Difference between revisions of "LGBTQ Ballet Dancers"

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The world of the Ballet dancer is a unique one.  As an artistic venture that incorporates athletic ability, artistic expression, and public performance, it demands a significant amount of talent for the individual artist.  Similar to many demanding professional sports, it tends to be a profession for the young that takes a heavy toll in terms of time, energy, and mental stamina. 
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[[File:lgbtqballet2.jpg|200px|thumb|left|LGBTQ Ballet]]
  
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LGBTQ ballet dancers have been a visible and important part of the arts community for many generations. Indeed, many past LGBTQ ballet dancers are household names. These include [[Erik Bruhn]] of Denmark, [[Jerome Robbins]] of the United States, and [[Vaslav Nijinski]] or [[Rudolf Nureyev]] of Russia.
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The world of the Ballet dancer is a unique one. As an artistic venture that incorporates athletic ability, artistic expression, and public performance, it demands a significant amount of talent for the individual artist. Similar to many demanding professional sports, it tends to be a profession for the young that takes a heavy toll in terms of time, energy, and physical and mental stamina.
  
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In addition to their prominent early dance careers, many LGBTQ ballet artists have gone on to successful and illustrious careers as Directors of national ballet companies, or as choreographers of their own successful productions that have toured the world. As both dancers and choreographers, individual success has translated into the receipt of many national awards and honours, such as the Order of the British Empire (OBE), the [[Order of Canada]], the [[New Zealand Order of Merit]], and so on.
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LGBTQ ballet dancers have been a visible and important part of the arts community for many generations.   As an artistic field which appreciates its talent, it is a profession that has accommodated LGBTQ individuals even in conservative political and religious environments.
  
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Surprisingly, we have yet to identify any lesbians in the group of LGBTQ ballet dancers. There is only one publicly recognized transgender individual - [[Jin Xing]] of China.  The profession has been dominated by gay male dancers.  Nevertheless, these LGBTQ dancers hail from countries as diverse as Denmark, Spain, Finland, Canada, Russia, Barbados, the United States, Great Britain, Australia, Argentina, New Zealand, and France.  
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A survey of professional ballet dancers in 1997 revealed that they themselves believed that 57.8 percent of the men in dance companies overall were gay, while they considered 53 percent of the men in their own companies to be gay. Indeed, many past high profile LGBTQ ballet dancers are household names. These include [[Erik Bruhn]] of Denmark, [[Jerome Robbins]] of the United States, and [[Vaslav Nijinski]] or [[Rudolf Nureyev]] of Russia.
  
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* [[Reid Anderson]], Canada
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In addition to their prominent early dance careers, many LGBTQ ballet artists have gone on to successful and illustrious post-dancing careers as Directors of national ballet companies or as choreographers of their own successful productions that toured the world. As both dancers and choreographers, individual success has translated into the receipt of many national awards and honours, such as the Order of the British Empire (OBE), the Order of Canada, the Order of Orange-Nassau, and others.
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* [[Maurice Bejart]], France
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* [[Julio Bocca]], Argentina
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Surprisingly, we have yet to identify any lesbians in the group of LGBTQ ballet dancers. There is only one publicly recognized transgender individual - [[Jin Xing]] of China. The LGBTQ participation in the profession has been dominated by gay male dancers - this reinforces the stereotype of the male ballet dancer as breathtakingly beautiful and gay.
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* [[Matthew Bourne]], Great Britain
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* [[Erik Bruhn]], Denmark
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Most are familiar with the ground-breaking all-male production of Swan Lake created by the famed [[Matthew Bourne]] of Great Britain.  He has also produced a dance production of [[Oscar Wilde]]’s novel 'The Picture of Dorian Gray'.
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* [[Jorge Donn]], Argentina
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* [[Rupert Doone]], Great Britain
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Nevertheless, these LGBTQ dancers hail from countries as diverse as Denmark, Spain, Finland, Brazil, Canada, Russia, Barbados, the United States, Great Britain, Italy, Australia, Argentina, New Zealand, and France.
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* [[Nacho Duato]], Spain
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* [[Frederic Franklin]], Great Britain
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'''Argentina'''
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* [[Alexander Grant]], New Zealand
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* [[David Hallberg]], United States
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* [[Julio Bocca]]
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( [[Antony Hamilton]], Australia
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* [[Jorge Donn]]
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* [[Rex Harrington]], Canada
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* [[Robert Helpmann]], Australia
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'''Australia'''
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* [[Stephen Hough]], Great Britain
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* [[James Kudelka]], Canada
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* [[Antony Hamilton]]
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* [[Serge Lifar]], Russia
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* [[Robert Helpmann]]
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* [[Jean-Baptiste Lully]], France
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* [[Damian Smith]]
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* [[Leonide Massine]], Russia
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* [[Mark Morris]], United States
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'''Brazil'''
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* [[Antonio Najarro]], Spain
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* [[Vaslav Nijinski]], Russia
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* [[Marcelo Gomes]]
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* [[Rudolf Nureyev]], Russia
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* [[Jerome Robbins]], United States
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'''Canada'''
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* [[Damien Smith]], Australia
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* [[Justin Peck]], United States
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* [[Reid Anderson]]
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* [[Wayne Sleep]], Great Britain
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* [[Aleksandar Antonijevic]]
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* [[Jock Soto]], United States
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* [[Rex Harrington]]
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* [[Jorma Uotinen]], Finland
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* [[Brooke Lynn Hytes]] (Brock Hayhoe)
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* [[Rudi Van Dantzig]], Netherlands
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* [[James Kudelka]]
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* [[James Whiteside]], United States
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* [[Jin Xing]], China
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'''China'''
 +
 
