Analysing Western Classical Ballet with Bourdieu's Field Theory How to use it as a social stratification tool

Abstract

Known as one of the representatives of elegant art，western classical ballet holds a certain status and influence in Western society, During the reign of Louis XIV in France, with his vigorous promotion, ballet gradually flourished, even serving as a tool for the king's prestige to achieve French national independence [1]. Through analyzing the phenomena of ballet in the western society, it can be found that classical ballet has become a social stratification tool in Western society. The learning threshold for Western classical ballet is relatively high, and students from upper-class society have more opportunities to receive high-level classical ballet education, while students from lower-class society often lack the corresponding capital and other issues to gain equal opportunities. However, ballet in China, through the combination of localisation and orientalisation, ballet has become a popular dance form for the Chinese public. This paper will analyze how Western classical ballet serves as a social stratification tool in Western society using Bourdieu's field theory, comparing with the social function of ballet in China.