Women And Dance: Sylphs and Sirens

297 Pages·1992·30.43 MB·English

by  Christy Adair (auth.)

WOMEN IN SOCIETY SERIES LIST (ed CG)
Updated 08.07.97
For page i
Editorial Advisory Group
Phillida Bunckle, Victoria University, Wellington, New Zealand;
Miriam David, South Bank University, Leonore Davidoff,
University of Essex; janet Finch, University of Lancaster;
jalna Hanmer, University of Bradford; Beverley Kingston,
University of New South Wales, Australia; Hilary Land, University
of Bristol; Diana Leonard, University of London Institute of
Education; Susan Lonsdale, Department of Health; jean O'Barr,
Duke University, North Carolina, USA; Arlene Tigar Mclaren,
Simon Fraser University, British Columbia, Canada; Hilary Rose,
University of Bradford; Susan Sellers, University of St Andrews.
Pat Thane, Goldsmiths' College, University of London; Clare
Ungerson, University of Southampton.
The last two decades have seen an explosion of publishing by,
about and for women. This list is designed to make a particular
contribution to this continuing process by commissioning and
publishing books which consolidate and advance feminist research
and debate in key areas in a form suitable for students, academics
and researchers but also accessible to a broader general readership.
As far as possible, the books adopt an international perspective,
incorporating comparative material from a range of countries where
this is illuminating. Above all, they are interdisciplinary, aiming
to put women's studies and feminist discussion firmly on the agenda
in subject-areas as disparate as law, literature, art and social policy.
WOMEN IN SOCIETY SERIES LIST continued
(ed CG) Updated 19.05.98
Christy Adair Women and Dance: sylphs and sirens
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Women and Dance
Sylphs and Sirens
Christy Adair
Foreword by Janet Wolff
M
MACMILLAN
© Christy Adair 1992
Foreword© Janet Wolff 1992
All rights reserved. No reproduction, copy or transmission
of this publication may be made without written permission.
No paragraph of this publication may be reproduced, copied or
transmitted save with written permission or in accordance with
the provisions of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988,
or under the terms of any licence permitting limited copying
issued by the Copyright Licensing Agency, 90 Tottenham Court
Road, London WIP 9HE.
Any person who does any unauthorised act in relation to
this publication may be liable to criminal prosecution and
civil claims for damages.
First published 1992 by
THE MACMILLAN PRESS LTD
Houndmills, Basingstoke, Hampshire RG21 2XS
and London
Companies and representatives
throughout the world
ISBN 978-0-333-47626-0 ISBN 978-1-349-22374-9 (eBook)
DOI 10.1007/978-1-349-22374-9
A catalogue record for this book is available
from the British Library.
Copy-edited and typeset by Povey-Edmondson
Okehampton and Rochdale, England
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To Bonnie and Tansy
Contents
Illustrations viii
Foreword by Janet Wolff XI
Acknowledgements xiii
Introduction 1
l. Dancing hierarchies - dance in society 7
2. Cultured bodies - the social construction of the body 24
3. Colonised bodies - the oppression of women 40
4. Viewing women - the production and reception of dance 62
5. Titillating tutus - women in ballet 82
6. Revolutionary women - modern dance 119
7. We say no- postmodern dance 139
8. Black power - black dance 160
9. Beginning again- new dance 182
10. The subversives- women's dance practice 199
Notes and references 239
Bibliography 247
Index 271
vii
Illustrations
1 Twentieth-century ballet class in England - Royal
Ballet School- 'The Dancer's World'. Reproduced by
courtesy of the Michael Peto Collection, University of
Dundee. 16
2 Alia Michalchenko (Bolshoi Ballet Company) in
'Raymonda'; choreographer Yuri Grigorovich. Photo-
