Nessa dissertação, procuro compreender como são construídas algumas formas de discriminação racial no mundo do balé clássico. Ou seja, como ser negro ou ser branco é um diferencial nesse contexto, e como esta discriminação é subjetivamente experimentada pelos bailarinos negros. O estudo qualitativo realizado teve por base as entrevistas realizadas com bailarinos daquele universo, que me ajudaram a compor o quadro das relações vivenciadas, revelando reciprocidades e disputas. O ponto de partida desse estudo foi a minha própria trajetória neste universo e a análise das biografias de Eros Volúsia, dançarina brasileira que se projetou internacionalmente, através de coreografias próprias, inspiradas na cultura brasileira e de Mercedes Baptista, a primeira bailarina negra a pertencer ao corpo de baile do Theatro Municipal do Rio de Janeiro. Meu foco principal foram as relações sociais construídas no contexto do balé clássico, bem como as estruturas de poder. Apostei na ideia de que estas se constituíam em um bom caso para se pensar como determinadas modalidades de relações raciais se apresentam no Brasil. / In this dissertation, I try to understand how some forms of racial discrimination are constructed in the world of classical ballet. That is, as being black or as being white is a differential in this context, and as such discrimination is subjectively experienced by black dancers. The qualitative study was based on interviews with dancers of that universe. Which helped me to compose the framework of relationships experienced, revealing reciprocities and disputes. The starting point of this study, was to my own path in this universe, the analysis of biographies, one is about Eros Volúsia, a Brazilian dancer who designed internationally trhough its own choreography, inspired by Brazilian culture, and also story life of Mercedes Baptista. The first black ballerina to belong to the corps de ballet of the Municipal Theater of Rio de Janeiro. My main focus was the social relationships built in the context of classical ballet and power structures. I have bet on the idea that these were a good case for thinking as certain forms of race relations present in Brazil.

O balé Agon é considerado o ápice da produção conjunta entre Stravinsky e o coreógrafo russo George Balanchine, e sua concepção foi repleta de descontinuidades. As ideias iniciais que motivaram a composição do balé datam de 1948, entretanto, Stravinsky começou a esboçar os primeiros rascunhos somente no final de 1953 e concluiu a obra, após algumas interrupções, em meados de 1957. Durante os anos de criação do balé, Stravinsky operou mudanças significativas em seu processo composicional, alguns movimentos remetem ao diatonismo de seu período neoclássico, enquanto outros são construídos a partir de elaborações seriais, desenvolvidas pelo compositor após o início da década de 1950. Este trabalho expõe os diferentes aspectos envolvidos na concepção do balé e, através da análise dos processos composicionais presentes na obra, busca determinar pontos de conexão em meio às referências díspares estabelecidas no diálogo entre música e dança. / The ballet Agon is considered the apex of the partnership between Stravinsky and the russian choreographer George Balanchine, and its creation was full of discontinuities. The initial ideas that motivated the composition of the ballet came up in 1948, but only in the end of 1953 Stravinsky began sketching the first drafts, and then in 1957, after some interruptions, he completed the work. During this years, Stravinsky made significant changes in his compositional process, some movements refers to the diatonicism of his neoclassical period, while others are constructed from serial elaborations, all of them developed by the composer after the 1950s. This dissertation expounds the several different aspects about the creation of the ballet and through the analysis of the compositional processes in the work, it attempts to determine the connection among the disparate references established in the dialogue between music and dance.