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* [[Jin Xing]]
 +
 
 +
'''Denmark'''
 +
 
 +
* [[Erik Bruhn]]
 +
 
 +
'''Finland'''
 +
 
 +
* [[Jorma Uotinen]]
 +
 
 +
'''France'''
 +
 
 +
* [[Maurice Bejart]]
 +
* [[Jean-Baptiste Lully]]
 +
 
 +
'''Great Britain'''
 +
 
 +
* [[Frederick Ashton]]
 +
* [[Matthew Bourne]]
 +
* [[Rupert Doone]]
 +
* [[Frederic Franklin]]
 +
* [[Stephen Hough]]
 +
* [[Wayne Sleep]]
 +
 
 +
'''Italy'''
 +
 
 +
* [[Roberto Bolle]]
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* [[Saverio Pescucci]]
 +
 
 +
'''New Zealand'''
 +
 
 +
* [[Alexander Grant]]
 +
 
 +
'''Portugal'''
 +
 
 +
* [[Marcelino Sambe]]
 +
 
 +
'''Russia'''
 +
 
 +
* [[Boris Kochno]]
 +
* [[Serge Lifar]]
 +
* [[Leonide Massine]]
 +
* [[Vaslav Nijinski]]
 +
* [[Rudolf Nureyev]]
 +
 
 +
'''Spain'''
 +
 
 +
* [[Nacho Duato]]
 +
* [[Antonio Najarro]]
 +
 
 +
'''The Netherlands'''
 +
 
 +
* [[Rudi Van Dantzig]]
 +
 
 +
'''United States'''
 +
 
 +
* [[David Hallberg]]
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* [[Robert Joffrey]]
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* [[Parker Kit Hill]]
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* [[John Lam]]
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* [[Jeremy McQueen]]
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* [[Mark Morris]]
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* [[Justin Peck]]
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* [[Joshua Peugh]]
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* [[Jerome Robbins]]
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* [[Jock Soto]]
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* [[Christopher Stowell]]
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* [[James Whiteside]]
 +
 
 +
==See Also==
 +
 
 +
* [[Notable LGBTQ Dance Choreographers]]
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* [[Notable LGBTQ Artistic Directors in the Arts and Entertainment World]]
 +
 
 +
==Further Reading/Research==
 +
 
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* http://www.dancemagazine.com/issues/November-2006/Gay-Men--Dance
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* http://lgbtballetpride.tumblr.com/
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* http://www.dance.net/topic/3644101/1/Guys-Only/The-Gay-Dancer-Stereotype.html
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Latest revision as of 20:31, 19 September 2021

LGBTQ Ballet

The world of the Ballet dancer is a unique one. As an artistic venture that incorporates athletic ability, artistic expression, and public performance, it demands a significant amount of talent for the individual artist. Similar to many demanding professional sports, it tends to be a profession for the young that takes a heavy toll in terms of time, energy, and physical and mental stamina.

LGBTQ ballet dancers have been a visible and important part of the arts community for many generations. As an artistic field which appreciates its talent, it is a profession that has accommodated LGBTQ individuals even in conservative political and religious environments.

A survey of professional ballet dancers in 1997 revealed that they themselves believed that 57.8 percent of the men in dance companies overall were gay, while they considered 53 percent of the men in their own companies to be gay. Indeed, many past high profile LGBTQ ballet dancers are household names. These include Erik Bruhn of Denmark, Jerome Robbins of the United States, and Vaslav Nijinski or Rudolf Nureyev of Russia.

In addition to their prominent early dance careers, many LGBTQ ballet artists have gone on to successful and illustrious post-dancing careers as Directors of national ballet companies or as choreographers of their own successful productions that toured the world. As both dancers and choreographers, individual success has translated into the receipt of many national awards and honours, such as the Order of the British Empire (OBE), the Order of Canada, the Order of Orange-Nassau, and others.

Surprisingly, we have yet to identify any lesbians in the group of LGBTQ ballet dancers. There is only one publicly recognized transgender individual - Jin Xing of China. The LGBTQ participation in the profession has been dominated by gay male dancers - this reinforces the stereotype of the male ballet dancer as breathtakingly beautiful and gay.

Most are familiar with the ground-breaking all-male production of Swan Lake created by the famed Matthew Bourne of Great Britain. He has also produced a dance production of Oscar Wilde’s novel 'The Picture of Dorian Gray'.

Nevertheless, these LGBTQ dancers hail from countries as diverse as Denmark, Spain, Finland, Brazil, Canada, Russia, Barbados, the United States, Great Britain, Italy, Australia, Argentina, New Zealand, and France.

Argentina

Australia

Brazil

Canada

China

Denmark

Finland

France

Great Britain

Italy

New Zealand

Portugal

Russia

Spain

The Netherlands

United States

See Also

Further Reading/Research


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