Gender and Sexuality in Classical Ballet
Description
This paper researches and studies the experiences of queer and transgender ballet dancers in classical ballet. While men in classical ballet are typically considered to be gay due to gendered stereotypes, women in classical ballet are assumed to be heterosexual. This causes a lack of visibility of queer women in classical ballet. Furthermore, strict gender roles in traditional classical ballet affect nonbinary and transgender ballet dancers, impacting their experiences. Misogyny and body shaming play a role in the experiences of female ballet dancers, and these issues combine with homophobia and transphobia for queer and transgender dancers. This paper considers the intersection of gender and sexuality and researches how that impacts the experiences and mental well-being of classical ballet students. It compares the experiences of classical ballet dancers of all backgrounds, genders, and sexualities to determine how their experiences relate and differ.
Date Created
The date the item was original created (prior to any relationship with the ASU Digital Repositories.)
2024-05
Agent
- Author (aut): Reynolds, Ry
- Thesis director: Conder, Carley
- Committee member: Flower, Lauren
- Contributor (ctb): Barrett, The Honors College
- Contributor (ctb): School of Social Transformation
- Contributor (ctb): School of Music, Dance and Theatre