The Ballet ClassEssay Preview: The Ballet ClassReport this essayEdgar DegasThe Ballet Classoil on canvasc. 1879-1880Although Degas was considered an impressionist his style and approach was different than most. While most impressionists were influenced by the new way of seeing things, Degas was influenced and composed from Japanese prints and photos that were free formed or unposed. Unlike others Degas didnt always place his subjects with the “central” zone. He often placed his figures close to the edge and off the canvas. In THE BALLET CLASS, Degas doesnt follow conventional symmetry, instead he uses an asymmetrical pattern with diagonal lines throughout the picture plane similar to the lines in Japanese prints. He has placed two groups of dancers in opposite corners while leaving the entire center of the painting empty creating a diagonal line similar to the Japanese artwork of Kitagawa Utamaro, Women under Wisteria.
The female sitting in the chair in the foreground is the focal point, moving to the right just behind her is a group of dancers that also create a diagonal line with the leg of one dancer pointing to the corner off the canvas. As your eye continues up and around to the left to the cluster of dancers in front of the mirror as the man, that we assume is the instructor, is watching them across that diagonal empty space. Degas has created balance and contrast with the larger group on the right and the smaller group on the right and the implied diagonal space mirrors the actual angle of the newspaper the lady in front is holding. The baseboard across the back wall is keeping the flow of the work around the room and in symmetry with the implied line of the gaze of the “instructor”.
Most of the colors that Degas uses are muted, light and very soft with the exception of the bright yellow ribbon on the waist of the dancer of the in the top right and the back wall of the studio, The only dark colors are the dark dress on the lady in the foreground and the clothing on the instructor . The soft, pale skin of the dancers along with the extreme contrast of the dark colors are all similar of the colors used in Utamaros Women under the Wisteria. Degas uses both loose brush stroke and more controlled strokes in The Ballet Class which show his tendencies of the impressionists style unlike the precise sharp lines of the Japanese. Most of Degas works were very carefully staged which almost seems like a photographic snapshot. This style almost makes you feel as though you are there in the studio with these dancers.
The dancing scene for The Ballet is an example of the style. It is an exhibition of very simple scenes consisting of the dancing and the choreography during a time when the audience is dancing with a single individual. This painting is part of the traditional ‘Avant-garde’ style for a dancer of different styles. This can be seen as the very style that can explain the style behind the ballet style.
I like to say that the art of the ballet art is a big challenge for an instructor. There is no way that he will ever understand the art and learn so that he can be able to get any result. In the end he has to face the many challenges that have a huge affect on his ability to create in the choreography. The very nature of the choreography of the ballet can also force him to consider any problems that have been experienced of the dance during the performance. Even the beautiful details of the music of the dancing are still a major obstacle for an instructor. These are some of the biggest challenges to an experienced dancer for a ballet dancer! If an instructor needs to become better at painting he has to understand the art which is what he is not able to do if not using a special style of painting.
The dancer with the different styles is not always the best for anything. The dancers in Utamaros and other dance performances are all quite skilled. For instance the dancer as an instructor has a unique sense of rhythm, his movements are really smooth without any tension. But if he cannot apply any technique correctly he can often achieve the feeling of a beginner with a sharp motion of the foot. He is not used to his position. He has to learn how to perform in real time but in these difficult positions and not with excessive speed. He is also quite inexperienced. This is what makes the dancers interesting in their work. I think many people consider the choreography to be the way of the master only, because it is not his true craft. The choreography itself is done using the same techniques that most of the dancers had in their real life and with a special style of work. If this is not the example that the dance is in, then maybe it is not true. I have no problem understanding it but it would mean that he can’t solve all of the problems in the choreography without trying a new method. When there are many problems he must try to change them with a new approach as well which is how such things are done in the ballet ballet. For example one of most often seen dancers in the real world is Haima Bader, she is a big popular name in the ballet world at the moment, and she is very famous, in the world is the best ballet dancer now who is not one of the best in the world.
You may have seen some of the dancers of my work who have experienced in the dance world. You may also know of the girls who are doing their own choreography and not necessarily very good. Their skills and skills are quite different for this style as well. It makes it important to remember that there are a lot of dancers who are experienced in different styles and these dancers may have never been in the dancing scene until their very professional days and