Elise Leonard, “Reimagining Ballet Education: A Multimedia Approach to Prevent Burnout and Injury”
Mentor: Tiffany Kadani, Dance, Arts (Peck School of the)
Performing Arts: 9:00am Union Cinema
Despite their love for dance, many young ballet students experience burnout and injury because of ineffective instruction. Traditional ballet pedagogy emphasizes copying shapes and movements with little anatomical explanation, reinforcing perfectionist ideals that can lead to psychological trauma surrounding body image and self-worth. Without proper guidance on movement efficiency in ballet, dancers are left vulnerable to injury, diminishing their longevity in the art form. This research seeks to address these issues by developing a multimedia educational platform that prioritizes sustainable, student-centered ballet training. To develop effective teaching content, Prof. Kadani has spent years observing and instructing dancers in various settings, gathering insight about where traditional ballet instruction fails. This research integrates peer-reviewed dance journals, comparative analysis of other movement disciplines, and student testimonials to formulate a blueprint for a more inclusive pedagogy. A survey distributed to UWM and Marquette dance students provided data on their experiences with ballet education, allowing us to factor in a variety of perspectives on dance training methods. This informed our approach, which integrates multimodal teaching strategies including video demonstrations, written explanations, and interactive prompts to create a holistic ballet education experience. This teaching method evolved from troubleshooting within undergraduate ballet classes at UWM. By testing different ways of introducing movement concepts, we identified strategies that help dancers develop technique while fostering a deeper understanding of their own bodies. Our platform empowers students to evaluate their training, advocate for their well-being, and find strength in their unique physicality. Looking ahead, we intend to expand this website to include more ballet training resources. Future research may explore age-specific and experience-based methodologies to tailor instruction to different learners. By challenging traditional teaching norms, this project reimagines ballet education as a space for empowerment, longevity, and inclusivity—ensuring that dancers can thrive without sacrificing their physical or mental health.