How Important is Self Image in Professional Dance?

Today I have been reading and making some notes from Rosemary McGuiness blog. She has kindly summed up what was discussed at the campus session that I unfortunately could not make.

What they came up with was an interesting video, entitled ‘Do Web based Technologies enhance professional practise’? After looking at this, and in relation to another post of Rosemary’s dated from the 14^th Feb, her tag cloud of ‘Blogged Questions - First Steps in Professional Enquiry’ (a copy can also be seen below in my previous post), I decided to do some extra work following the pink coloured ‘bubble’ ‘How important is image/appearance in Professional Dance’?

The approach I have taken is actually fuelled by my obvious dance related work based learning but also by my personal interest in the media, music and film. My research has led me to comparing two articles that have really provided some thought provoking views to the question in hand, how much does the way we look and appear, both physically and in our personal approach can affect our role in Professional Dance. The first article in question is a discussion in ‘The Sunday Times’ placed directly linking to a review of the Hollywood film the ‘Black Swan’, which has been the subject of a lot of critical discrepancy recently. The reviews its self written by Cosmo Landesman who clearly feels that although at first glance the film provides a good, dramatic into the life, times and turmoil’s of being a professional dancer dreaming of playing their ultimate role, this idea of a dancers life demanding ‘rigorous self-control’, where the director wants ‘perfect passion’ which the dancer Nina mistakes for ‘aesthetic perfection’ is an unhealthy message to portray to our audiences today both in and out of the dance industry. It explores the concept that in order to achieve this ‘aesthetic perfection’ requiring this ‘over-worked, over self-obsessed woman’ to actually just ‘let herself go’. Actually becoming this idea of a perfect dancer required her to ‘let go of her Apollonian dedication to perfection and get in touch with her darker, Dionysian side’. In the film however, this causes herself to not only let go but sadly ‘loose herself completely’, in every sense of the phrase! But it is the way that the concept of the almost stereotypical view of everybody assuming the life of a dancer is entirely bases on obsession that the critic expresses concern over. Obsession of appearance and self-image can play a huge role, and yes sadly can affect and consume some entirely, but what concerns the critic is almost the assumption that every dancer in their profession practise will eventually find themselves on a downwards spiral resulting in ‘loosing control’ and suffering from anorexia, and apparently being ‘often sweaty, given to unnaturally tense little intakes of breath, plagued by rashes on her shoulder blades and prone to poking, cutting and splitting her skin and nails’ is a terrible message to be displaying.

So ultimately, to summarise, the question I am researching into clearly has a mind field of theories to explore, some of which will I be including in my critical reflection at the end of the module. I have also found a piece entitled ‘The Real Skinny’, although it is not directly linked to dance, it does explore some insightful methodologies into this strive for ‘aesthetic perfection’. It incorporates Valtyssons theory of prod usage in that by blurring the differences between the people who make the media and the consumer encourages more participation to view their opinions on issues such as this one.

Below is the movie trailor if interested.....

Coincidently also, I used Facebook myself to contact a fellow student from last year, Zoe Bellamy after noticing her decision to express her similar concern at this specific film by composing her ‘Facebook status’ expressing herself. Her actions have since provoked quite a discussion between friends - Web 2.0 technologies doing what it does best!