Ballet is similar to figure skating. Yes, in theory it could be modest, but in practice it is usually sinfully immodest.

Ballet and modesty, never the twain shall meet...

Even without Fr. Martin's seeming approval, or at least, lack of disapproval, of ballet, this character in his book was based on a real person. So if the downvotes in this thread are from someone who thinks of Fr. Martin as a modernist con man or something, this naysayer still doesn't answer my question. I wish he would.

I will allow that classically trained ballet dancers' bodies are formed in such an elegant way that it's impossible for me to imagine them in any kind of vulgar way. But there's a difference between immodesty and vulgarity. If someone has a child in ballet class I wouldn't think that would be wrong at all, as long as the classes are segregated by sex, and the parents don't intend their children to perform in public in the usual kind of immodest costumes. I can easily see this kind of ballet training as beneficial.

I would go so far as to say the well-trained (female) ballerina's body is almost ethereally sexless and almost angelic. Except for the costumes, it reminds me of a lot of religious art - very physically graceful. Ballerinas have a hard time dancing jazz, and that's a good thing.

But in my opinion the male ballet dancers - even though many of them are sodomites - still retain a great deal of their masculinity and are really dangerous to female eyes. Maybe with decent costumes; but then a lot of the ethereal quality would be lost, because it seems to reside completely in the bodies.

Not all of them are sodomites, but that's beside the point. Except I suppose I could have added that immodestly costumed male ballet dancers would be an occasion of sin not only to females, and vice versa.

Another obvious benefit of classical ballet training is the exposure to good music.

Another thought about that character in Windswept House: It wasn't her ballet career that made her an exemplary Catholic, and she gave up performing when she decided it was God's will that she only teach.

I know of a good family that runs a classical ballet school.  Mom and Dad were both classically trained in Europe.  When the Dad dances he wears a loose pant, but I'm sure "professional" dancers with a ballet company would not have that option.  They do strive to keep the girls as covered as possible, but they do have to move so leotards are necessary.  The girls wear skirts at least.

Generally speaking I would say that ballet costumes are usually immodest, but of course the dance is designed to show off the body so that's no surprise.  Ballet training is useful as it teaches a girl how to move gracefully, but ballet performance is something else, not a fan myself.

I personally prefer folk dances, the costumes are beautiful and there is so much skill involved in learning them.

There's the immodesty issue..
There's the dance issue..
There's the it's not Christian it's of the world issue..
How many more?

I would go so far as to say the well-trained (female) ballerina's body is almost ethereally sexless and almost angelic. Except for the costumes, it reminds me of a lot of religious art - very physically graceful.

You've been bamboozled. This is far from reality.




Abbe Henri-Louis Hulot - Balls and Dancing Parties Condemned by the Scriptures, Holy Fathers, Holy Councils and Most Reknowned Theologians of the Church

The typical male/ female dance is probably much worse than the typical ballet. Ballet is an art form. Someone would have to have a wicked mind to project sɛҳuąƖity onto most of what is seen in ballet.