Student name:

Leila E
Project #:
1
Working version of project title:
A Bridge that Connects the Two: Finding the Gap Between a Ballet Company and a Public
School

Research Proposal--first draft

1. State the essential question
How can the field of dance be nurtured in order to survive long-term and to provide
sustainable careers for dancers and others working in dance?

After listening to the speakers from Stand and Deliver, I kind of want to change this
approach I have to my project: I want to focus on ballet and its relevance in
peoples lives.
OK--so redraft both the essential question and the primary research question. And
actually, that will affect the whole project, so maybe the best thing to do is to do a
second draft here. You can turn that in on Monday and well give you ample
feedback on that.
2.

State the primary research question

How can members of a community and ballet companies engage and interact so that
more members of the community are exposed to and able to enjoy ballet while the
companies are able to be sustainable and support the careers of their dancers?

3.
State the secondary research questions you have (make sure these are fairly
comprehensive and extensive).
Overarching?
Is ballet as a profession dying?
Is there a disconnect between the teenage students of Boston Latin School and the
Boston Ballet?
Can I bridge this gap? how?

Life as a Ballet Dancer:

What are the obstacles in pursuing a career in ballet?
What is it like living as a ballet dancer?
Do dancers ever consider their audience? Or do they desire a broader range of audience
members?
How do they feel/do they care how people perceive ballet?
Prospective Students:
How many of City Dance kids continue ballet through the school?
Have they ever seen a ballet?
What do they think of when they hear the word ballet?
How much would they pay to see a ballet? How much do they pay to see a movie?
What is the most recent/relevant thing that has a connection to ballet that youve seen or
done?,
Audience Perspective:
Have students ever been intrigued in ballet? Why? Why not? Whats stopping them?
Who goes to see the ballet? What percentage of the audience is students? adults?
What is the economic background of the audience?
Are there economic obstacles that hinder students (specifically highschool / college
students) from seeing ballets?
Would students be interested in seeing the ballet?
Boston Latin School:
Has there ever been any attempt to make a bridge or some sort of connection with
Boston Ballet?
Financial Perspective:
What will the financial cost of allowing/encouraging more students who possibly can not
afford to start ballet/watch the ballet?
Can a plan be formed to solve this cost?
Other programs between Boston Ballet and the Community:
Is these programs working?
What schools do they partner with?
Is their partnership sustainble?
Future of Ballet:
What will be needed to be done in ballet in order broaden the scope and range of
audience members?
Will the perceptions of ballet change?
What can be done to create an understanding and appreciation for ballet?
What can I do to interconnect the community and the ballet world together so that they
are mutually supportive and integrating?

4.
Description of what the final product will look like. (Be sure that you are very
thorough here. Take us through the entire process from now until the final product. If it
would be helpful to you, number the steps and proceed through them through and
including your final product. In short: you MUST describe the process here. This is
vital to the approval process on your research proposal.)
My main attention will focus on the nonexistent bridge between Boston Ballet and Boston
Latin School, and if/how I can create one between the two.
Part 1: Getting the Background of BLS Students - Interview
1. I would create an interview, the background info [Name (first name only for sake
of privacy), grade, gender, age, town of residence]
2. Interview Questions:
1. What does ballet mean to you?
2. What comes to mind/What do you think of when you hear the word ballet?
3. Is there something unappealing about ballet? what?
4. Have you have seen a ballet? Which?
5. If it were up to you, would you go see a ballet or a movie? Why?
1. What if the ballet ticket cost less than a movie ticket?
6. Are you/would you ever be interested in ballet? Why?/Why not?
7. Do you think ballet is athletic?
8. Do you consider dancers athletes?
9. Have you seen any representation of ballet in pop culture?
10. What is your opinion about Black Swan?
1. Do you believe this is how dancers really are?
2. Does it make you want to go see a ballet company?
11. Do you know that there are different avenues of ballet?
12. What factors prevent or disinterest you from seeing a ballet?
3.

I would want to break/change all these preconceived notion

1. How? I would do this by showing a video of two dancers, one female and
one male: their routine, their rehearsal schedule, their performance
schedule; possibly interviewing with the same questions I asked the BLS
students to contrast their ideas of ballet; this may intrigue the audience
because the dancers may directly but unintentionally challenge or rebuke
the preconceived notions that the students had.
2. By seeing these sides, this would hopefully break the audiences
preconceived notions.
4.
If the videos do not break the preconceived notions of the audience, I would allow
the pieces of dance to do the final chipping
1. How?: I would ask a few dancers of the company to possibly prepare roles
or perform roles that they have already prepared for free performance for
BLS students- showing classical, neoclassical, and contemporary
2. Hopefully, these pieces would not only surprise the audience the athleticism
of ballet but also reveal ballets multi facets, not just the stereotypical tutuesque classical ballet.
5.
I would have another survey at the end of the program, asking the same audience

members if their notions of ballet had been altered.