O objetivo desta pesquisa é analisar de que modos a performance artística do balé, que compreende uma série de práticas e significados que lhe conferem sentido, converte-se em performance de gênero, ou seja, estiliza o corpo, repercute na aparência e no comportamento de quem dança, produzindo e reproduzindo maneiras específicas de se viver a masculinidade e a feminilidade. O material empírico foi constituído a partir de entrevistas realizadas com dois grupos de crianças que participam de aulas desse estilo de dança em Porto Alegre. Para a realização da análise, foram utilizados como referenciais teóricos o conceito de performance de Richard Schechner, entre outras contribuições dos Estudos da Performance, bem como alguns referenciais dos Estudos de Gênero e de autores que tratam da história, cultura e pedagogia do balé clássico. As análises foram organizadas em quatro eixos que dizem respeito: 1) à performance do balé e aos seus aspectos técnicos e pedagógicos; 2) à infância performatizada, a partir das rotinas e dos interesses das crianças entrevistadas; 3) às performances do feminino na dança clássica; 4) às discussões deflagradas por intermédio da observação de imagens relativas ao universo da dança e ao universo infantil estereotipado. A partir dos relatos das crianças, verificou-se que dançar balé (pode) significa(r) dar-se a ver bela e feminina, e que o aprendizado da dança se caracteriza como aprendizado de ser menina. Dessa forma, a rigidez na delimitação de um modo de se viver a masculinidade e a feminilidade pode tanto afastar os meninos da dança, quanto aproximar as meninas ao balé. / The aim of this research is to analyse in which ways the artistic performance of the ballet dance, which comprehends a branch of practices and meanings that give its sense, converts in genre performance, i. e., stilize the body, has effects on physical appearance and in the behaviour of the ones that dance, producing and reproducing specific ways of living masculinity and feminility. The empiric material was constituted from interviews performed with two different groups of kids that take ballet classes in Porto Alegre. In order to make this analysis we used the concept of the word performance from Richard Schechner as a theoretical referencial, among some other contributions from the Performance Studies, as well as some referentials from Genre Studies and from authors that treat ballet history, culture and pedagogy: 1) to the ballet performance and to its technical and pedagogycal aspects; 2) to the performatized childhood, from the routines and interests of the children that were interviewed; 3) to the female performances ind classic dance; 4) to the discussions led through the observation of images related to the dance universe and to the childlike universe. From the analysis of what children said about dancing ballet, we verify that dancing ballet can mean putting each dancer in a condition of showing herself beautiful and female-like and that dance learning means learning to be a girl. Thus, the difficulty of setting a way of living masculinity and feminility can either put boys away from dance or put girls even closer to the art of ballet.

The overall aim of this portfolio was to develop an understanding of how music fits socially, historically, and technically into the landscape of 21st century culture. The aims of the portfolio were to explore static harmony (resonance), statistically similar melodic sequences, electronic drones, rhythmic development (cycles), melodic development, and non-linear textures. A compositional process turned personal journey became the driving energy for these works, and one can see a clear development, as each piece is built on the findings of previous ones. The musical language became more sophisticated as a result of both these new techniques as well as interactions with other collaborators (including musicians, dancers, scientists, visual artists, and programmers). Each of the technical aims was developed throughout the creation of the portfolio. These are among the techniques which helped shape late 20th century music, with the goal of joining some of them together in new and aesthetically pleasing ways. Early on, there was a shift in the way they were applied, especially creating resonance, which was first done with acoustic instruments and then electronic drones. The repetition and rhythmic cycles also developed by using transition matrices from a Markov Chain process to create 'melody rhythms' (discussed more in Sequence). Pieces like Lost in Space and Smoke of Freedom were written by combining all of these techniques together in a fusion of static harmony, rhythmic cycles, and expressive melodies. I also had a social motivation when writing these works. For example, Wind Gust 42058 uses the trend of 'data is the new gold' by giving the audience a meaningful way to 'experience the data'. Also, Smoke of Freedom tells the story from the perspective of a man who is oppressed in China, not dissimilar from the four Hong Kong book sellers who were taken away by Chinese authorities for 'selling restricted books'. When this occurred in 2015, a lot of people were thinking of leaving the city in search of a more open society, and Smoke of Freedom follows the story of a man who does exactly that, leaving everything behind in search of a better life. The Answered Hymn is a unique piece in that it was performed at Westminster Abbey and St. Martin-in-the-Fields for special services celebrating the 500th anniversary of Lutheranism. The performances brought together 12 different choirs from around the world, each singing in their own language, and, in a 'Post-Brexit' United Kingdom, aimed to bring together themes of multi-nationalism and peace. The musical language developed during the course of this portfolio shows how musical technique can fit into and comment on the social, technological, and historical landscape of 21st century culture.

