How have the value frameworks
imposed upon dance within an institutionalised environment influenced my
personal dance practice?
The introduction of new value frameworks by the institutionalised environment of VCA has deconstructed my understanding of what constitutes a ‘valuable’ personal dance practice. This change in understanding has influenced how I approach and view my dance practice, namely, by shifting my value framework away from the standards of commodified dance and towards evaluating dance as an artform (Foster, 2019). My personal dance background in ballet within the examination context has led to a personal value framework constructed around the notion of dance as a commodity, shaping my dance practice prior to tertiary study (Foster, 2019). VCA introduces alternate value frameworks concerning dance, centred around both the conformity and the deviance of our personal practice from contemporary dance norms. This has encouraged increased experimentation within my dance practice. The tension between my personal value framework and VCA’s value frameworks is embodied in my current dance practice as I alternate between fulfilling contrasting ideals corresponding with both personal and VCA value frameworks.
My personal value framework shaped by my dance background in ballet within the examination context has commodified my dance practice (Foster, 2019, p. 52). Foster (2019) claims that for dance’s value to be commodified there must a conversion of dance’s substantiality and a dampening of its sensory experience (p. 52). To increase dance’s substantiality, dance movements become more spectacularised, ‘measurable, repeatable and teachable’ to achieve broad appeal, and dancers focus on mastering a standardised ideal in lieu of exploring new sensory experiences (Foster, 2019, pp. 52, 56, 58). These conversions manifest in classical ballet where movements have been standardised to become easily evaluated and reproducible, and mastering individual skills such as a triple pirouette is emphasised over exploring the sensations of turning (Foster, 2019, p. 52). Ballet movements have also been spectacularised over time, requiring more extreme displays of virtuosity and flexibility such as oversplit extensions to impress a general audience (Foster, 2019, pp. 56, 58). The commodification of ballet is reflected by ballet’s value framework where value is determined by ‘communal content logic’ meaning that the closer my practice conforms to the norms of the ballet syllabus, the more valuable my practice is (Gielen, 2005, p. 798). The exemplar of ballet’s value framework is the ballet examination where examinees are scored based on their ability to satisfy standard ballet conventions such as level of turnout, memorising a set vocabulary of ballet steps, and correctly poising the head, neck, and shoulders. The exam provides limited freedom for participants to deviate from ballet’s norms without getting penalised, enunciating a strict divide between valuable and non-valuable dance.
Ballet’s value framework has led to the commodification of my own dance practice prior to tertiary study (Foster, 2019, p. 52). My dance practice prior to VCA mirrored ballet’s value framework by focusing on fulfilling set external milestones and receiving audience validation to constitute value. For example, rather than exploring new movement pathways and embodied sensation, my practice focussed on the mastery of certain technical skills such as multiple pirouettes to satisfy the ideals of my ballet background and appeal to a general audience (Foster, 2019, p. 52). Furthermore, my practice prioritised the third-person perspective over the first-person perspective, creating shapes which satisfied classical aesthetics such as rounded arms and symmetrical lines to appeal to an external viewer in lieu of experimenting with unconventional shapes to explore new movement sensations (Merleau-Ponty, 1945). My personal value framework influenced by ballet’s value framework has significantly influenced my dance practice prior to tertiary education by commodifying how I measure value in my practice.
The introduction of new value frameworks by VCA has instigated a re-evaluation of the existing value framework I impose on my dance practice, altering how I approach my dance practice. VCA evaluates the value of dance as a gift rather than as a commodity (Foster, 2019, pp. 52, 53). This alternate value ideology regards dance as independent of the commodity market, bypassing the constraints of commodified dance such as needing to possess broad appeal and fulfil a given genre’s ideals (Foster, 2019, pp. 53, 54). Instead, there is value in dance through its constant process of interrogation and reflection (Foster, 2019, pp. 79, 81, 85, 162). VCA’s alternate value ideology deviates from the ‘communal content logic’ of classical ballet, adhering instead to ‘singular content logic’ where value is determined by how the dance practice deviates from established dance norms and reflects the authentic motivations of the dancer (Gielen, 2005, p. 798). This alternate value framework manifests in contemporary improvisation at VCA, where we are encouraged to ignore concerns over external aesthetics and commit entirely to investigating our personal movement intentions. For example, in authentic movement practice we are reminded that there is no ‘wrong’ improvisation, rather, a full commitment to channelling our unfiltered movement impulses constitutes a valuable practice. This VCA value framework recentred a first-person perspective in my dance practice, returning my focus to the first-hand investigation of movement rather than fulfilling external aesthetic ideals (Merleau-Ponty, 1945). For example, in my current practice, I focus on discovering my own style, experimenting with new limb pathways, and integrating other dance styles such as Waacking into my choreography. This contrasts my past approach to practice where I focussed on mastering individual skills such as a triple pirouette to fulfil the ideals of ballet.
