6 Comments
User's avatar
Amanda Inge's avatar

Excellent!

Expand full comment
Lau's avatar

Another wonderful piece, Isabel. However, it was part way through your piece when I questioned where the mention of the seven dwarfs or reference to beast was, that I realised that I have never seen Sleeping Beauty.

The intersectionality of traditional canvas art and dance art were so beautifully explored. Furthermore, your insight into how lasting ballet has been on our culture was an eye opener. It reminded me of the tutus girls wore in high school on non-school uniform day.

Excellent work, as always!

Expand full comment
Isabel Irvine's avatar

Haha! Ah yes, none of those characters in Sleeping Beauty but I did enjoy Maleficent and her beasties! Thank you for your fun and insightful comments

Expand full comment
Rachel Williamson's avatar

Good read, enjoyed

Expand full comment
Celia Bradshaw's avatar

Great article, Isabel. I’ve recently become reacquainted with the ballet as well. Bob and I went to Savannah to see Snow White and the Seven Dwarves last year by the Kyiv Ballet. I really just wanted to support the Ukrainians and thought the performance would be silly and geared toward children, but it was surprisingly delightful. Last month we saw Swan Lake and I thought I might die of emotion during the two acts involving the swans. The other two acts were simply tiresome. Very mixed experience! Anyway, loved reading your tie-ins to painting. Degas must have been truly enthralled to be able to visually recreate the experience of the ballerinas and the beauty of the light.

Expand full comment
Isabel Irvine's avatar

It is a mixed experience indeed! I hope to see more ballets soon. It's fun to connect the works I know well to an art form that is being reintroduced to me!

Expand full comment