Feminist Practices in Ballet

Abstract Despite efforts toward diversity and inclusivity, twenty-first-century ballet continues to invest in narrowly defined aesthetics and traditional systems of knowing. Many critical examinations of ballet have come through the lens of feminist theories, which are useful for revealing the power structures undergirding an art form that highlights gender distinctions in both training and performance. Because feminist theories have been so crucial in revealing ways in which the ballet system works, it is worth exploring how feminist practices might be used to enact systemic change. This chapter shifts the focus from how ballet acts as a representational system to what a feminist ballet practice might do, concentrating on Katy Pyle, artistic director of the queer ballet company Ballez, who reimagines ballet through collaborative, community-minded, and antihierarchical approaches.