow last week. It was more like watching gymnastics, she was very good all the same. I do think the times are a changing as Dylan would say.

[Dance*is*life]

I agree about the demands of the present day repertoire being too much and now even the RAD is expecting its ballet teachers to teach quite contemporary moves and variations in order to keep up with current trends.  I honestly think it's time I retired.............

[MumToTu]

Dd and I enjoyed watching the World Gymnastic Champs too this week too, and we were astounded at some of the American gymnasts muscles! Don't forget most of the gymnasts who compete at international level are absolutely tiny in statue standing most standing only at around 4 foot 7ish to 5 foot inches tall, so they do tend to have very short legs, much shorter than ballet dancers, who have a elongated lean look. Not just down to their training but to their genetics, a short, stocker body type will help them excel at their sport.

Edited November 2, 2015 by Snowflake

[Dance*is*life]

That's true - I remember on a visit to England there was an exhibition in the grounds of a cathedral, can't remember which, but we were driving down to Bournemouth.  It displayed life-sculpted  torsos of sportsmen from various sports and they were soooo different!  I suppose you start off with a body that suits and then develop the appropriate muscles that you need to rely on.  It was quite an eye-opener. 

[Kate_N]

But if you go back to pictures of dancers in the height of the era of Romantic ballet (1840s & 50s or so), or the height of the Classical period (late 19th century) you'll see other body types. Bodies are not fixed - they are constructed & constituted through the things we do.

 

Historically, most men (non-dancers) had much bulkier more muscular calves than most men nowadays because they walked more. Similarly, women (say in the Regency era) had far less strong upper torsos - a combination of corsetry and lack of expectation of exertion - at least for middle classes and above.

 

So yes, bodies change.

[Dance*is*life]

Just look at films of ballets in the 1960s and earlier - the bodies are quite different from the divine creatures today.  My class at RBS looked nothing like the students I see on youtube

[Delph]

What does less pull up through the back of the legs mean? That quads are bigger so less core pull up?

I wondered that too. I don't think I have heard someone use the phrase "pull up through the back of the legs" but that may simply be my ignorance.