However, while VCA introduces the ‘singular content logic’ view of value into my practice, VCA simultaneously reinforces the ‘communal content logic’ value framework present in my past experiences with ballet due to its institutionalised context. VCA expresses an external value framework that reflects the Western art canon by favouring ballet and contemporary within the curriculum, implying the higher worth of those styles in our practice (Dodds, 2011, p. 2). For example, as a first-year student I have two classes of ballet and three classes of contemporary technique per week, as compared to one class of martial arts. VCA expresses the comparative worth of contemporary and ballet technique over martial arts by prioritising its presence and assessment in the curriculum. This is reflective of the Western art canon, affirming the value of Western ‘art-dance’ defined as dance traditionally performed in a concert or theatrical setting to dominant classes in Western society, especially pertaining to the styles of modern dance and ballet (Dodds, 2011, p. 19). Additionally, VCA reinforces the ‘communal content logic’ value framework through examinations, where students are marked to a standardised criteria for each style (Gielen, 2005, p. 798). As we accrue value the closer we are to VCA’s stylistic ideals during examination, there is conflict with the ‘singular content logic’ view of value where value is found in how different dancers interpret or reject stylistic norms to reflect their own voice (Gielen, 2005, p. 798). VCA’s ‘communal content logic’ value framework has influenced my practice by presenting new external ideals my practice aspires to achieve (Gielen, 2005, p. 798). Although VCA’s ‘communal content logic’ value framework and ballet’s value framework both centre around fulfilling external stylistic ideals, VCA introduces alternate ideals into my practice, such as parallel alignment as opposed to ballet’s turnout (Gielen, 2005, p. 798). By introducing different ideals, VCA’s ‘communal content logic’ value framework gives me options to experiment with switching between the norms of different dance styles and a wider concept of what makes my practice valuable (Gielen, 2005, p. 798). VCA’s value frameworks have broadened my perspective on value in my own practice, encouraging further experimentation. However, their introduction has introduced tension between my previous commodified evaluation of value and VCA’s valuing of ‘art-dance’ (Dodds, 2011, p. 19).
My current dance practice embodies the tension within and between VCA’s value frameworks and my previous commodified evaluation of value. VCA encourages me to find value in the internal processes of dance practice in classes such as authentic movement. However, VCA also introduces new external movement ideals through examinations and the curriculum due to its institutionalised context. The dichotomy between these two value frameworks is embodied in my current dance practice. Influenced by VCA’s ‘singular content logic’ value framework, I have increased the role of my first-person perspective when dancing, experimenting with reacting to movement impulses (Gielen, 2005, p. 798; Merleau-Ponty, 1945). I am also willing to de-commodify my dance practice, by pushing the boundaries of my practice beyond what is valued commercially such as by subverting classical ballet norms such as turn out and deprioritising the mastery of virtuosic skills (Foster, 2019, pp. 56, 58). However, within VCA’s institutional context, new sets of ideals reflecting the Western art canon interplay with the internal focus of VCA’s ‘singular content logic’ value framework (Dodds, 2011; Gielen, 2005, p. 798). While my willingness to experiment with non-normative movement reflects the decreased value I place on external validation, my current practice simultaneously seeks to conform to VCA’s notion of valuable ‘art-dance’ (Dodds, 2011, p. 19). For example, VCA’s ‘communal content logic’ value framework values conformity to contemporary and post-modern dance conventions (Gielen, 2005, p. 798). Post-modern dance centres around annihilating ‘all preconceived notions about dance’ by including pedestrian movement, rejecting virtuosity, and rejecting codified techniques in their dance practice (Stanich, 2014, p. 59). These conventions are upheld by VCA in contemporary and improvisation classes, where we are encouraged to experiment with pedestrian movement, and are taught by teachers with varied individual styles, rather than adhering to a modern dance code such as Graham Technique (Stanich, 2014, p. 60). By experimenting with non-normative movement, I inadvertently embody VCA’s external ‘communal content logic’ value framework, while pursuing the internal focus of VCA’s ‘singular content logic’ value framework (Gielen, 2005, p. 798).
