Moving with Volume:
The Evolution of the Female Voice in Dance
By Mary Goetz
“If art is to nourish the roots of
our culture, society must set
the artist free to follow his
vision wherever it takes him.
We must never forget that art
is not a form of propaganda; it
is a form of truth.” – John F.
Kennedy
Dance and Feminism
 Artist vs. Role
 The Male Gaze
 Act vs. Appear
The “feminine” passivity that marks this display is a lowstatus activity in American culture; action is valued as
“masculine” for its strength and self-assertiveness. In
paintings, in films, in beauty pageants, in advertisements
women are constructed as to-be-looked at; the men are
the lookers, the voyeurs…the possessors. Men, on the
other hand, are constructed as the doers in films, in
television commercials, in sports, in politics, in business.
That’s why men who model are often seen as ‘effeminate’.
As John Berger wrote, ‘ men act and women appear.’
(Daly, 282)
Dance and Feminism Cont.
 Femininity and Masculinity
 Body Image
 Space
Man is a better cook, a better painter, a better musician,
composer. Everything is man- everything. Man is stronger,
faster. Why? Because we have muscles and we’re made
that way. And woman accepts this. It is her business to
know what’s beautiful. Men are great poets because they
have to write beautiful poetry for women- odes to a
beautiful woman. Woman accepts the beautiful poetry.
You see, man is the servant - a good servant. In ballet,
however, woman is first. Everywhere else man is first. But
in ballet, it’s the woman. (qtd. in Daly 280)
Giselle
 Romantic Ballet Era (1841-1890)
 Premiered in 1841
 Example of Gender Roles in Interpersonal
Relationships
Sleeping Beauty
 Imperial Russian Ballet Era (1890-1909)
 Premiered in 1890
 Example of Gender Roles in Interpersonal
Relationships
The Rite of Spring
 The Diaghilev Era (1910-1929)
 Premiered in 1913
 Example of Gender Roles in Interpersonal
Relationships
The Four Temperaments
 Neoclassical Ballet Era (1930-1969)
 Premiered in 1946
 Example of Interpersonal Relationships
 Example of Sociopolitical Context
Dark Matters
 Kidd Pivot, Contemporary (present)
 Premiered in 2009
 Example of Gender Roles in Interpersonal
Relationships
Sister
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f_bvd_PEi3g
Works Cited
 B, Nellie. "A Feminist Goes to the Ballet | Fbomb." Fbomb RSS.
N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Mar. 2015.
 Banhara, Rodrigo Cesar. (2013, July 16). Joffrey Ballet 1989 Rite
of Spring (All-In-One). (Video File). Retrieved from
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ewOBXph0hP4.
 Bolt, Jennifer M. Silencing the Silent: A Feminist Analysis of
Classical Ballet within A Canadian University Dance Program
Jennifer M. Bolt© (n.d.): n. pag. Yorku.ca. York University. Web.
 Chandler, Daniel. "Notes on 'The Gaze'" Notes on The Gaze. N.p.,
06 July 2014. Web. 28 Mar. 2015.
 Cook, Greg. "A Reconstruction Of ‘The Rite Of Spring’ As The
Infamous Ballet Turns 100." The Artery Arts Culture on WBUR
RSS 20. Boston NPR News Station, 15 Mar. 2013. Web. 28 Mar.
2015.
 Daly, Ann. "Critical Gestures: Writings on Dance Culture." Google
Books. Wesleyan University Press, n.d. Web. 28 Mar. 2015.
Works Cited Cont.
 Gittos, Luke. "The Revolutionary Myth of ‘The Rite of Spring’." The
Revolutionary Myth of ‘The Rite of Spring’. Spiked.com, n.d. Web.
28 Mar. 2015.
 Kidd Pivot Frankfurt RM: Dark Matters. (2011, Feb 18). Live
performance at On The Boards, in Seattle, Washington.
 “La Scala Ballet- Giselle.” YouTube. Teatro Alla Scala, 2005. Web.
29 Feb 2015. (Video File). Retrieved from
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cqOm922Fhx8.
 “La Scala Ballet- The Sleeping Beauty.” YouTube. Teatro Alla
Scala, 2001. Web. 29 Feb 2015. (Video File). Retrieved from
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RkAHSXki4eI.
 "Lily Myers – Shrinking Women." Genius. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Mar.
2015.
 Manning, Susan. "Meaning In Motion: New Cultural Studies of
Dance." The Female Dancer and the Male Gaze: Feminist
Critiques in Modern Dance (n.d.): n. pag. Web.
 McGowan, Todd. "Looking for the Gaze: Lacanian Film Theory and
Its Vicissitudes." Cinema Journal 42.3 (2003): 22-27. Web. 12 Mar.
2015.
Works Cited Cont.
 Newton, Kevin. "The Rite of Spring: Story, Analysis, Composer and
Music." Study.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Mar. 2015.
 Pite, Crystal. “Kidd Pivot, Company.” Kidd Pivot. British Coumbia Arts
Sponsor, n.d. Web. 28 Feb, 2015.
 Schenker, Bela. (2014, Jun 3). The Four Temperaments. (Video File).
Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uk9dG6p5bFg.
 Upchurch, Michael. (2011, Feb 18). Review: ‘Dark Matters’ at On The Boards
is spellbinding dance. The Seattle Times. Retrieved from
http://www.seattletimes.com/entertainment/review-dark-matters-at-on-theboards-is-spellbinding-dance/.
 "Women and Media FA2009." The Male Gaze and Dance. N.p., n.d. Web. 28
Mar. 2015.
 "Women's Rights." Ushistory.org. Independence Hall Association, n.d. Web.
28 Mar. 2015.