Searching through stock photos for images of ballet dancers who break the mold of skinny and white is quite the task. Finding one melanated pose amongst the heard is damn near impossible, yet we know where there is art being made, our people are there. As an artist who spends time creating work for Black Trans folks, I was immediately intrigued when Ashley brought up the prospect of doing A Day of Ballet here in Garden to center BIPOC folks of all bodies, shapes and abilities. Hosting A Day of Ballet in Garden on June 29th from 11am-3:30pm PST, Ashley was kind enough to sit down with me for a short interview so we could talk more about her intentions and desires for this powerful day!
Hope you enjoy it and that you register for A Day of Ballet on Garden's visit page!
Until next our avatars meet,
J Mase
So, what is your relationship to ballet?
Years ago, I trained pre-professionally in ballet. I have chronic injuries that developed through this training; they have greatly impacted my flexibility and what I am able to do and not do in a traditional ballet class. These injuries, along with my experience as a mixed race Filipina who often found myself in predominantly white and Eurocentric classes and corp de ballet settings, have both shaped my approach to ballet. I now dance recreationally and am a member of the Leigh Purtill Ballet Company.
Who do you think should come to A Day of Ballet?
My motto is that every body is a ballet body, and that ballet is for everyone! So whether you are brand new to ballet or have lots of ballet experience, please come! You don’t need any special clothing or equipment for this class, just socks and clothes you feel comfortable moving in, as well as something you can hold on to at around chest level for barre (such as the back of a chair or a countertop). You may participate in the ways that you are comfortable and that feel good for your body-mind: this might mean having your camera off, staying on flat rather than going onto demi-pointe, not lifting your leg or keeping your leg extensions low, etc. As part of this practice of honoring each of our needs, I will provide different possibilities in each of the combinations so that you can tailor each exercise to best suit you. We will work together to cultivate a dance environment that is anti-racist, accessible, body positive, Queer, and Covid conscious.
What could creating BIPOC centered spaces to engage ballet possibly do?
As a woman of color and a chronically injured dancer, I know how toxic mainstream ballet and dance culture can be. I would love to provide and collectively cultivate a free covid-safe virtual space for us to enjoy moving our bodies together simply for the joy of collective movement, and to learn about and do some ballet that is intentionally anti-racist, accessible, body positive, queer, and covid conscious. Creating this type of intentional BIPOC-centered ballet space is how we begin to create anti-colonial, nourishing, joy-filled, and sustainable futures, for ballet, for the art world, and beyond.
A Day of Ballet Schedule (11am-3:30pm PST)
11am - 11:15am Arms-only/sitting ballet class
11:20am - 12:20pm Beginner full ballet class with choreography
12:30pm - 1:30pm Self-defense principles and discussion
1:30pm - 2pm Break
2pm- 3:30pm Movie screening: A Ballerina’s Tale (2015), a documentary about Misty Copeland