OU - Theses

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Open Access
The Ballets Russes in Spain: The Historical Fusion of Flamenco and Classical Ballet
(2019) File Marangon, Barbara; Holt, Mary Margaret; Dossev, Boyko; Palmer, Allison; Holguín, Sandie
The objective of this project was to discover the connection between Flamenco Dance and Classical Ballet and if it created a third dance form. What did Flamenco Dance contribute to the Ballets Russes on their Spanish detour from 1917-18? What did the famous ballet company give to Flamenco? These were questions discussed. The two nomadic groups met through the interest and passion of one choreographer, Leonide Massine. Through the practice of Flamenco Dance, I discovered how a ballet choreographer/dancer experienced this dance form. The result is Massine's Three-cornered Hat ballet melding Flamenco and Classical Ballet.The significance of this study stimulates future research in the hybrids of other dance forms.
Open Access
BRIDGING BALLET AND LATIN DANCE: AN INNOVATIVE APPROACH TO CHOREOGRAPHY AND CULTURAL INTEGRATION
(2024-05-10) Solera Guevara, Maria; Lyst, Roxanne; Dossev, Boyko; Simon, Shanti
This study explores the intersection between ballet and Latin dance, two dance styles with divergent trajectories in the choreographic field. It examines the history of ballet from the appearance of the Ballet de Cour in the 15th century and its relationship with European social dances, highlighting its origin and evolution as an artistic expression rooted in popular culture. Additionally, the history and evolution of four emblematic Latin dances—cumbia, merengue, bolero, and salsa—are analyzed, exploring how these genres have emerged, evolved, and been danced to over time. The study also investigates how ballet has successfully merged with other dance genres, evidencing previous mixtures between ballet and various styles. Simultaneously, it examines how Latin dances have transcended their social origins to reach international stages and competitions. Finally, a choreographic proposal is presented that unites ballet with salsa and bolero, showcasing the creative and artistic potential of this fusion, both in choreographic and cultural terms. This investigation contributes to the understanding of the intersections between classical dance and Latin cultural expressions, emphasizing the richness and diversity of both traditions and their ability to engage in dialogue and enrich each other in the artistic field. Keywords: ballet, Latin rhythms, cumbia, merengue, bolero, salsa, choreographic fusion, cultural integration.
Open Access
Business model innovation in dance companies: entrepreneurial artists and the Dymond Process
(2022-05-13) Nunez Osuna, Greta; Bearden, Michael; Renard, Stan; Lyst, Roxanne
This research will support existing and emerging dance companies to develop long-lasting and sustainable strategies by merging and implementing innovative business models exemplified by two innovative and impactful art companies, namely Akram Khan Company and Cirque du Soleil. The culmination of this research will provide a framework titled "The Dymond Process" to assist dance companies to build, orient, and reorient their activities as their own strategies based on Design Thinking methodologies that drive them in their quest toward sustainability, bridging the gap in the dance literature that is at the crossroads of dance entrepreneurship, business strategy, and digital transformation. The inspiration for this thesis arises from my lived experiences as a dancer, instructor, and choreographer as well as my observations of dance companies’ lack of economic resources, organizational strategies, and audience attendance, in conjunction with the difficulties that a dancer faces when not receiving sufficient remuneration to make a living. Keywords: Dance Companies, Artists Entrepreneurs, Design Thinking, Business Model Innovation, Audience, Customer-Centric, For-Profit, Nonprofit.
Open Access
CLASSICAL BALLET PRE-POINTE EDUCATION: AN ANALYSIS OF THE PEDAGOGY FOR THE TRAINING OF YOUNG DANCERS
(2016-05-13) Taylor-Spann, Rose; Lindberg, Jeremy; Herrin, Rebecca; Mayeux, Lara; Cravey Stanley, Clara
The concept of preparing young female dancers for pointe work is not new to ballet education; however, attention to specific pre-pointe training has become more focused in recent years. Pre-pointe as a defined course of study within classical ballet training has become more common in programs throughout the United States. Contemporary knowledge in fields such as anatomy, exercise science and pre-adolescent and early adolescent development has motivated dance educators to reexamine the pedagogy of pointe preparation and how students are evaluated for pointe readiness. This consideration has prompted the evolution and prolificacy of pre-pointe specific classes and programs incorporated into American ballet training curriculum. The timeliness of this topic in response to increasing conversations surrounding pre-pointe greatly inspired this project. The importance of pointe preparation and the evaluation of a student’s readiness for pointe work, paired with the abundance of pre-pointe programs motivated the research for this project. Relatively little published information regarding pre-pointe pedagogical methods is currently available to instructors. Limited resources and the ambiguity of pre-pointe training significantly contributed to the development of the research model for this thesis. The purpose of this thesis is to analyze and assess pre-pointe pedagogy in classical ballet training; determine effective and healthful approaches to preparing dancers and evaluate their readiness for pointe; and identify methods for effective communication between dance educators, students and their parents. Codified classical ballet methods were assessed to identify elements of pointe preparation within the technical progression. It was determined that the most effective method of gathering information regarding the questions and problems that inspired this project was to conduct interviews with select dance educators and observe ballet technique, pre-pointe, and pointe classes. Due to the newness of this topic, it was essential to consult current professionals in the field who are teaching classes and developing programs for pre-pointe. Interview questions addressed pre-pointe topics including school and class structure, evaluating student readiness for pointe, and pre-pointe training methods. Subtopics pertaining to pre-pointe training were also considered through the development of this thesis. Areas such as pre-adolescent and early adolescent physical, cognitive, and social development, student wellness, the use of pre-pointe shoes, class observations, and communication between ballet teachers students and parents are presented as they relate to pointe preparation. This thesis presents thorough feedback gathered from interview participants comprised of dance educators representing reputable ballet schools throughout the United States. Information gathered through the research process culminates in recommendations regarding the pre-pointe topics discussed including student wellness, pre-pointe training, evaluating student readiness for pointe, and the importance of class structure and consistent instruction. This document may serve as a resource for dance educators regarding pointe preparation and offers prospective continuing research possibilities.
