Edgar Degas Two Dancers On The Stage Analysis

Images are often used to form and solidify ideals that are taught and passed down for generations. In the painting “Two Dancers on the Stage” by Edgar Degas, the two dancers act as signifiers for the idea of a ballerina. Through the formal construction of the painting, the ideal ballerina is formed; the epitome of gracefulness is created and equated to ballet. However through history, the image of the ideal ballerina is altered. What it means to be graceful changes as displayed by the photograph of principal ballerina Misty Copeland. Although the Degas painting and the photograph of Misty Copeland use similar elements to construct the image of the ideal ballerina such as color and posture, the images convey two different messages about who

the ideal ballerina is and what can be considered graceful.
“Two Dancers on the Stage” uses color to communicate that gracefulness and thus the ideal ballerina should embody innocence and softness. The two ballerinas are depicted in white fluffy dress accompanied with pink and yellow flowers and green accents. The choice to depict the ballerinas in light colors gives the impression that the ballerinas are pure and innocent. The background of the painting is also light; the only dark colors are dark greens which give a slight contrast that draws the eye directly to the ballerinas. The background does not take away from the ballerinas, nor does it darken the overall mood of the painting. Instead it gives the impression of a forest in spring, which conveys the feeling of freshness and life. The effect of the background being slightly darkened combined with the white dresses gives the ballerinas a halo around them, emphasizing the innocence of the ballerinas. The lack of harsh outlines also contributes to the halo effect around the ballerinas. The dancers seem to exude with light as the painting is not dreary at all. The pale skin of the ballerinas amplifies the halo effect and blends with the use pastel colors in the painting. All these things come together to send the message that gracefulness has the appearance of light and softness, and thus ballerinas must portray light and purity in order to be graceful.
Similar to the Degas painting, the photograph of Misty Copeland also uses color schemes to convey that gracefulness should exemplify innocence and softness. Misty Copeland’s dress, tights, and ballet shoes are all pastel pink which convey innocence and a level of softness. The photograph is over 200 years in the future, and the understanding that light colors convey innocence and gracefulness is unchanged. Unlike the Degas painting, the background is dark blue. The background is in sharp contrast to Copeland, making her the focal point of the photograph. The background also draws the light all around Copeland, creating a halo effect and making her skin look lighter. The color elements come together to aid the portrayal of the same ideal ballerina seen in the Degas painting. However, what distinguishes the image as the definition of gracefulness and the representation of the ideal ballerina is mainly expressed through the posture of the figures in the image.
The posture that the figures in the Degas painting take on in addition with the colors of the painting help to form and identify the image as the idea of gracefulness and as the ideal ballerina.

The upfront ballerina is on the tips of her toes, her body elongated with her hands gently placed in the air. This posture with the addition of the largeness of her skirt and the slenderness of her body makes her look weightless. Also, there is a second ballerina that follows the first ballerina. The second ballerina takes a different posture than that of the first ballerina; her feet are flat and her arms are lowered. However, she is not the main focus of this painting, as the eye is automatically drawn to the first ballerina since she is bigger and more elongated that the second ballerina. The audience viewing the painting takes these visual cues as a recognizable representation of what a ballerina should look like and what gracefulness should look like. The logic goes something like this: the ballerina seen is graceful because she is a woman, and as a woman she treads lightly and glows with soft radiance, as depicted in the painting. Therefore, all ballerinas must be this way, or even broader, all women must be this way. This idea of gracefulness continues until someone questions it, until a new definition of gracefulness is

presented.
The photograph of Misty Copeland changes the long-established definition of gracefulness and presents a new definition through Copeland’s posture. The photograph depicts Misty Copeland on the tips of her toes with her head facing upwards and her arms outstretched. Also, the dress is close to her body, emphasizing Copeland’s muscular shape. All these components combine to portray Copeland as a strong, grounded dancer rather than a light, airy dancer. Also, compared to the Degas painting, Misty Copeland is pictured alone. Copeland dancing alone emphasizes her strength by implying her independence as a dancer. With these elements the photograph defies the traditional portrayal of gracefulness and the ideal ballerina and communicates that ballerinas do not need to be slender or portrayed as light and airy in order to be considered graceful.
The photograph of Misty Copeland answers the question of whether or not the same message can be communicated with similar visual elements but different subjects. Here then, it is not the person that makes an ideal ballerina but the visual elements placed on her that makes her look like the real thing. That is why the build and look of the subject can change and still be considered graceful with all the visual cues in place such as the pastel colors and the proper ballet posture. However, even the symbols that construct and identify the ideal version of a thing can and do change in addition to the subjects attached to them.