1. For example: The survey would have name, grade, sex, gender, age, and
town of residence.
2. I would ask questions from the first interview such as 1. have your notions of ballet changed? How so? What were they
before? What are your opinions now?
2. After watching the program, would you be more inclined to see a
ballet? If yes, why? If not, what is holding you back?
3. Would the audience members like to see more ballets? who?
4. Would these students be able to afford seeing ballets?
6.
If the answer to Question 5.2.4 is No, I cant afford to see a ballet but want to,
that is where I would want to introduce my plan/goal of creating a bridge between Boston
Ballet and Boston Latin School
1. My idea: Develop Free Fridays for BLS students - Let BLS students watch
the ballets for free on Fridays, or one day of the program.
2. This would be a proposal to the leaders of Community outreach in Boston
Ballet and Boston Latin School, if this program is considered this will be the
result of my project. But if there is not enough time to accomplish this
proposal, my survey postscreening will hopefully reveal a change in
students preconceived notions and a stronger desire to see more ballets.

The project as described here is quite good! But obviously you have to rethink this whole part
if you want to change the basic scope of the project. Rework that for the 2nd draft.
5.
State how this research will advance the frontiers of knowledge and/or matter
and be significant in a meaningful way.
This research will educate the general public about the rigor and complexity of ballet and
performance, dispel many of the pre-conceived notions that people have about ballet, and
making ballet more accessible to the general public, specifically Boston Latin School
students. I believe that there has been a lack of prevalence or publicity of ballet in Boston
Latin School. Because of this, students may have formulated preconceived notions about
ballet that may not necessarily have justification (notions formed without having seen a
ballet, possibly).

6.

State anticipated potential pitfalls or problems of this research effort

1. Students may be completely unresponsive to initial survey.
2. Students may not have any preconceived notions against ballet.
3. Boston Ballet may not allow me to use footage of their rehearsals or allow a public
performance to occur.
4. My expectation of their preconceived notions may backfire this whole project and
actually prove to be incorrect.

ALL VERY TRUE--and good things to be concerned about.

7.
State your a tentative plan to locate and review the literature related to your
project. This includes printed/published sources and online sources. [The research
strategy, part #1]
1. I would look up in either BLS library or BPL library the different books that describe
ballet. Then I would try to find books about public schools and its after school
activities.
2. I will use university libraries such as Harvard, Northeastern, and BU to provide more
in-depth resources of ballet - the general audience, the stereotypical ballet dancer.
3. Misty Copelands book will also provide a different perspective - the lack or inability
to pay for dance classes, her discovery of ballet, of watching ballet late in the game,
and the way she entered ballet.

8.
State a tentative plan for research and data collection. (Data collection can take
multiple forms--surveys, test groups, interviews, observations, etc etc. This will differ
from project to project. [The research strategy, part #2]
1. Interviewing Boston Latin Students
1. Collecting data by grade, age, gender, and also incorporating where the students
live as factors that may influence their decision about their preconceived
notions of ballet
2. Interviewing Ms. Mooney Teta
1. about why there is no connection
3. Interview people at Boston Ballet School, especially its Outreach Program
1. If they believe a plan such as the one I propose could work observations/insight
4. Alumni/ae of BBSs Outreach Program- Healthy Steps (Girls), Boys in Motion (Boys)
1. Interview
5. Boston Ballet Dancers
1. Interview as a part of their reaction to preconceived notions, reverberating what
BLS students said in their interview and see dancers reaction
6. During the Program, I may have a caming circulating trying to capture different
reactions from students like wow, oh my god, how did they do that?
7. Accumulate More data at the end of Program
1. Survey - to show that minimal exposure to ballet can change a students outlook
and perspective
8. Talk to BBS financial development committee/sectar
1. Interview: can the plan I propose be viable? Why? Why not? How? Will it
always be in such condition?

