Building Ballet: developing dance and dancers in ballet Elena Mariemma Lambrinos A thesis submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Department of Sociology and Social Policy Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences The University of Sydney 2019 Statement of originality This is to certify that to the best of my knowledge, the content of this thesis is my own work. This thesis has not been submitted for any degree or other purposes. I certify that the intellectual content of this thesis is the product of my own work and that all assistance received in preparing this thesis and sources have been acknowledged. ELENA MARIEMMA LAMBRINOS October 2019 ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF COUNTRY The author would like to acknowledge and pay respect to the traditional owners of the land on which The University of Sydney now stands, the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation. It is on their ancestral lands that this research was conceptualised, undertaken and written. iii ABSTRACT This thesis seeks to unpack a commonly expressed phrase in the dance industry – ‘Teaching dance beyond the steps’ – by exploring teaching practices that develop dance and dancers in children’s ballet lessons. The study shows how ballet education builds particular ways of moving as well as particular behaviours and dispositions that are deemed desirable in ballet. In doing so, this thesis explores an area that is commonly practiced and often talked about, but rarely studied. Enacting Legitimation Code Theory, this thesis undertakes a qualitative case study of children’s Royal Academy of Dance ballet classes. It draws on non-participant, video recorded observations of five consecutive classes at Grade 1 and Intermediate Foundation levels, teacher interviews, follow up observations, and curriculum documents. The LCT dimension of Specialization is used as an organizing framework and distinguishes between teaching that develops dance as epistemic relations, or what is being danced, and teaching that develops dancers as social relations, or who is dancing. The dimension of Semantics is used as an explanatory framework to explore change in both the dance and the dancer at different levels of expertise. Ballet dance is both precise, or highly detailed, and transferable, where steps, technique, musicality and artistry taught in specific exercises manifest in other danced contexts. Tools for analysing epistemological condensation and epistemic-semantic gravity will be used to explicate how the teachers build more principled, durable ballet movement. When looking at the dancer, axiological-semantic density and axiological-semantic gravity are enacted to elaborate how teachers develop particular valorised actions and behaviours, or externalized ways of acting as a ballet dancer, and how these are subsumed by dispositions, or internalized ways of thinking, feeling and being as a ballet dancer. The findings in this thesis are a first step towards deeper understanding of different teaching practices that build knowledge and knowers, dance and dancers, in ballet and how they change at different levels of expertise. iv ACKNOWLEDGMENTS To the teachers, parents and students that consented to this study, thank you for making this research possible. This PhD would also not have been possible if not for the generous Australian Postgraduate Award scholarship from the University of Sydney. To the Dance Domain community and team – Millie, Saskia, Lydia, Amy, Bec, Sally, Megan, Gaby, Maddie and Grace – thank you for being there for me. You inspire me to continue doing things different in dance. Thank you to Marika Varady, Cathy Ferguson, Sarah King, Jodie Nas Jones, Tina Harris and Jodie Payne, thank you for your wisdom and support over all these years. Natalie Pritchard, Cathy Clur and Claire O’Shea, thank you for road-testing this research and for your friendship. Saint, thank you for being my rock and for our morning walks. To Sarah Howard, thank you for your guidance and straightforwardness at all times, as well as for helping me get back on track when I could not see a way forward. To my colleagues in S-Club and OG, Kirstin, Patrick, Sharon, Yaegan, Saul, and Mathew, your contributions to this research were crucial to its development but are far outweighed by your support and friendship. Thank you for all the discussions, questions, wines, coffees, rants, and general comradery. In particular, thank you to Sharon for your thoughts, questions and extra set of eyes at the tail end of this thesis – I am beyond grateful. To my submission buddy, Pat, it has been an absolute honour to write up alongside you. Kirstin, to you I give the biggest and most heartfelt thanks for all your support both professionally and personally. You have been a major contributor to my successful completion. To my brothers, Alex and Steven, thank you for always keeping me honest and in line. To my Dad who worked a lifetime of manual labour to give me opportunities, I would not be writing this if not for your sacrifices. Nonna, thank you for giving me spirit. To Karl Maton, supervisor extraordinaire, I cannot express how grateful I am for the guidance and mentoring I have received before and during the course of my candidature. Thank you for being so generous with your time, feedback, and suggestions which have shaped this research. It has been a pleasure to watch you grow to appreciate dance as I have grown to appreciate LCT, academia, and writing ‘does not’ instead of ‘doesn’t’. Jack, it has dawned on me that you have not known me without my PhD! Thank you for always believing in me. After writing this thesis, I do not have the words to express my v gratitude, so I might have to repay you in other ways: five years of cooking and cleaning, and endless emotional support. And to my mum, who is not here to read this or share this moment. You have taught me to be persistent and caring; you showed me the need for unwavering conviction, and, above all, encouraged me to chase my dreams no matter how far-reaching. This thesis is a product of two things you passed on to me: a passion for learning and the desire to do things differently. There are so many things that you have not been able to see, but I take solace in that fact that to this day, everything I am proud of in my life embodies your heart, soul, and the lifelong lessons you taught me in such a short space of time. vi Dedicated to my mum, Wanda – with eternal love, gratitude, and respect. vii TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF TABLES ............................................................................................................................................ XVI LIST OF FIGURES AND IMAGES ............................................................................................................. XVII LIST OF VIDEOS ............................................................................................................................................. XX CONVENTIONS ............................................................................................................................................... XXI CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION…………………………………………………........................................1 1.1 INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................................................... 1 1.2 WHY STUDY BALLET .................................................................................................................................. 2 1.2.1 BALLET DANCE ...................................................................................................................................... 3 1.2.2 BALLET DANCERS .................................................................................................................................. 5 1.3 RESEARCH QUESTIONS ............................................................................................................................. 7 1.4 THESIS STRUCTURE ................................................................................................................................... 8 CHAPTER 2 LITERATURE REVIEW………………..…………………………………………………10 2.1 INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................................. 10 2.2 THEORETICAL UNDERSTANDINGS OF THE BODY ................................................................ 11 2.2.1 FEMINIST APPROACHES ....................................................................................................................... 11 2.2.2 POST-STRUCTURALIST APPROACHES ................................................................................................... 12 2.2.3 THE BODY IN EDUCATIONAL CONTEXTS .............................................................................................. 15 2.3 DANCE LITERATURE ....................................................................................................................... 16 2.3.1 PHILOSOPHICAL INQUIRY IN DANCE .................................................................................................... 17 2.3.2 NON-ACADEMIC PUBLICATIONS .......................................................................................................... 18 2.3.3 DANCE STUDIES ................................................................................................................................... 19 2.3.4 RESEARCH IN DANCE EDUCATION ......................................................................................................