The Oxford Handbook of Ballet Pedagogy

Abstract The Oxford Handbook of Ballet Pedagogy brings together a rich cross section of exemplary 21st-century pedagogical practices in ballet. The Handbook offers an unprecedented collection of writings by scholars, practitioners, and artists at the cutting edge of the teaching of ballet, balancing ballet’s histories with the currency and relevance that keeps ballet alive in the bodies of today's dancers. Rooted in a concept of ballet pedagogy at the intersection of embodied learning, artistic rigor, and creative integrity, the Handbook positions diverse, mind-full bodies at the core of the teaching of ballet. In this, the volume makes a clear departure from documenting perspectives on ballet pedagogy as instructional manuals on or about schools of training and their developments. The Oxford Handbook of Ballet Pedagogy turns toward exploring and celebrating ballet knowledges both globally and locally. These knowledges are derived from the creation of inclusive and equitable spaces where healthy, passionate dancers absorb and embody ballet through the possibilities offered by good teaching practice. Thus, this anthology posits ballet pedagogy as a human experience in contexts of education, training, well-being, participation, and belonging. The Handbook recognizes ballet pedagogy as a distinct field that offers creative processes for teaching and learning through praxis, enriched by diverse, experiencing, moving bodies.