The tension between VCA’s value frameworks and the commodified value framework constructed from my ballet background is also embodied within my current practice (Foster, 2019, p. 52). Within my current practice, I feel an obligation to subvert and reject the norms of ‘commodified dance’ to fulfil VCA’s notions of a valuable dance practice (Foster, 2019, p. 52). VCA rejects the value defining norms of commodified dance as seen in their ‘sanitisation’ of many spectacular or commercially appealing elements from our study, including reducing the use of facial expressions, abstracting literal storytelling and reducing acrobatic tricks such as aerials in contemporary classes (Foster, 2019, pp. 56, 58). As a result, my current practice neglects training many of the spectacular ‘tricks’ that constituted value in my commodified dance background, such as fouetté turn combinations. However, the tension between my personal value framework and VCA’s value framework is embodied as I still retain some of the ideals from my previous commodified perception of value thus, I feel uncomfortable fully conforming to the Western standard of valuable ‘art-dance’ (Dodds, 2011, p. 19). This tension manifests as an inconsistency in how I evaluate and approach my personal dance practice. Between practice sessions, I switch between prioritising mastering specific skills that are marketable to a general audience and prioritising the internal kinaesthetic experience which caters to VCA’s value frameworks.
VCA has significantly influenced my dance practice by altering my pre-established value frameworks both positively and negatively. VCA has positively influenced my practice by allowing more flexibility in how I define a valuable dance practice, teaching me that my practice can be valuable even if it does not appeal to a commercial audience; rather, value can be found through exploring your own kinaesthetic experience (Foster, 2019, pp. 79, 81, 85, 162). However, the tension between VCA’s value frameworks and my previous commodified perception of value has negatively impacted my practice by constructing an impossible ideal. By satisfying the criteria for value set by VCA, my practice is not valuable in the ‘commodified dance’ value framework and vice versa (Foster, 2019, p. 52). Until I commit to a singular value framework, this tension in evaluation will always be present. The tension between value frameworks manifests in my practice as an inability to commit to fulfilling one set of norms. I am unable to master the technique and virtuosity valued in the commodified dance context, but I also cannot dedicate my practice solely to the abstract experimentation that VCA values (Foster, 2019, pp. 56, 58; Gielen, 2005, p. 798). Although, these two examples are not mutually exclusive, this tension creates difficulty in finding my personal style as I am always seeking to fulfil the norms of different value frameworks. The tension between and within VCA’s value frameworks and my personal value framework borne from ‘commodified dance’ is embodied in my dance practice, significantly influencing my experience and perception of my dance practice (Foster, 2019, p. 52).
The value frameworks imposed within the institutional context of VCA have significantly influenced my personal dance practice by introducing contrasting notions of value to that of ‘commodified dance’ (Foster, 2019, p. 52). These new value frameworks have both positively and negatively influenced my dance practice due to their conflict with my preconceived notions of valuable practice borne from my background in ballet. My analysis of the impacts of institutional value frameworks on my dance practice, raises a question of whether we can ever be completely singular in our value framework, or is it inevitable that we will always seek to fulfil external norms in our dance practice regardless of our attempts at rejecting them. This question could be further explored in future study.
Reference List:
Dodds, S. (2011). Dancing on the Canon: Embodiments of Value in Popular Dance (1st ed.). Palgrave Macmillan UK.https://doi.org/10.1057/9780230305656
Foster, S. (2019). Valuing Dance: Commodities and Gifts in Motion (1st ed.). Oxford University Press. https://doi.org/10.1093/oso/9780190933975.001.0001
Gielen, P. (2005). Art and Social Value Regimes. Current Sociology, 53(5), 789-806. https://doi.org/10.1177/0011392105055020
Merleau-Ponty, M. (1945). Phenomenology of Perception (2nd ed.). Routledge.
Stanich, V. (2014). Poetics and Perception: Making Sense of Postmodern Dance (Ph.D). Ohio State University.
