ABSTRACT
This chapter questions the popular conflation of ballet with technique, the relegation of music to accompaniment and the status of emotion as an addition to technique. It also questions why the expressive, creative and sensory aspects of children’s play and spontaneous dancing should not play a foundational role in learning ballet technique. Practical approaches to integrating breath, music, emotion and movement are followed by suggestions for embedding them within technical exercises. The value of training in creative skills to awaken sensory awareness, problem-solving and creativity is explored.
Curiosity, imagination and a sense of style are promoted as elements of dancers’ artistry and as motivating forces for choreographers to ensure ballet is a performing art with a rich past and the promise of an even greater future.
