Changing Attitudes Toward Dance's Gender Identity

The performing art form of dance, characterized as purposeful, selected sequences of human movement, is often described as a universal language. It is a form of expression that can be translated by all people of all cultures and places. However, if this form of artistic expression is so inclusive, then why is it that it is most often assigned a female gender identity? What are some of the factors that have influenced changing attitudes toward dance’s gender identity over the past century? The image of the female dancer can be seen all the way back to cave paintings of dancing women. By the middle ages, ballet became popular in Italian court festivals as women often played the parts of men. In the 17th century France, the Paris Opera was the first to celebrate ballerinas, a prestigious title for the female soloist. It was not until the 19th century that women became the center of the performance, owning their female identity at the forefront of the stage. The most successful period for female dancers came between 1830 and 1840 with the performance of the ballet La Sylphide. Ballet La Sylphide is a 19th century European ballet that

Although styles of dance like hip-hop have emerged that are more gender inclusive, dance is often still portrayed with specific gender roles that often help to boost television and other forms of entertainment’s ratings. This is evident in TV shows such as Dancing with the Stars where body shape, appearance and clothing are criticized and reinforce traditional gender norms sexualizing the female and demonstrating power in the male. The show also conforms to a heterosexual normative structure in the pairing of partners. We currently live in a society that both tries to be politically gender equal while at the same time using gender as a marketing