www.harpersbazaar.com: Ballet dancers, Misty Copeland tells me, like to be in control. It's something about ballet itself—the painstaking quest to achieve the appearance of a kind of effortless athleticism, fluidity, and grace—that makes it hard to let go. "I think all dancers are control freaks a bit," she explains. "We just want to be in control of ourselves and our bodies. That's just what the ballet structure, I think, kind of puts inside of you. If I'm put in a situation where I am not really sure what's going to happen, it can be overwhelming. I get a bit anxious."
4 comments:
I think this is really cool and important. Not only is it so visually appealing but it also makes a great statement on rewriting ballet as a practice. I remember a few years ago seeing Degas’s work and thinking they were so beautiful, but of course all of the dancers he depicted looked the same. This is no fault of his own, ballet has a very strict aesthetic it likes to adhere to. Dancers like Misty Copeland are in the process of reworking that aesthetic, but it has been that way for years. SO Misty, and the creative time behind this project, start to rework it from the other way around, bringing in these 18th century classics and placing a 21st century African American Artist right in the middle of it. The important thing is critics can see tat this works, that this race and all races can belong in the ballet, and could of even back then.
I relate so much to what Copeland says about feeling safe and protected on stage as she never had before. Though of course I come from a very different background from Copeland and cannot speak to what that is like, I remember getting that sense that I had found what I was meant to be doing when I entered theatre. Before I began studying theatre, I went through middle school feeling very alone, constantly on-guard, and unsafe in myself. I came to theatre on a whim, out of what felt like near desperation, hoping that my skills in fashion design would be translatable enough to get me into a small art school. When I arrived there everything changed. Theatre gave me a family and a shelter for learning and making art among my peers like nothing else before. It was the first time I felt like I could do anything and be exactly who I was: weird and curious and an artist. Misty Copeland's sense of belonging in ballet shines so brightly in her incorporation into these famous paintings, bringing to light the fact that whether she be a dainty 1800s french ballerina or an elegant and strong 21st century African American ballet icon, this is an art which protects its own, just like any other.
All I can think after reading this article is that Misty Copeland has succeeded in redefining what it means to be a ballerina in our modern day. Concurrently, I strongly believe Copeland is in the midst of inspiring and stimulating an entire generation of children that anything is within their reach. I wish that I could print this article out and send it to every home across the United States, so that Moms and Dads could read it to their daughters and their sons and let them know that the world is at their fingertips. Aside from the fascinating juxtaposition of classic Degas paintings and Copeland’s striking modern form, this article tells a story of hope and passion and determination. I can vividly see a young Copeland in gym clothes learning battement dégagés en croix amidst the abrasive dribbles and echoing squeaks of a Boys & Girls Club basketball court. My heart swells for that young and bold Copeland and yearns for a future where this story becomes commonplace in neighborhoods across the country.
The editing and composition of these images is stunning. The attention to detail, such as the blending of Misty Copeland's ballet shoes into the background, or the placement of her fingers was thrilling to see. The magazine's loyalty to Degas' work, and the artist himself was quite touching to see. Clearly, a great deal of thought, time, and effort was devoted to this spread.
I must say, I did laugh to myself when I saw a $30 Capezio leotard paired with a notoriously expensive "price upon request" Roberto Cavalli skirt. I think this pairing represents much more than two very different pieces of clothing being brought together for mere aesthetic. Though Copeland's success has been meteoric, it has been well deserved and truly fought for. Copeland also has clearly not forgotten her past. Sure, she has achieved the kind of fame that merits Cavalli skirts, but she is still clearly dedicated to dance. I bet almost anything she feels more at home in the $30 leotard than any designer gown.
Post a Comment