Articles: Vaganova article

[Danzatriz]

http://www.nwe.ufl.edu/~jdouglas/S03finarteval10.pdf

 

 

[Mel Johnson]

Good grief! 60 pages? I'll have to return to this tonight! Initially, though, I do notice a lot of points we've made here on the board. Proper bodies, proper floor, properly trained teachers, all are very important to establishing Vaganova technique, or indeed, ANY curriculum, in students. I do, however, like the writing corrections, and agree with most of them that I have so far read!

[ABT Wannabe]

When I try to open the article I need to save it to my computer then few it in some sort of "code". So I can't see any words, just a bunch of letters and numbers. Did I do something wrong?

[Mel Johnson]

You need an Adobe Reader.

 

http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/main.html

 

The basic Reader is free. Scroll down the page until you find the link.

[Dance_Scholar_London]

Which student does online publish his/her essay with the corrections of the tutor? Or is it your essay?

[Garyecht]

As Mel suggests, 60 pages is a bit much for those of us who don’t spend that much time on ballet alert. I read the paper as most academics read most academic papers—i.e., the beginning few pages and the last few pages. It seems to be a nice paper. It also reminds me of something a famous coach (not a ballet person, but a Russian nonetheless) once said to me. He said that when you try to copy someone else’s training program, all you get is a poor imitation.

[Danzatriz]

Oh my, it's SIXTY pages! I didn't realise, I just sort of fell into it and read the whole thing... it IS rather long

Oh well, no it is most certainly not my article but did catch my attention because I am one of those "injury-prone not-really-Vaganova-but-sorto-of" trained students the author refers to.

I fear it's not really a current artlicle so it might allready have been discussed here, but was wondering any thoughts (if anyone skims through it).

 

 

I still can't believe its 60 pages... how does one miss something like that -after reading it?

[tutumonkey]

Don't worry! the article is really only 23 pages long. The rest is drafts and corrections. Article was certainly interesting. I'd heard about the Vaganova method but didn't realise what study of this ballet style included. Tutumonkey

[Marga]

I read the whole paper and do not think that it is very well written. I'll bet there were sections directly lifted from other authors, given the inconsistency of style and the sudden use of technical, anatomical language following pages of simple -- even boring -- language usage.

 

The writer of the paper, probably in an attempt to have a strong argument, really skewered the teaching of the Vaganova method outside of the venerable Russian academy. She even managed to convince her teacher (professor?) of the dangers inherent in the Vaganova system when applied to unselected bodies.

 

I contend that when Vaganova is properly taught to any body, it will do no harm, rather, will enhance and strengthen the beauty of expression of anyone's body. It is a very logical system of development. That the American student who studies with a correctly trained Vaganova teacher is not held captive day and night in a Vaganova boarding school (after first being chosen for the body s/he was fortunate enough to be born with) and will suffer untold damage to limb and general skeleton as a result, is a ridiculous assumption. That a student's paper, complete with corrections, proclaiming so is published online does not make it a definitive study, no matter how many sources are listed in the bibliography. Anyone can put a spin on any subject in a written paper, as this particular essayist has done. I wouldn't even give it a grade of "C".

 

P.S.

Danzatriz...you wrote "I fear it's not really a current article..." and I agree with you. I remember running across it before. The very fact that the writer states that teaching the method to those over 5'6" is not recommended as taller bodies could not withstand the stress, is balderdash. Right now, the preferred height seems to be 5'6" and over at both the Vaganova and Bolshoi Academies. Indeed, many female principals of the Maryinski and Bolshoi exceed 5'6" in height!

[Danzatriz]

Actually, we've got the whole scoop on this one

 

"Since the danger of Vaganova is primary issue, you

may want to address it sooner. Overall, you do a good job of expressing your ideas

and getting your point across. B- "

[vrsfanatic]

A difficult subject to write upon indeed. Since there is not an Academy of Vagnova training in the US recognized to teach the Vaganova program as it exists in Russianin the US, the jury is still out. There are many statements that are misconstrued in this paper. 60 pages are bit much for me at this time to go through to offer rebutal. It is obviously a college paper of some sort, not a paper of merit, to be considered as an authority. An interesting opinion, but a bit naive.

[Mel Johnson]

I agree (having finally read all the rest of it). It's evidence that somebody out there is thinking, though, so perhaps a good sign. We don't have to agree with a view in order to discuss it. In fact, it is better if we don't agree, so that the issues can get sorted out. It would be interesting to see more from this writer over the years, to see what develops.

[Zed]

It is interesting. (I haven't read a chunk of it in the middle still, though.)

 

So, why are there corrections on the document itself? Where did you find this?

[Dance_Scholar_London]

I read the paper as most academics read most academic papers—i.e., the beginning few pages and the last few pages. 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Errrrr, if a paper is relevant to my field if expertise I will certainly read every page.

 

 

It is obviously a college paper of some sort, not a paper of merit, to be considered as an authority. An interesting opinion, but a bit naive.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

You are absolutely right, what is all this about. It is just a college essay and the author is not claiming that this is the bible of ballet.

 

So, why are there corrections on the document itself? Where did you find this?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

That is a very good question. The poor student probably doesnt know that we are discussing her work here... I really would like to know the origin of the article.

[Garyecht]

Couple of comments—

 

Dance scholar

 

I don’t know your field of expertise, but in mine (statistics, psychology, and education) there are perhaps at least 50-60 papers I find professional relevant published each month. At least in the professional world I inhabit, it is impossible to read them all (even if you did nothing else), so you do develop strategies like reading the beginning and end of most papers (abstract also).

 

Marga

 

Good points which leads me to wonder what exactly is the Vaganova method, at least from the paper author’s perspective? Is it just a style? Is it a set of principles? Is it just a written curriculum? Is it exactly what was done in her St. Petersburg school? I can see arguing its value, from either a positive or negative perspective, depending on exactly how you might define the method.

 

My gut feeling is that Vaganova method means different things to different people.