The introduction of new value frameworks by the institutionalised environment of VCA has deconstructed my understanding of what constitutes a ‘valuable’ personal dance practice. This change in understanding has influenced how I approach and view my dance practice, namely, by shifting my value framework away from the standards of commodified dance and towards evaluating dance as an artform (Foster, 2019). My personal dance background in ballet within the examination context has led to a personal value framework constructed around the notion of dance as a commodity, shaping my dance practice prior to tertiary study (Foster, 2019). VCA introduces alternate value frameworks concerning dance, centred around both the conformity and the deviance of our personal practice from contemporary dance norms. This has encouraged increased experimentation within my dance practice. The tension between my personal value framework and VCA’s value frameworks is embodied in my current dance practice as I alternate between fulfilling contrasting ideals corresponding with both personal and VCA value frameworks.
My personal value framework shaped by my dance background in ballet within the examination context has commodified my dance practice (Foster, 2019, p. 52). Foster (2019) claims that for dance’s value to be commodified there must a conversion of dance’s substantiality and a dampening of its sensory experience (p. 52). To increase dance’s substantiality, dance movements become more spectacularised, ‘measurable, repeatable and teachable’ to achieve broad appeal, and dancers focus on mastering a standardised ideal in lieu of exploring new sensory experiences (Foster, 2019, pp. 52, 56, 58). These conversions manifest in classical ballet where movements have been standardised to become easily evaluated and reproducible, and mastering individual skills such as a triple pirouette is emphasised over exploring the sensations of turning (Foster, 2019, p. 52). Ballet movements have also been spectacularised over time, requiring more extreme displays of virtuosity and flexibility such as oversplit extensions to impress a general audience (Foster, 2019, pp. 56, 58). The commodification of ballet is reflected by ballet’s value framework where value is determined by ‘communal content logic’ meaning that the closer my practice conforms to the norms of the ballet syllabus, the more valuable my practice is (Gielen, 2005, p. 798). The exemplar of ballet’s value framework is the ballet examination where examinees are scored based on their ability to satisfy standard ballet conventions such as level of turnout, memorising a set vocabulary of ballet steps, and correctly poising the head, neck, and shoulders. The exam provides limited freedom for participants to deviate from ballet’s norms without getting penalised, enunciating a strict divide between valuable and non-valuable dance.
Ballet’s value framework has led to the commodification of my own dance practice prior to tertiary study (Foster, 2019, p. 52). My dance practice prior to VCA mirrored ballet’s value framework by focusing on fulfilling set external milestones and receiving audience validation to constitute value. For example, rather than exploring new movement pathways and embodied sensation, my practice focussed on the mastery of certain technical skills such as multiple pirouettes to satisfy the ideals of my ballet background and appeal to a general audience (Foster, 2019, p. 52). Furthermore, my practice prioritised the third-person perspective over the first-person perspective, creating shapes which satisfied classical aesthetics such as rounded arms and symmetrical lines to appeal to an external viewer in lieu of experimenting with unconventional shapes to explore new movement sensations (Merleau-Ponty, 1945). My personal value framework influenced by ballet’s value framework has significantly influenced my dance practice prior to tertiary education by commodifying how I measure value in my practice.
The introduction of new value frameworks by VCA has instigated a re-evaluation of the existing value framework I impose on my dance practice, altering how I approach my dance practice. VCA evaluates the value of dance as a gift rather than as a commodity (Foster, 2019, pp. 52, 53). This alternate value ideology regards dance as independent of the commodity market, bypassing the constraints of commodified dance such as needing to possess broad appeal and fulfil a given genre’s ideals (Foster, 2019, pp. 53, 54). Instead, there is value in dance through its constant process of interrogation and reflection (Foster, 2019, pp. 79, 81, 85, 162). VCA’s alternate value ideology deviates from the ‘communal content logic’ of classical ballet, adhering instead to ‘singular content logic’ where value is determined by how the dance practice deviates from established dance norms and reflects the authentic motivations of the dancer (Gielen, 2005, p. 798). This alternate value framework manifests in contemporary improvisation at VCA, where we are encouraged to ignore concerns over external aesthetics and commit entirely to investigating our personal movement intentions. For example, in authentic movement practice we are reminded that there is no ‘wrong’ improvisation, rather, a full commitment to channelling our unfiltered movement impulses constitutes a valuable practice. This VCA value framework recentred a first-person perspective in my dance practice, returning my focus to the first-hand investigation of movement rather than fulfilling external aesthetic ideals (Merleau-Ponty, 1945). For example, in my current practice, I focus on discovering my own style, experimenting with new limb pathways, and integrating other dance styles such as Waacking into my choreography. This contrasts my past approach to practice where I focussed on mastering individual skills such as a triple pirouette to fulfil the ideals of ballet.
