Contemporary Partnerships

Abstract

This chapter seeks to determine what makes for a contemporary partnership on the ballet stage through an examination of gender roles and choreographic invention in three works created for the New York City Ballet in 2017. While choreographers often strive to make new, of-the-moment dances, traditional ballet training still holds strong, turning out dancers whose bodies and abilities adhere to ideals established long ago. This perpetuation of antiquated ideas of masculinity and femininity limits the ways in which ballet partnerships are able to reflect the world of today. After a brief overview of the expectations put on men and women in ballet, with an emphasis on partnering class and partnering techniques, the chapter looks at how Pontus Lidberg, Justin Peck, and Lauren Lovette, each utilizing different approaches, used choreography to craft contemporary partnerships in their new works for the New York City Ballet in 2017.