It’s a tired old song from the ballet world that today’s ‘kids’ lack discipline and the necessary moxie to make it in the world of elite ballet companies, whatever that means.
Derek Deane, former director of English National Ballet, was whining about the same thing years ago and it smacks of nothing more than old crumblies complaining that “things ‘aint what they used be!” No kidding.
Ballet training in the past (and contemporary training for that matter) was often criticized for its’ sometimes brutal methods and scant regard for those suffering from eating disorders and their inherent potential for causing serious physical and mental damage to poorly advised young students.
Speaking in The Guardian, Assis Carriero of Dance East states;
“A lot of directors feel the dancers coming out of the schools are not the material they’re looking for….. the kids are just not prepared enough.”
David McAllister, Director of Australian Ballet goes on;
“A lot of the younger generation want instant gratification. They expect a Pop Idol career-path. Ballet’s not like that.’ The dancers who make it in the Aussie company, he says, tend to be serious. Technically speaking, the bar’s constantly being raised.”
We, here in the Lab suggest a 3 point plan for the ballet types to get their house in order;
1. Provide a well rounded, balanced training and health care program for your students and for your professional dancers that is based around something slightly more scientific than how heavy they are. Also make sure you consider mental well being in the equation!
2. Before going on in the press about the chronic state of ballet training take a long hard look and your own chronic inability to create anything original for the last, let’s say, 100 years!
3. Shush, period!
The Imp has spoken!