Description
DEGAS DANCER magnet’s versatility allows her to demonstrate numerous shapes and positions, and to clarify stylistic characteristics. A compelling teaching aid, she is at your command to demonstrate proper alignment as well as improper actions as non-threatening ways to make corrections. For example, let her show how misplacing one body part throws the rest of the body out of kilter. Also show common problems to correct such as
- hyper-extended knees,
- misplaced head/neck/chin alignment,
- floppy feet that are neither flexed nor pointed.
Connection to Art and Theatre: This magnet is fashioned after Edgar Degas’ original bronze statue, The Little Dancer (La Petite Danseuse de Quatorze Ans; 1881 ). It was one of the first modern sculptures which incorporated mixed media (e.g., real clothing, slippers, and hair) all of which he covered in wax. When produced, the figure was not well-accepted. Today, the beloved dance sculptures cast from Degas original molds still wear a real tutu and a hair ribbon, which make each statue somewhat unique.
This iconic Degas sculpture was brought to life on stage as the subject of an original musical production. The musical, “The Dancer, “ brought the 1881 original sculpture to life on stage in the leading role to speak her mind after so many years of silence. It premiered in 2014 at Washington, D.C.’s John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. The production was met with critical acclaim.