A Newfound Passion- Choreography analyzes the artistic process and life journey of creating choreography for musical theatre. My training as a dance minor at East Tennessee State University from 2011-2015 culminated in my final senior capstone experience as a choreographer for the ETSU Division of Theatre and Dance’s production of Oklahoma!. Composing a new musical theatre dance and analyzing the original choreography of Oklahoma! (and the art of choreography more generally) provided significant material for analysis, and the following research reflects what I learned and experienced. Overall, the experience of choreographing has changed the way I see myself as a dancer and has instilled in me a new sense of respect for choreographers around the world.

When the Joffrey Ballet reconstructed the 1913 production of Le Sacre du printemps in 1987 and restaged Les Noces in 1989, the reception of these ballets drew upon the prevailing ideals of authenticity that also existed in music. The period’s Early Music revival emphasized the historically-informed performance of past music, using period instruments and techniques to approach an assumedly “authentic” performance. Over the course of twenty years in the late twentieth century the repertoire performed and recorded expanded chronologically closer to the present, challenging original conceptions that the nineteenth century was the benchmark for modern music and influencing the critical reception of later artistic works, including those of the Joffrey. Because the Joffrey’s productions took place at Hancher Auditorium at the University of Iowa in Iowa City, this thesis presents a reception history of them that highlights both a national and local, Iowan narrative. This history is informed by archival documents from the University of Iowa’s Special Collections on the Iowa Center for the Performing Arts and from Hancher Auditorium. Hancher’s collection of press releases, coupled with the newspaper and magazine clippings, contributed to the cultivation of the Joffrey’s public image and those of the two ballets. These works—specifically their scores by Igor Stravinsky and their original choreographers Vaslav Nijinky and Bronislava Nijinska—are seen as pioneers of modernism. Yet, the reception of their reconstructed ballets took place at the height of the Early Music movement’s popularity. Reviewers weighed in on Le Sacre du printemps’ authenticity and their discussion of Les Noces also emphasizes legacy—be it that of the Joffrey Company itself, the legacy of the sibling choreographers, or that of the two works within the ballet repertoire. A comparison of the reception of these two productions also reveals the distinctions between reconstruction and revival.

Dancers, in their formal training, are deprived of many basic human experiences and are often not exposed to critical thinking. Expectations about what it means to dance and/or be a dancer shape the classroom environment, performances and both the body and mind of individuals engaged in this particular art form. A professional dancer is expected to plan her day around the dance classroom and this mentality is shared by aspiring professionals as well as dance educators. This structure, in tandem with the expectations for a female dancer to maintain a certain body type- almost always a thin flexible body, toned long limbs, and light smooth skin for ballet performers- is limiting and in fact raises questions about a dancer's agency in the educational and performing processes. This project has originated out of my own experiences in the dance community and my frustration with those classroom structures. Throughout the paper I will concentrate on college level dance training with emphasis on women as dancers and the construction of ballet classrooms, which, like patriarchy, has created the paradigm against which most dance classes and performances are judged.

