A young girl is gifted a Nutcracker for Christmas and journeys through the magical Land of Sweets with him, encountering all types of candy and the beautiful Sugar Plum Fairy. This is the charming, classic story of The Nutcracker, one of the most performed ballets in the world.
Every Christmas, companies and schools put on their own production. Even though this show has been altered over the years, with various adaptations and versions, the story remains the same at its core, spanning generations to connect to all audiences. By creating a story that piques audiences’ imaginations, ballet holds up a mirror for people to see themselves reflected in, continuing the timelessness of this centuries-old art form.
Pointe shoes tapping on the dance floor, endless racks of tutus, and flawless formations as dancers on stage concentrate on their steps. All of these bring to mind classical ballet, an art form that was first developed during the Italian Renaissance in the 15th and 16th centuries. Ballet has survived for hundreds of years, capturing audiences’ hearts worldwide and pushing human beings toward their limits.
But of course, with any classical art form that has been around for centuries, it begs the question: Is that art form still relevant, especially when there are newer and trendier concepts coming around? The answer is yes. In a world clamoring for connections, ballet offers a universal language that builds bridges between people everywhere.
As a nonverbal form of expression, ballet provides a way for audiences all around the world to appreciate what they see on stage without speaking the same language. “[Dance] was a way to bond with people that would have been harder if we were just talking…because we had this common language of dance,” Kiesha Minyard, lawyer, former co-director of the Harvard Ballet Company at Harvard University and current dance aficionado, said. “It didn’t actually require verbal language…you can communicate things in such a moving way that people may not even understand exactly how it’s touching them in a way that they could articulate it, but they feel something.”
Companies travel to present their work globally, making ballet an international art form. A shared culture is developed, connections are made, which promotes mutual understanding and fosters arts diplomacy. “As a visual form of art, all you really need to appreciate it is to see it, so I’d say it kind of subverts country and language boundaries,” senior Chloe Brown said.
Ballet also provides a way for people to maintain their health, especially as they get older. A study by the National Institutes of Health has shown that engagement in the arts is associated with healthy aging. Continuing arts education into adult life not only promotes physical and mental health, but also fosters lasting connections and impacts. “My experience with dance gave me two very important skills that you can apply anywhere. It taught me how to work really hard. And so I really know how to focus and I know how to put my mind to something,” Ms. Minyard said. Even as engagement in the arts changes over time, the skills it teaches can be translated over to other aspects of one’s life.
Throughout time, choreographers have created their own pieces of ballet, incorporating elements of other dance styles into their work. Ballet serves as a foundational basis for developing technique, strength and flexibility. As the contemporary scene in the dance world has grown bigger, ballet’s key elements stay strong as the building blocks of artistry. “I do think you have, as a performer, an obligation to entertain your audience…[you] take something like a song that other people who have no interest in ballet are listening to and that will draw them in,” Ms. Minyard said. In this way, ballet is once again adapted and “modernized” to be a mirror for the audience. The changes reflect the world at a certain point in time, helping people to form a deeper connection with the art form.
Ballet’s unique presence as a universal language that can be translated across generations and dance styles has enabled it to stay relevant even to this day. As long as ballet can retain the fluidity and flexibility that has enabled it to thrive for hundreds of years, it will remain as a powerful form of storytelling that captures the hearts of people worldwide.
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