Living movement : ballet class as a non-performative practice

Abstract

This thesis work is an attempt to investigate ballet class as a practice without a specific focus on the performative aspects. Taking the inspiration from the martial arts practices, this research touches the issues of learning and ageing within a long-term practice, which gives a new angle for seeing training in ballet. Taking into consideration current social and cultural context, and with the support from contemporary research in phenomenology, embodied practices, and somatics, I try to see a way for inclusive and holistic approach to teaching and practicing classical dance. A series of open workshops at Theatre Academy of University of the Arts Helsinki served as a practical platform for this investigation. Practicing within a diverse and changing group helped to collect different experiences and opinions on the classes. While the material was grounded in Vaganova method, the somatic lens to the practicing and the supportive atmosphere enabled the possibility to work with practitioners’ minds and mental states. The data for the investigation was collected via keeping journals, writing during the classes, and making short videos. Another part of the research was having interviews with theatre pedagogues familiar with martial arts practices and taking the inspiration from their experiences and approaches. Staying with the practice in a humble manner, but showing a number of findings, this work aims to be a possible basis for the future research.