Foucault at the barre and other surprises: a case study of discipline and docility in the ballet studio

Abstract

Ballet is a popular activity among girls and women and is becoming increasingly visible within popular and fitness cultures. Much dance research has focused on the experiences of professional ballet dancers and on professional, elite, or university settings. Furthermore, ballet is often critiqued as a disciplinary practice and for celebrating an unrealistic bodily aesthetic. However, less research has focused on the experiences of recreational dancers and examined the specific material practices that discipline ballet bodies. Therefore, this qualitative research project examines the experiences of recreational ballet dancers in Western Canada and interrogates the practices that occur within one recreational ballet studio. Specifically, we draw upon Foucault’s concept of anatomo-political power to study how the organisation of time and space is used to train ballet bodies and how dancers participate in power relations. We describe how the recreational ballet studio can act as both a space of discipline and respite for adolescent girls and illustrate how dancers actively initiate their own creative uses of time and space to create important relationships and develop and demonstrate physical skill. We conclude by re-examining the concept of docility in relation to ballet and consider the value of ballet as a physical cultural practice.