BALLET MEETS SCIENCE

IN the 17th century, the King of France, Louis XIV, founded the Academie Royale de Danse, with the goal of establishing the “scientific principles” of ballet dancing and improving the quality of dance instruction. These early ballet masters, choreographers and dancers were some of the first dance scientists. They deconstructed steps and worked out what training was required to perform those steps – ballet technique.

By the 19th century, the science had become the tradition – the daily ballet class – which professional ballet dancers practise every day of their dance careers. The consensus is it serves its purpose as well today as it did 200 years ago.

But dancers’ bodies and skills are changing and choreographers and artistic directors are constantly pushing the boundaries for new physical metaphors to express their vision, so perhaps it is time to learn from the inquiring nature of those early dance scientists and revisit the class.

Thanks to dance and sports science and medicine, we know much more today about the bodies and minds of dancers, and about training and fitness. Although there is some resistance to bringing the findings of this new science with its evidence-based perspectives into the sacred space of the ballet studio, change is afoot in Australia.

The Calf Endurance Program

“Does ballet class condition dancers’ calf muscles (in particular, the medial gastrocnemius) enough to prevent injury?” That was the question the Australian Ballet’s principal physiotherapist, Sue Mayes, asked about 15 years ago.

Calf muscle endurance provides dancers with the ability to support the body’s weight in rises, pointing, demi pointe and pointe work over long periods of time without getting