9.
State a tentative plan for research and data analysis and interpretation. [The
research strategy, part #3]
1. After first interview, I will hopefully find more pockets of negative preconceived
notions towards ballet from BLS students, which will catalyze the rest of the project to
continue
2. The hidden camera would be used to show initial reactions to program
1. this may prove that students (subconsciously) have preconceived notions about
ballet
3. The post-program surveys would show a change in reality

9.
List the tools you will need to complete this effort. Identify tools that might
currently be unavailable to you
1. Enhanced Camera equipment for capturing interviews and dancing
2. microphones for interviews
3. Floor (marley) for dancers to dance on for audience, or a whole new stage that Boston
Ballet uses for performing
4. Paper for surveys
5. Dancers/studnets
6. Peoples willingness to talk to a high school student about a project as big as the one I
propose or the research project that I may be working on.

10.
Budget: what materials do you anticipate needing for your project? Please
provide a list with quantities and an approximate cost per item, along a brief description
of why you need this for your project. Use the chart below; feel free to add more cells if
you need them.

item

quantity

cost per
item

why you need this item for your

project

Camcorder

$2000/per
item

Interviews and multiple views of day

in the life during rehearsal footage

Rental time

Floor/Studio ??

For the dancers to perform

Interview mics
Permission Rights
from Ballet company

2-3

$100

Interview different people

??

To be allowed to show pieces of

ballets and choreography in the
public

11.
Bibliography- early draft. This bibliography must include at least 5 books, 5
scholarly journal articles, 5 websites, and least one potential source who you might
interview. Use proper bibliographic citation (MLA or APA format; your choice). You
are welcome to use EasyBib or refer to the formatting template created by Purdue
University: https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/ Explain why you anticipate (at this
point) that these sources would be relevant.
Bibliography
Copeland, Roger, and Marshall, Cohen. What Is Dance? Readings in Theory and Critisim.
Oxford: Oxford UP, 1983. Print
Hayden, Melissa. Dancer to Dancer: Advise for Todays Dancer. Anchor Press Doubleday,
1981. Print.
Upper, Nancy. Ballet Dancers in Career Transition: Sixteen Success Stories. McFarland &Co.
2004. Print
Perron, Wendy. Through the Eyes of A Dancer, Selected Writings. Wesleyan Univeristy Press,
2013. Print
Bloemendal, Jan, Eversmann, Peter and Strietman. Drama, performance, and Debate: Theatre
and public opinion in the Early Modern Period. Lieden,Brill, 2012. Print
Clarke, Mary and Crisp, Clement. Understanding Ballet. Harmony Books, 1976. Print
Knopfler, Vicki. "Demand for Dancing." Tribune Business News [Washington] 17 Dec. 2006:
1. Print.
Solway, Diane. "Dancing With the Audience: Dancing In Dialogue With the Audience."" New
York times 18 Dec. 1983: n. pag. Print.
Macdonald, Koni. "Partnering:ballet School and Public School Perform Pas De Deux:
Edmonton Public Professional School of Ballet." ATA 1995: 30: 7-8. Print
Wakin, Daniel J. "Ballerinas, Famed for Silence, Take New Approach: Talking." New York
times 17 Sept. 2010: A1. Print
Beving, Sue. Ballet Allies with Schools. The Washington Times 25 Sept. 1999. Print
Dunning, Jennifer. Seeking out Talent in Public Schools. New York Times 27 May 1991:
N13. Print.
"Top 4 Health Benefits of Dance." Dance - Dance Steps - Ballet - Jazz - Ballroom Dancing.
N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Oct. 2014.
Macaulay, Alastair. "Master Builders of Ballet's Future." New York Times. N.p., 17 Feb. 2008.
Web. 20 Oct. 2014.
Lourie, Suzanna K. "Economic Uncertainty, Decline of Fine Arts Could Threaten New York
City Ballet's Future with SPAC." The Saratogian : Serving the Saratoga Springs, N.Y. Region
(Saratogian.com). The Saratogian, 10 July 2011. Web. 20 Oct. 2014.
Vranish, Jane. "Pittsburgh Public Schools Embrace Dance Program That Teaches Poise,

Camaraderie." Editorial. Pittsburg Post-Gazette 4 Jan. 2010: n. pag. Post-Gazette.com. Web.

20 Oct. 2014.
"Integration with Dance/Mathematics." North Carolina Public Schools. N.p., n.d. Web. 20
Oct. 2014.
Knowles, Patricia, Rona Sande, and Peggy Schwartz. "Dance Education in American Public
Schools (Open Library)." Welcome to Open Library! (Open Library). N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Oct.
2014.
Interview Source:
BLS Students
Boston Ballet Dancers