More than skin deep: the enduring practice of ballet in universities

With the growing importance of ballet training in university dance curricula in the United States and abroad, students are often presented with a duality of training – modern dance vs. ballet – that can be difficult for them to marry, both in their minds and bodies. Traditional concepts of ballet training are explored with the goal of presenting a method that allows for a closer integration with contemporary dance techniques. Professional dancers today are often called upon to collaborate spontaneously in the studio with choreographers, and whether performing in the genres of modern dance, ballet, or within the fusion that is contemporary dance, training in ballet can contribute to this artistic dialogue.