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Thesis
Project Plié: building diversity in ballet
Master of Science (M.S.), Drexel University
Mar 2016
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17918/etd-7686
Abstract
Moving from Japan, a country with relative homogeneity in its population, I admire the rich ethnic and racial diversity present in America and how it adds so much vibrancy to the culture and art we experience. And it is something I cherish as a former ballet trainee and newly naturalized citizen. However, I discovered that the lack of diversity in ballet is one of the most talked about subjects in the field of dance today. What are ballet companies doing today to close this diversity gap? I chose to investigate the state of diversity in ballet through a case study of Project Plié, a diversity initiative led by the American Ballet Theatre since 2013. I conducted an in-depth interview with two of the Education and Training staff of the American Ballet Theatre. In addition, I conducted interviews with Project Plié's partner organizations, including Dance Theatre of Lynchburg, BalletMet and the Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre. What I gleaned from the interviews was that there are strong and growing commitments by ballet organizations small and large to push inclusive practices, where their communities and funding organizations are also increasingly interested. Nonetheless, pre-professional ballet training of a high caliber is not always accessible to minority populations due to the many barriers that cannot be transformed by any one organization; Project Plié's vision transcends institutional boundaries and its leadership to rally communities nationwide, therefore gives tremendous hope to its partner organizations and to the dance field.
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Details
- Title
- Project Plié
- Creators
- Ayako Hickman - DU
- Contributors
- Jean Brody (Advisor) - Drexel University (1970-)
- Awarding Institution
- Drexel University
- Degree Awarded
- Master of Science (M.S.)
- Publisher
- Drexel University; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Number of pages
- v, 60 pages
- Resource Type
- Thesis
- Language
- English
- Academic Unit
- Arts Administration; Arts and Entertainment Enterprise; Drexel University; Antoinette Westphal College of Media Arts and Design
- Other Identifier
- 7686; 991014632296104721