graph by Peter Sayers ( 1986). 73
3 The Bolshoi Ballet Company in rehearsal for
'Raymonda'; choreographer Yuri Grigorovich. Photo-
graph by Peter Sayers (1986). 73
4 London Contemporary Dance Theatre - 'Mantis'.
Photograph by Peter Sayers (1983). 74
5 Mile Moreau - a ballerina of the Paris Opera (circa
1700). From the collections of the Theatre Museum.
Reproduced by courtesy of the Board of Trustees of the
Victoria and Albert Museum. 85
6 Marie Camargo -an engraving after the painting by
Lancret. Reproduced by permission of the Trustees of
the Wallace Collection. 86
7 Mile Zambelli and Mile Sandini- Paris Opera (circa
1900). Courtesy of the Pritchard Collection. 93
8 Late nineteenth-century class in France. Courtesy of
the Pritchard Collection. 94
9 Pas de Quatre - Carlotta Grisi, Marie Taglioni, Fanny
Cerrito, Lucile Grahn (1845). Reproduced by courtesy
of the Board of Trustees of the Victoria and Albert
Museum. 99
10 Carlotta Grisi-'Giselle' drawn and lithographed by J.
Brandard (circa 1842). Reproduced by courtesy of the
Board of Trustees of the Victoria and Albert Museum. 101
viii
Illustrations ix
11 Odette, Swan Lake; dancer Monica Mason. Photo-
graph by Roy Round. I 06
12 Odile, Swan Lake; dancer Monica Mason. Photograph
by Roy Round. 106
13 Anna Pavlova-'The Swan'. Courtesy of the Pritchard
Collection. 108
14 Les Noces (1923). Reproduced by courtesy of the Royal
Opera House Archives. 109
15 A Tragedy of Fashion-in demonstration Sir Frederick
Ashton, choreographer, and dancer Sara Matthews.
Photograph by Peter Sayers (1986). 114
16 Loie Fuller-San Francisco (circa 1900) left; New York
(circa 1900) right. Courtesy of the Pritchard Collection. 121
17 Isadora Duncan (circa 1900). Courtesy of the Rambert
Dance Company Archive. 122
18 Mary Wigman- 'Witch Dance IF (1926). Photograph
Charlotte Rudolph, Dresden. Courtesy of the Mary
Wigman Archive of the Akademie der Kiinste. 127
19 Martha Graham - 'Primitive Mysteries'. Courtesy of
Dance Collection, the New York· Public Library at
Lincoln Center, Astor, Lenox and Tilden Foundations. 133
20 Merce Cunningham Dance Company - 'Pictures'.
Photograph by Peter Sayers (1985). 142
21 Trisha Brown Dance Company - 'Set and Reset'.
Photograph by Peter Sayers (1983). 154
22 Dance Theatre of Harlem- 'Firebird'; choreographer
John Taras; dancers Donald Williams and Stephanie
Dabney. Photograph by Peter Sayers (1986). 169
23 Pearl Primus. Photograph by Gerde Peterich. Courtesy
of Dance Collection, the New York Public Library at
Lincoln Center, Astor, Lenox and Tilden Foundations. 174
24 Urban Bush Women- 'Bitter Tongue'; choreographer
Jawole Willa Jo Zollar; dancers (/to r) Christine King,
Marlies Yearby, Grisha Coleman, Jawole Willa Jo
Zollar, Terri Cousar, Christina Jones and Viola
Sheely. Photograph by Cylla Von Tiedmann. 177
25 'Dance on the Roof -London. Photograph by Geoff
White. 183
26 Mary Fulkerson - 'Real Life Adventures'. Photograph
by Peter Sayers ( 1984). 193
x Illustrations
27 The Cholmondeleys - 'Flag'. Photograph by Chris
Nash. 202
28 Extemporary Dance Company - 'Grace & Glitter';
directors Emilyn Claid and Maggie Semple; dancers
Chantal Donaldson and Kaye Brown. Photograph by
Sheila Burnett ( 1987). 205
29 Liz Aggiss - 'Grotesque Dancer'. Photograph by Paul
Cudjoe. 216
30 Molissa Fenley - Dance Umbrella, Riverside Studios.
Photograph by Peter Sayers (1984). 216
31 Yolande Snaith with Kathy Crick -·'Can Baby Jane
Can Can?'. Photograph by Lesley-Anne Sayers. 225
32 Irie! - 'Cease 'n' Settle'; choreographer Beverley
Glean. Photograph by Graham de Smidt. 227
33 Shobhana Jeyasingh Dance Company -
'Configurations'. Photograph by Chris Nash. 229
34 Rosemary Lee Dance Company - 'Egg Dances.'
Photograph by Phillip Grey. 234
35 Rosemary Butcher Dance Company - 'Touch the
Earth'. Photograph by Peter Anderson. 237