Pointe shoes, tutus, and pirouettes. Ballerinas ooze grace and elegance whilst on stage. Is the world of ballet as refined as it looks on stage, or are there layers of ballet and ballet culture hidden behind the facade?
Ballerinas train tirelessly and often have to decide at a young age to devote their life to the stage and to their craft. Putting in hours of work, enduring pain and non-stop criticism is part of a ballerina’s daily routine, yet, many don’t consider it as harsh of a sport as some others.
I’ve always admired ballet and consider it a beautiful form of storytelling. Ballets such as The Nutcracker, and Swan Lake have shaped the world, and particularly the art world more than we imagine. Ballet includes a plethora of art forms within it, including musical elements, visual elements, and of course, dancing.
Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake is one of the most popular ballets nowadays, but it hasn’t always been this way. The Russian ballet initially failed to be popular, but it is now considered a thrilling masterpiece. The ballet originally premiered in 1877 and has been updated numerous times to continue giving it a fresh perspective. A notable adaptation of Swan Lake is Matthew Bourne’s version, which was first staged in London in 1995. Bourne’s version took the world by storm as it became the longest-running full-length dance classic in the West End and on Broadway. It has since been performed globally, collecting over thirty international accolades, including the Olivier Award for Best New Dance Production and three Tony Awards for Best Director of a Musical, Best Choreography and Best Costume Design. Bourne’s audacious, rule-breaking reinvention of Tchaikovsky’s masterpiece caused a sensation when it premiered almost 30 years ago. Bourne’s Swan Lake is best known for replacing the female corps-de-ballet with a menacing male ensemble, which shattered convention and as a result turned tradition on its head. This version has been credited with inspiring new generations of dancers and creating new audiences.
In some sense, ballet seems almost too perfect, which can affect its accessibility to the general public. Unlike other art forms or storytelling, ballet is not supposed to be relatable or digestible by a wide audience. The ballet world tends to be niche, and an air of mystery makes it seem elusive and difficult to decipher. This allusivity can mean that ballet seems out of reach for the general public, and many people avoid it. However, ballet is incredibly impactful and has been adapted to be part of popular culture for decades. Famously, Mattel created numerous Barbie movies, mostly in the early 2000s. These animated movies were targeted at a young female audience, which is indicated through the content of the movies. The stories containing royalty, magic, fairies, and mermaids, never lacked a happy ending. The creators of the movies also drew from art, culture and literature for their plots. The first Barbie movie from 2001 is titled, Barbie in The Nutcracker and is modelled after the ballet. The creators of the movie have also created and released their own version of Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake in their 2003 movie, Barbie of Swan Lake. As someone who grew up watching these movies, I never thought about where the inspiration for these Barbie movies came from, but I realised over time that ballets such as The Nutcracker and Swan Lake are cultural phenomena that have inspired numerous creatives. By adapting these ballets and reimagining them for their target audience, Mattel have proven that ballet is not as out of reach as it seems, and it is in fact understandable and enjoyable for a wider audience. Funnily enough, the influence and outreach of ballet may not even be known by those who have watched or read something which is inspired by the art of ballet.
Once the air of mystery surrounding ballet and ballet culture has been broken, it is clear that the world of ballet is more integrated with our everyday lives than we first recognise. There is much more to ballet than pointe shoes and pirouettes.
Words by Bhamini Khandige
Featured image courtesy of Bhamini Khandige