Abstract

This thesis investigates the ballet culture's conception of the body. It explains how the ballet dancer uses the body, sees it, and talks about it. It analyzes their discourses and practices and renders a description of "The Dancing Body". Thirteen retired ballet dancers were interviewed (7 women, 6 men) about their experiences in this milieu, and three months were spent observing their daily rituals and practices. Through the analysis of the dancers' lives and the ethnographic notes, it was concluded that "The Dancing Body" is not only a vehicle through which dancers express themselves on stage but that this conception of the body is weaved into the dancer's identity.