However, while VCA introduces the ‘singular content logic’ view of value into my practice, VCA simultaneously reinforces the ‘communal content logic’ value framework present in my past experiences with ballet due to its institutionalised context. VCA expresses an external value framework that reflects the Western art canon by favouring ballet and contemporary within the curriculum, implying the higher worth of those styles in our practice (Dodds, 2011, p. 2). For example, as a first-year student I have two classes of ballet and three classes of contemporary technique per week, as compared to one class of martial arts. VCA expresses the comparative worth of contemporary and ballet technique over martial arts by prioritising its presence and assessment in the curriculum. This is reflective of the Western art canon, affirming the value of Western ‘art-dance’ defined as dance traditionally performed in a concert or theatrical setting to dominant classes in Western society, especially pertaining to the styles of modern dance and ballet (Dodds, 2011, p. 19). Additionally, VCA reinforces the ‘communal content logic’ value framework through examinations, where students are marked to a standardised criteria for each style (Gielen, 2005, p. 798). As we accrue value the closer we are to VCA’s stylistic ideals during examination, there is conflict with the ‘singular content logic’ view of value where value is found in how different dancers interpret or reject stylistic norms to reflect their own voice (Gielen, 2005, p. 798). VCA’s ‘communal content logic’ value framework has influenced my practice by presenting new external ideals my practice aspires to achieve (Gielen, 2005, p. 798). Although VCA’s ‘communal content logic’ value framework and ballet’s value framework both centre around fulfilling external stylistic ideals, VCA introduces alternate ideals into my practice, such as parallel alignment as opposed to ballet’s turnout (Gielen, 2005, p. 798). By introducing different ideals, VCA’s ‘communal content logic’ value framework gives me options to experiment with switching between the norms of different dance styles and a wider concept of what makes my practice valuable (Gielen, 2005, p. 798). VCA’s value frameworks have broadened my perspective on value in my own practice, encouraging further experimentation. However, their introduction has introduced tension between my previous commodified evaluation of value and VCA’s valuing of ‘art-dance’ (Dodds, 2011, p. 19).
My current dance practice embodies the tension within and between VCA’s value frameworks and my previous commodified evaluation of value. VCA encourages me to find value in the internal processes of dance practice in classes such as authentic movement. However, VCA also introduces new external movement ideals through examinations and the curriculum due to its institutionalised context. The dichotomy between these two value frameworks is embodied in my current dance practice. Influenced by VCA’s ‘singular content logic’ value framework, I have increased the role of my first-person perspective when dancing, experimenting with reacting to movement impulses (Gielen, 2005, p. 798; Merleau-Ponty, 1945). I am also willing to de-commodify my dance practice, by pushing the boundaries of my practice beyond what is valued commercially such as by subverting classical ballet norms such as turn out and deprioritising the mastery of virtuosic skills (Foster, 2019, pp. 56, 58). However, within VCA’s institutional context, new sets of ideals reflecting the Western art canon interplay with the internal focus of VCA’s ‘singular content logic’ value framework (Dodds, 2011; Gielen, 2005, p. 798). While my willingness to experiment with non-normative movement reflects the decreased value I place on external validation, my current practice simultaneously seeks to conform to VCA’s notion of valuable ‘art-dance’ (Dodds, 2011, p. 19). For example, VCA’s ‘communal content logic’ value framework values conformity to contemporary and post-modern dance conventions (Gielen, 2005, p. 798). Post-modern dance centres around annihilating ‘all preconceived notions about dance’ by including pedestrian movement, rejecting virtuosity, and rejecting codified techniques in their dance practice (Stanich, 2014, p. 59). These conventions are upheld by VCA in contemporary and improvisation classes, where we are encouraged to experiment with pedestrian movement, and are taught by teachers with varied individual styles, rather than adhering to a modern dance code such as Graham Technique (Stanich, 2014, p. 60). By experimenting with non-normative movement, I inadvertently embody VCA’s external ‘communal content logic’ value framework, while pursuing the internal focus of VCA’s ‘singular content logic’ value framework (Gielen, 2005, p. 798).
