Ballet's Bad Reputation
A lot of people tend to stereotype ballet.
They think it’s just for stuck up, rich, snobs who are too up their ‘ahem’ to think about other people.
Okay yes, some ballet schools are like that. You do have to be a certain height, weight, build etc to even have a chance of making it.
Yes it’s brutal, but most of the people who do ballet really aren’t bad at all.
I’ve noticed that in a lot of recent dance films, such as the Step Up films, give ballet a bad reputation; having the ballet dancers looking down on the street dancers as inferior and ‘not real dancers’. Street dancers do the same though. Some think ballerinas are all about posture and showing off and acting pretty.
Of course street dance always rises up to be the best, and the ballet dancers proved wrong. Don’t get me wrong, I love street dancing; how much emotion is put into it, the excitement of it and all the years of practice it takes to master. But it’s the same for ballet. It takes years and years of training.
The recently released film StreetDance 3D, has finally done something I’ve been waiting for, wait for it...combining, yes, combining street dance and ballet; and surprisingly, it works wonderfully. StreetDance 3D joins the two worlds together, showing that differences in dance can be put aside, and masterpieces can be created.
StreetDance 3D finally gives ballet that reputation it needs, but also shows that ballet dancers must not forget the reason they’re dancing, and to always show emotion through their movement and come alive!
What I’m basically saying is, give ballet a chance. Don’t just dismiss it as a bunch of poncy idiots prancing around in tights, but as actual dance which is elegant, enjoyable and something to be cherished.
I’m certainly not telling you to hate street dancing and to go to your nearest theatre to see ballet performances at every opportunity! I’m saying give it a chance, and remember that different styles of dance can easily be combined.
For information on the performing arts in Cardiff, have a look here.
