The classical art form of ballet that we know today was established in 18th century Europe. Many different countries such as Russia, France, Italy, and Germany, developed their own style of ballet that corresponded with the influences of the time. Around the 20th century, the art form spread across the world and widely retained the European style choreography until recently. In the United States, more and more companies are straying away from pure Eurocentric traditions and incorporating more diverse cultural influences.
One of the controversial productions is “Nutcracker,” usually showcased around the holidays, featuring Clara and a Nutcracker Prince traveling through different lands from different ethnicities. The classic Nutcracker story is based on E.T.A. Hoffmann’s tale and later adapted into a ballet by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky. The choreography for the ballet was set by Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov in 1892. The production’s roots in Europe is an important aspect of the issues that arose due to the harmful depictions of the different ethnicities that these European choreographers decided on.
One of the issues that arises is the costume and makeup for the “Chinese Tea” dance, which is one of the lands that Clara travels to. In many instances, dancers will infuse their makeup with saffron powder to add a yellow tinge to imitate east Asian ethnicities and wear geisha wigs with chopsticks woven in despite this hairstyle never being used in Chinese culture. Furthermore, eyeliner is used to slim a dancer’s eyes to mimic the stereotypical “small eyes” that east Asians often have. In terms of the choreography, dancers usually enter the stage shuffling and bobbing their heads while excessively bowing. These stereotypical portrayals of Chinese people have negatively affected Asian dancers’ representation in ballet.
These instances of using makeup in a mocking demeanor can negatively affect individuals by perpetuating harmful stereotypes, fostering an environment of discrimination, and undermining efforts toward inclusivity. Additionally, the costumes that many companies use for an ethnicity group are often misrepresentative. For example, American Ballet Theatre Soloist Zhong Jing describes in an interview in “What’s the Tea?” that she noticed “Some of the productions mock the costume, face, and fingers” of the Chinese people that doesn’t resonate with “Chinese culture at all.” And another Chinese principal dancer, at Philadelphia Ballet, who played the main lead in the dance said “the costume was not Chinese at all.” Like many others, he had to wear a paddy hat with a fake ponytail wig along with a mix of random colors as a shirt. These misrepresentations not only reinforce existing stereotypes but also address an inaccurate message to Chinese people that their “culture” is a source of entertainment often made fun of.
It also doesn’t just stop at Chinese people. Many of these issues faced by Asian dancers have affected African and Middle Eastern dancers as well and even to a stronger degree. Many dark-toned dancers face issues in inappropriate uses of blackface and are underrepresented in ballet supplies. In 2019, Misty Copeland, a principal ballet dancer at ABT, called out a Russian ballet theater for its use of blackface in “La Bayadère,” a tragic love story set in India. The director’s response was that “the ballet had been performed the same way for many years” and rejected her criticisms. In many similar circumstances, directors of prominent companies have responded to complaints with the excuse that it’s been a tradition for many years. However, dancers like Copeland are not asking them to cancel the dance but rather revise it with more accurate and appropriate representations of minority groups. Additionally, dark-skinned ballerinas, more than any other minority group, face challenges in finding ballet attire that matches their skin tone. This lack of representation stems from the fact that ballet attire was always designed for white dancers and rooted in Eurocentric ideals. As a result, dark-skinned dancers spend extra money and time to alter ballet attire to match their skin tone, highlighting one of the many disadvantages that they face.
Additionally, people of color often face discrimination in casting due to preconceived notions, stereotypes, or traditional expectations, resulting in roles not solely based on talent. Lia Cirio, a principal ballet dancer at Boston Ballet, expresses how ballet casting directors make assumptions about “her ethnicity and body and decide not to cast [her] for a specific role.” To add on, one of the directors even said they didn’t like the way her face looked and decided she could not play any of the “softer” princess roles. Former Pacific Northwest Ballet soloist Kiyon Gaines also recalls a time when he wasn’t casted for a ballet because “there wouldn’t have been people of color in the aristocracy at the time and [the choreographer was] trying to stay authentic.” Such instances undermine talented individuals who don’t fit the ideal “European look” of a princess/queen and become subject to play roles that seem more “fitting” based on their looks: suppressing them of opportunities and limiting the recognition of their true artistic capabilities. This issue plays into a larger problem of representation in the ballet world. Young dancers, who seek inspiration from professional dancers, may find it disheartening when lead roles are consistently limited to specific appearances that don’t align with themselves. Nonetheless in recent years it has become apparent that more and more companies are diversifying their dancers.
Chen Daoyuan, Artistic Director of N&D ballet, a company based in Lexington, MA., spoke with SAMPAN about the benefits of diversity in ballet:
“The increased number of principal dancers from diverse racial backgrounds is really great. The dancers with different backgrounds can showcase their talent and passion for the art form.”
Pacific Northwest Ballet, based out of Seattle, has a current roster of more than 50% Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC). It is in the vanguard of the many American companies that are striving for a more inclusive ballet world.
Fortunately, ballet companies have started working on adjusting their choreography and costume designs to showcase genuine Chinese culture. In 2018, according to Balanchine Trust, which owns the rights to Balanchine’s work, the organization allowed companies to change the choreography. Following that, numerous companies such as New York City Ballet, Ballet West, and Boston Ballet, have begun changing the choreography to something that resonates with Chinese culture. For example, Ballet West changed the original dance to feature a Chinese warrior fighting a Chinese dragon, Boston Ballet has introduced new choreography inspired by Chinese ribbon dancing traditions, and City Ballet has modified the shuffling and bowing choreography with more generic hand gestures. Changes like these are crucial in representing cultures as accurately and non offensively as possible.
More and more organizations and initiatives are forming to elevate different ethnic cultures in ballet productions. Final Bow for Yellowface is an initiative spearheaded by Phil Chan and Georgina Pazcoguin that works with almost every American ballet company to create more positive and nuanced representations of Asians in ballet. They are also hosting a 2021 Virtual Choreography Festival called “10,000 Dreams” which showcases works from Asian choreographers, creating ethnic representations that are culturally meaningful and engaging to all audiences.
It is important to reflect on the progress that ballet companies are making to promote diversity and ensure accurate cultural representations in productions, recognizing that each step forward is a stride toward a more inclusive and vibrant future for ballet.
