Outdated pedagogical practices within classical ballet

Klasični balet, od svojega je nastanka služio kralju kao demonstracija pravilnog ponašanja i pristojnosti. Kroz 18. i 19. stoljeće, kao relativno autonomna kazališna forma, ostao je i dalje vezan uz carske politike, a u 20. stoljeću, demokratizacijom medija i razvoja filmske industrije, baletnim plesačima i njihovim životima koristilo se kao inspiracijom za filmove. Unaprijed utvrđeno čitanje ponuđenih sadržaja pomoglo je oblikovati i potvrditi stereotipe o baletnoj umjetnosti. Svima prepoznatljivo baletno tijelo postaje okosnica oko koje se vode mnoge polemike onih koji balet gledaju kao promatrači i onih koji balet žive kao svoj poziv. Neupitno je doduše da tijelo, svojim kretnjama pomaže dočarati dramsku radnju u kojoj gledatelji uživaju, no ipak treba uzeti u obzir kojim se mehanizmima dobiva tolika kontrola plesača nad izvedbom. Kako bi se iz tijela dobilo da u svakom trenutku ima kontrolu takvu da zadovoljava najzahtjevnije estetske norme, često sami sudionici, a kasnije i plesači prolaze vrlo zahtjevne „treninge“ tijela, posljedično i uma koji im to omogućuju. Istraživanje provedeno među nastavnicima klasičnog baleta u Hrvatskoj pokazalo je kako je disciplina, koju oni i danas smatraju vrlo poželjnom osobinom među baletnim plesačima, u vrijeme njihova školovanja nerijetko uključivala isključivo autoritarni stil poučavanja, neevaluirane metode rada koje su se prenosile „s koljena na koljeno“ te su uključivale nerealne zahtjeve na tijelo, u potpunom neskladu s njihovim fizičkim mogućnostima i dobi. Posljedice takvog pristupa tijelu i obrazovanju je tome da čak 80 % ispitanika i danas trpi bolove zbog dobivenih ozljeda tijekom školovanja i/ili karijere. Jesu li ozljede zaista neizostavan dio baletnog obrazovanja te koliku ulogu imaju sigurne prakse i interdisciplinarnost u očuvanju zdravlja plesača i pomaže li kvalitetno, kontinuirano obrazovanje nastavnika na tom putu osvještavanja tradicionalnih pedagoških praksi, pitanja su koja su postavljena tijekom ovoga istraživanja.Classical ballet, since its inception, has served the king as a demonstration of proper behavior and decency. Throughout the 18th and 19th centuries, as a relatively autonomous theatrical form, it remained attached to imperial politics while the 20th century, with the democratization of the media and the development of the film industry, used ballet dancers and their lives as inspiration for films. The offered, predetermined reading of the contents helped to shape and confirm stereotypes about the ballet art. The recognizable ballet body becomes the backbone around which many controversies are conducted by those who view ballet as observers and those who live ballet as their vocation. It is unquestionable that the body, with its movements, helps to evoke a dramatic action that the spectators enjoy, but it should still be taken into account, what are the mechanisms by which the dancers gain so much control over the performance. In order to get the body, to have such control at all times, and to meet the most demanding aesthetic norms, often the students themselves, and later the dancers, go through very demanding "training" of the body, and consequently the mind. The research, conducted among classical ballet teachers in Croatia, showed that the discipline, they experienced while attending ballet school as young, often included authoritarian teaching styles, unvalued methods of work, that included, unrealistic demands on the body in complete disharmony with their physical capabilities and age, and were usually passed on from generation to generation. Nevertheless, teacher still found that attribute desirable among their students. The consequences of such approach to the body and education have resulted in as many as 80% of respondents still suffering from pain due to injuries received during schooling and/or dance career. Are injuries really an indispensable part of ballet education and what are the roles of safe practices and interdisciplinarity approach in maintaining the health of dancers as well as can quality, continuous teacher education help in the establishing the path in raising awareness of traditional pedagogical practices, are questions asked during this research