Cette étude qualitative de type exploratoire a pour but de mieux comprendre comment une des techniques du pouvoir, la surveillance, est vécue par les danseuses classiques professionnelles et comment celles-ci en perçoivent les conséquences sur le plan de la santé physique et psychologique. Le cadre théorique est inspiré par les écrits de Michel Foucault notamment en ce qui concerne la surveillance, le pouvoir, la discipline et les corps dociles. Des entrevues individuelles semi-structurées ont été menées entre janvier et mai 2006 auprès de quinze danseuses professionnelles ayant toutes étudié la danse classique et ayant dansé au Canada, en Europe et aux États-Unis. Cinq d'entre elles sont salariées, cinq sont pigistes et cinq sont retraitées. Les résultats de cette étude nous permettent d'affirmer que la pratique de la surveillance est indissociable de la danse et que le poids est l'objet de la plus grande surveillance. Deux types de surveillance ont été identifiés par les participantes, soit la surveillance positive et la surveillance négative. La surveillance positive a un effet bénéfique sur la santé et vise à motiver, guider et encadrer la danseuse dans son cheminement, alors que la surveillance négative, axée sur le jugement, la critique et un idéal corporel, a un impact direct sur la santé physique et psychologique de la danseuse. Cette étude nous démontre l'importance de continuer à mettre en question comment se joue le pouvoir en danse ainsi que le regard dirigé vers le corps de la danseuse et les exigences corporelles auxquelles celle-ci est soumise. ______________________________________________________________________________ MOTS-CLÉS DE L’AUTEUR : Surveillance, Foucault, Danse classique, Pouvoir, Santé physique, Santé psychologique.

In this thesis, I explore the June 1946 issue of Dance Index: Joseph Cornell’s “Clowns, Elephants and Ballerinas.” Through the archive of materials collected and presented by Cornell, I attempt to understand the histories of performance offered to the magazine’s readers. Despite the rich field of scholarship dedicated to Cornell and his art, very little work has been dedicated to his contributions to Dance Index. I interpret “Clowns, Elephants and Ballerinas” as both a collage and a series of histories, and I present the magazine as a serious work in Cornell’s oeuvre. I also endeavor to provide an understanding of Cornell’s working method, his sense of history, and the ways his juxtapositions of word and image provide meaning to readers. Weaving together the visual and textual, contemporary and historical, Cornell explores performance legacies, American and European exchange, and pantomime, dance, and circus performance tradition through this magazine issue. Cornell uses each of his diverse materials to explore larger social and political issues as well as artistic traditions. “Clowns, Elephants and Ballerinas” represents a crystallization of a moment in one of his many “explorations.” / text

At performance level, classical ballet is a form of high-intensity, intermittent exercise, requiring a strong aerobic foundation. Existing training methods have remained largely unchanged over the past century, resulting in poorly conditioned dancers who are prone to injury. The purpose of the thesis was to examine, through several inter-related studies, the demands of training and performance at professional level, and whether fitness levels of classical ballet dancers affect both aesthetic components of performance, and injury. All participants were either in the final year of elite vocational training or were professional dancers. Initial, observational, investigations indicated that both rehearsal and performance posed a variety of demands on different ranks of dancer within a company’s structure, and depicted daily workloads which supported previous complaints of fatigue. Before examination of fitness or performance could begin, novel tools to assess both aerobic fitness, and performance proficiency in ballet dancers were designed and tested for reliability and validity. Both tests met with test-retest reliability standards, with 95% limits of agreement of ±6.2 ml.kg.-1min-1 for the aerobic test, and ±1.5 points (out of 10) for the performance rating scale. High overall performance scores were then best predicted by high jumps of both legs and good active flexibility of the left leg (F=4.142, df=3, P=0.042). Following this, an intervention study investigated the effects of a period of supplemental fitness training, designed to enhance aerobic fitness, jump height and local muscular endurance, on the performance scores of a randomly assigned group of dancers. A control group continued with regular training. Performance scores at the outset of the study were compared to those following the intervention period. Overall scores for the intervention group increased by significantly more than those of the control group, (p=0.03), with greatest gains seen for control and skill, indicating that supplemental fitness training, specifically targeting aerobic and local muscular endurance, can help improve performance, particularly elements such as control and skill. Finally, two separate studies confirmed that low aerobic fitness and low body fat percentage were related to injury in ballet dancers. Further research needs to focus on fully ascertaining the physical demands of ballet, and whether better training dancers to meet these demands results in enhanced performance and reduction in injury.