Open Access
The Dancer As Entrepreneur: A New Course In Higher Education That Guides Young Dancers In Developing Community Dance Organizations
(2019-05-11) Anglin, Carol Smitherman; Lindberg, Jeremy; Holt, Mary Margaret; Sadler, Christopher B.
The purpose of this study is to develop a course in higher education that will guide dance artists in developing community dance organizations, a process which will benefit the artists as well as their communities. The Dancer as Entrepreneur: A New Course in Higher Education That Guides Young Dancers in Developing Community Dance Organizations is a semester-long course that will explore past and proven methods of established community dance organizations while encouraging young dance professionals to design their own models. The course will explore practical methods for community dance organizations to survive in an ever-changing society and industry, both through examining past trends and through strategic planning for the future. In developing a course of this nature, I also hope to shed light on where further study is needed.
Open Access
DANCING BEYOND THE PATRIARCHY: BALLET’S CAPACITY TO BE REIMAGINED FOR A NEW GENERATION OF WOMEN
(2020) Pratt, Laura; Lyst, Roxanne; Sherinian, Zoe; Leslie, Kraus
Ballet, an artform conceived in the French courts of royalty, is rooted in elitist European and patriarchal ideals. In the United States today, and particularly in the field’s highest echelons, these ideals are often perpetuated through the practice, production and performance of ballet. In this thesis, the author claims that ballet has the capacity to be reimagined for feminist and egalitarian ideals through pedagogical reform, enforcement of body positivity, and choreographic restructuring of the movement vocabulary. The work of pedagogues, dancers, choreographers and artistic directors are reviewed to show instances in which artists have challenged ballet’s norms, and even pushed culture towards a more egalitarian future. The restructuring of ballet’s movement vocabulary is focused on in particular. Such instances of choreographic restructuring include women and men sharing more equal amounts of their weight with each other, thereby signifying egalitarian ideals and dismantling sexist notions of women being physically weaker than men. Additionally, women lifting other women with the use of ballet vocabulary and partnering techniques, and the presentation of queer romantic relationships through the classical narrative format also dismantle heteronormative ideals. Ultimately, the author asserts that ballet is capable of being reimagined for feminist and egalitarian ideals.
Open Access
Exploring collaboration and its influence on artistic creativity through an investigation of literature, personal interviews, and the creation of a non-hierarchical collaborative process in dance, music, and painting
(2022-05-13) Mayer, Mary Ann; Dossev, Boyko; Holt, Mary Margret; Lipinski, Igor
This thesis explores collaboration and its influence on artistic creativity through an investigation of literature, personal interviews, and an autoethnographic case study of a non-hierarchical collaboration that began in August 2021 and culminated with a fully staged performance piece in January 2022. The purpose of the case study was to investigate how the collaborative process informed and inspired the creativity of each participating artist toward the goal of developing a fully staged presentation. The non-hierarchical component was defined as collaboration whereby each artist contributed, reacted, and participated without dictating concept or design. The primary team of collaborators consisted of a choreographer, a composer, and a visual artist. Each had been classically trained in their respective fields and were inherently interested in collaboration. Documentation of the collaborative process is presented through a chronological narrative from inspiration, concept design, and various experiments that led to a presentation of music, dance, and visual art. The final result was a ballet in eight movements that traveled between a reality space and a memory space and was supported by eight original music scores and six original projected paintings. This thesis offers insight into the collaborative process and its influence on each collaborator, participating dancers, projection artist, and lighting designer. It discusses the characteristics and elements that are integral for successful collaboration and sheds light on the creative potential and possibilities that collaboration can provide in the educational and professional studio setting. Analysis of the case study and of the information gleaned from interviews as well as the review of literature support the premise that collaboration influences creative output. This thesis is intended to strengthen the reader’s understanding of successful collaborative creativity while aiming to inspire and enhance future research.