The tension between VCA’s value frameworks and the commodified value framework constructed from my ballet background is also embodied within my current practice (Foster, 2019, p. 52). Within my current practice, I feel an obligation to subvert and reject the norms of ‘commodified dance’ to fulfil VCA’s notions of a valuable dance practice (Foster, 2019, p. 52). VCA rejects the value defining norms of commodified dance as seen in their ‘sanitisation’ of many spectacular or commercially appealing elements from our study, including reducing the use of facial expressions, abstracting literal storytelling and reducing acrobatic tricks such as aerials in contemporary classes (Foster, 2019, pp. 56, 58). As a result, my current practice neglects training many of the spectacular ‘tricks’ that constituted value in my commodified dance background, such as fouetté turn combinations. However, the tension between my personal value framework and VCA’s value framework is embodied as I still retain some of the ideals from my previous commodified perception of value thus, I feel uncomfortable fully conforming to the Western standard of valuable ‘art-dance’ (Dodds, 2011, p. 19). This tension manifests as an inconsistency in how I evaluate and approach my personal dance practice. Between practice sessions, I switch between prioritising mastering specific skills that are marketable to a general audience and prioritising the internal kinaesthetic experience which caters to VCA’s value frameworks.
VCA has significantly influenced my dance practice by altering my pre-established value frameworks both positively and negatively. VCA has positively influenced my practice by allowing more flexibility in how I define a valuable dance practice, teaching me that my practice can be valuable even if it does not appeal to a commercial audience; rather, value can be found through exploring your own kinaesthetic experience (Foster, 2019, pp. 79, 81, 85, 162). However, the tension between VCA’s value frameworks and my previous commodified perception of value has negatively impacted my practice by constructing an impossible ideal. By satisfying the criteria for value set by VCA, my practice is not valuable in the ‘commodified dance’ value framework and vice versa (Foster, 2019, p. 52). Until I commit to a singular value framework, this tension in evaluation will always be present. The tension between value frameworks manifests in my practice as an inability to commit to fulfilling one set of norms. I am unable to master the technique and virtuosity valued in the commodified dance context, but I also cannot dedicate my practice solely to the abstract experimentation that VCA values (Foster, 2019, pp. 56, 58; Gielen, 2005, p. 798). Although, these two examples are not mutually exclusive, this tension creates difficulty in finding my personal style as I am always seeking to fulfil the norms of different value frameworks. The tension between and within VCA’s value frameworks and my personal value framework borne from ‘commodified dance’ is embodied in my dance practice, significantly influencing my experience and perception of my dance practice (Foster, 2019, p. 52).
The value frameworks imposed within the institutional context of VCA have significantly influenced my personal dance practice by introducing contrasting notions of value to that of ‘commodified dance’ (Foster, 2019, p. 52). These new value frameworks have both positively and negatively influenced my dance practice due to their conflict with my preconceived notions of valuable practice borne from my background in ballet. My analysis of the impacts of institutional value frameworks on my dance practice, raises a question of whether we can ever be completely singular in our value framework, or is it inevitable that we will always seek to fulfil external norms in our dance practice regardless of our attempts at rejecting them. This question could be further explored in future study.
Reference List:
Dodds, S. (2011). Dancing on the Canon: Embodiments of Value in Popular Dance (1st ed.). Palgrave Macmillan UK.https://doi.org/10.1057/9780230305656
Foster, S. (2019). Valuing Dance: Commodities and Gifts in Motion (1st ed.). Oxford University Press. https://doi.org/10.1093/oso/9780190933975.001.0001
Gielen, P. (2005). Art and Social Value Regimes. Current Sociology, 53(5), 789-806. https://doi.org/10.1177/0011392105055020
Merleau-Ponty, M. (1945). Phenomenology of Perception (2nd ed.). Routledge.
Stanich, V. (2014). Poetics and Perception: Making Sense of Postmodern Dance (Ph.D). Ohio State University.
