CathInfo.com

Don’t be insane puritan!! I did mention to a couple of trad priests that some extremists think ballet is immoral. The priests both said this is ridiculous.

Also there’s some nutter here in UK started a group called the anti dance group for Catholics’ and his priest had to speak to him about being like a Protestant. You’re not him are you??

I have family in the entertainment industry, one a professional ballet dancer (all are practicing Catholics and very devout).

You seem to have an emotional attachment to dancing, maybe ballet in particular? It may be clouding your judgement. Solid reasons were given by a Saint and several preV2 theologians for why it is immoral..

From the OP:

If you disagree, feel free to comment pointing me to a Catholic saint or traditional Catholic theologian explicitly arguing that ballet—as the classical theatrical dance form that emerged in the Renaissance courts and professionalized in the 17th–19th centuries—is morally good or permissible.

Hey guys Justinian is right!


You incel losers need to get up to date!!!


St. Alphonsus was only speaking for his time, but if he were alive today, he would totally be ok with ballet mini extreme modernists also practice. Though in your case it’s reversed. 

Hahaha 😝 Let's not go overboard here! No vulgar dancing; no dirty dancing! But waltzes and ballets and Honestly! Let's not go overboard here! No vulgar dancing; no dirty dancing! But waltzes and ballets and foxtrotting, etc. are so beautiful!  People are going to dance! David danced in front of the Ark of the Covenant,  remember? I for one cannot refrain from dancing when there is glorious music on in my kitchen, for heaven's sake! Don't become a purse -lipped "tsk-tsk"-er!  It does not please God and it will drive people away from the good, the true and the beautiful.  Saint Teresa of Avila said, "God, please spare me from one more crabby Saint"! 


I got some responses from elderly relatives who remember pre Vatican 2:

‘Traditional dancing is not an issue at all. Some of what passes for dancing today is definitely an issue... and I do not mean ballet or jazz, etc. Go to a high school dance and the concerns will be reasonable.’

And:

‘Must be closet Wesleyans, anything 'fun' is a sin to them, dancing included’

‘Ballet is a beautiful, elegant, highly disciplined, and upscale art form that involves countless others in theaters including musicians (often full symphonies), stage crews, set and costume designers, choreographers, professional make up artists, pointe shoe makers, patrons and supportive families, many benefactors, and it often becomes central in social circles involved in behind the scenes efforts during galas, and even in political diplomacy. I don’t look at it through the lens of an uptight extremest, a prude, or with a dirty mind. The human body is beautiful. There are many famous Catholic ballet dancers from wonderful Catholic families. I personally know many of them.’

From another friend:

‘I love the pious story of our Lady s presentation and how she danced for God in the Holy of Holies, much as David danced before the Ark. Michal criticized his 'immodesty ' so God closed her womb.’

So Mr Gubbins of the Kimmage variety…maybe book a trip to the Ballet for the next young lady you ask on a date 😉

‘A time to cry and a time to laugh. A time to grieve and a time to dance. A time to scatter stones and a time to gather stones. A time to embrace and a time to turn away.’

You are why St. Paul commands women to be quiet in Church. Good grief, imagine being a protestant and having to listen to that ramble on a sunday!

There are some rare exceptions when we see nakedness like Our Lord on the Cross, or Our Lady breast feeding Our Lord. But generally, the Church has been very strict about it, especially outside of these contexts.

So the immodesty of ballet is clearly immoral, because it is totally unnecessary. For that reason, alone, and not as much the movements, it was right that the Church forbade Catholics from doing it.

You go to an indult Mass, and indulters do not take modestly seriously at all.

Yet a cursory glance at Catholic social norms anywhere in the world before VII shows that what indulters practice would not be regarded as right.

Ballet is in the same category as art and classical literature, it’s a celebration of beauty and art. Therefore it is certainly not prohibited to Catholics unless it is an occasion of sin for a particular individual. The same reason as classical literature is taught to Catholics even though some of it contains immorality. Would you ban teaching Shakespeare? 🤣I got this from an SSPX priest.