Open Access
Exploring the Creative Process of Choreographing Opera Prior to and Amidst the COVID-19 Global Pandemic: Opportunities, Challenges, and Complexities
(2021-05-14) St. John, Christa; Holt, Mary Margaret; Bearden, Michael; Ferrara, William
This thesis explores opportunities, challenges, and complexities of choreographing opera by examining the creative process of choreographing two full-length opera productions at the University of Oklahoma, Rimsky-Korsakov’s The Golden Cockerel (October 2019) and Bizet’s The Pearl Fishers (March 2021), under vastly different circumstances. The research period for The Pearl Fishers spanned the time leading up to and amidst the outbreak of COVID-19, which led to a global pandemic that greatly affected daily life in the United States. OU’s production of The Pearl Fishers was conceived and initially choreographed prior to the outbreak of COVID-19; the choreography underwent two substantial revisions as the virus proliferated, resulting in three different versions of the opera which was, in part, choreographed through a combination of rehearsals in-person and via the computer application, Zoom. The outbreak of COVID-19 required the development of new strategies to produce an opera while observing university, local, state, and national COVID-19 safety protocols, which resulted in creating a socially distanced, hybrid digital and live, in-person production of The Pearl Fishers which premiered in March 2021. Choreographing both operas in relatively quick succession under vastly different circumstances highlighted the pandemic’s radical effect on the fields of dance and opera. While the findings are limited in scope, they have broader implications for studying dance and opera together and contribute to the limited scholarly discourse on opera choreography. This thesis offers strategies for choreographing opera productions, sheds light on opera choreographers who, at times, take a subsidiary role for their contributions to the art, and serves as a timely account of the complexities of choreographing an opera production during a global pandemic.
Open Access
Historically Black college and university dance lines: redefining and identifying elements to determine aesthetic value
(2022-05-13) Griffith, J'aime; Lyst, Roxanne; Casimir, Marie; Steffensen, Leslie Kraus
This research study identifies the elements that combine to define the HBCU dance line aesthetic as an Africanist dance aesthetic, European dance aesthetic, and influences of male embodied femininity. Dance lines, the group of dancers that perform during the football games with the marching band at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), are an ever-evolving subculture within the larger HBCU culture. The Africanist dance dominates the HBCU dance line aesthetic and should be viewed through that lens. To avoid dismissing the growing interest in European dance seen in the use of tricks in their field show choreography, the HBCU dance line community should study the root of the trick, the technique, approaching the tricks from the lens of a European dance aesthetic. As these dance lines gain attention outside of their community, it is now more important than ever to define and document to preserve the aesthetic so that it is not lost and misinterpreted. When viewing and judging a community and its dance, it is vital to consider the history and context. The Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) set the standard in 1968 when Mississippi’s Alcorn State University Golden Girls were the first to drop their batons and dance, paving the way. In this study, the discovery of the Africanist dance aesthetic via Jackson State University Prancing J-Settes and the European dance aesthetic via Grambling State University Orchesis Dance Company is presented through an analysis of interviews conducted with current and former HBCU dancers and directors, an observation of video content on YouTube and social media, and my personal experience as an HBCU dancer and concert dancer. Lastly, to investigate male embodied femininity visible in HBCU dance lines, I interviewed and was coached in person by two male hip hop majorette coaches and choreographers.
Open Access
Lend Me Your Eyes: Performance, Film, and Dance For a Dream Atmosphere
(2019-05-10) Carvalho, Daniela Magalhães; Lindberg, Jeremy; Hartel, Austin; Bailey, Robert
Lend Me Your Eyes: Performance, Film and Dance for a Dream Atmosphere is a choreographic thesis and its goal is to describe the creation of a multimedia work involving dance, poetry, performance, and film. Consubstantiated by the insertion of the audience perception in the creative process, in the search for a dream atmosphere. A description and analysis of the performance developed from the theme and the materials produced by it, and the application of this material in the construction of a choreographic work that correlates live dance and Dancefilm.
Open Access
Preparing the Dance Artist for a Sustainable Career: The Role of Community Integration Practice Courses in the Undergraduate Dance Performance Degree Curriculum
(2019-05-10) Clawson, Cheyla; Lindberg, Jeremy; Hertzog, Jodie; Lyst, Roxanne
While an emerging body of published research explores examples of community initiatives being achieved through dance, few studies have explored the extent to which community integration practices are being infused into the BFA curriculum. For the purpose of this study, community integration practice course content may include entrepreneurship and creative venture, business for the arts, writing and research skills including grants and public scholarship, community engagement including prevention and social programming, and professional internships. Unobtrusive methods were utilized to investigate the role community engaged curriculum plays in a four-year dance performance degree. What courses currently exist that enable students to graduate with a four-year dance performance degree while enhancing their ability to become independent, sustainable artists? Are these courses required or electives? What role does curriculum infusion play in introducing students to market-driven transferable skills? Program related research of this type is a vital precursor for understanding gaps in preparation dance performance degree students have when entering the professional realm of dance. This is particularly relevant within the current economic climate as the number of awarded dance degrees increases but the number of full-time and part-time jobs decrease. Today’s dance performer will increasingly need to employ a variety of entrepreneurial skills to create their own career paths. Empowering future graduates with additional community skills will impact the field of dance in ways we may not yet imagine. Educating performers to integrate their work into communities can not only increase potential employment opportunities but also build social capital.
Open Access
SECOND AND TRAINEE COMPANIES IN THE UNITED STATES: ANALYSIS OF PAST AND PRESENT MISSIONS
(2016) Love, Tye; Lindberg, Jeremy; Bailey, Robert; Kozadayev, Ilya
The Ballet profession in the United States has seen a trend growing with the introduction of a trainee or second company with affiliation to each ballet main company. This allows for the main company to have a roster of dancers who are pre-professional but can be used in the corps de ballet for larger productions. This system also allows an artistic staff to train pre-professional dancers to eventually become dancers in the main company. The purpose of this thesis is to compile and compare information on eighteen current professional ballet companies in the United States ranging in size and region of the country to determine the role of the trainee or second company within the organization. Data will be analyzed to determine the percentage of dancers in the main company who began their careers in a trainee or second company, and the percentage of dancers currently in each main company who began their careers in the affiliated trainee or second company. The majority of the information will be derived from the websites of these selected companies and an investigation into the career paths of the dancers in these companies that were chosen. Through a questionnaire, this study will also contain information provided by dancers who are currently in a trainee or second company for the 2015-2016 Season. The central goal of this thesis is to determine the status of professional ballet trainee and second companies and by comparison and contrast what structure could be implemented across all trainee and second companies for the benefit of the dancer, and the organization.
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Tap and Jazz Dance in Higher Education: Uncovering the Significance of Tap and Jazz Dance Training in University Dance Studies
(2019-05-11) Pecina, Sara; Hartel, Austin; Lyst, Roxanne; Cramer, Lyn
The values system in the United States is based in Western intellectual tradition, which has caused an imbalance in the availability to study certain forms of dance at the collegiate level. Ballet and modern dance are accepted as individual art forms that are culturally rich. Meanwhile, tap and jazz dance are often viewed as subordinate dance forms. Even today, some people consider these forms of dance as mere entertainment and will not credit them as true art forms. Likewise, a majority of dance programs in United States’ universities do not offer courses in these forms, and even fewer require students to study them. Unfortunately, the United States has turned away from its own cultural forms of dance rather than nurturing their practice and growth. History shows that this neglect is rooted in racism and classism, which also permeates the education system. Tap and jazz dance are sophisticated art forms that have moved audiences for over a century. Yet, there are extremely limited opportunities to study these forms in the university system. This research project was designed to demonstrate through multiple lenses the dire need for a stronger presence of tap and jazz dance in higher education. The historical suppression of these art forms is examined while considering how the dichotomy of the development of ballet and modern dance versus the development of tap and jazz dance affected the cultural response to each. A case study is presented in which classically trained ballet and modern dancers received tap dance training, and then analysis and observations were collected on the benefits of this training in all of their dancing. Lastly, four voices from the professional realm of dance speak to the importance of the availability of tap and jazz dance in the university setting.
Open Access
Women of Color in Academic Dance: An Evaluation of How America and Oklahoma’s History of Racial Injustice towards Black and First American People Correlates to the Experiences of Black and First American Female Identifying Students Majoring in Dance at Oklahoma Higher Education Institutions
(2023-05-12) Sayles, Briana; Lyst, Roxanne; Kraus, Leslie; Casimir, Marie; Dossev, Boyko
In this paper, I discuss the difficulties faced by female-identifying dance students of color in Oklahoma higher-education. Due to the lack of educational training provided by higher-education dance programs, critical accessibility and an and share some of my own critical reflections on how educators have the ability to create an accessible and equitable experience within studio classroom settings. Speaking from the position of a researcher who belongs to the thesis demographic, my decade-long investigation into the experience of female-identifying Black and First American dance students within higher education dance programs highlights and uncovers traumas experienced by dance students within institutions in Oklahoma .