Ballet for the 21st Century - Orientalism and Ballet

In this episode of MOVERS SHAKERS MAKERS mini-series, Ballet for the Twenty-first Century, Emma Lister and guest Phil Chan discuss his first book Final Bow for Yellowface: Dancing Between Intention and Impact, and his upcoming work, Shades of the Orient, in which Chan supports his claim that Orientalism is one of the major pillars of classical ballet. He puts forward some constructive solutions on how to stage problematic works (La Bayadère set in 1930's Hollywood anyone?!) and discusses the impact that recent social justice movements have had on ballet companies.Chan is cofounder of Final Bow for Yellowface, a pledge to eradicate outdated portrayals of Asians on stages the world over. To date, almost every major American ballet company has signed this pledge, and several international companies as well.Final Bow for Yellowface Website:www.yellowface.orgFollow them on Instagram: @finalbowforyellowfaceTHIS EPISODE HAS BEEN AUDIO TRANSCRIBED.This mini-series  has been made possible by a grant  using public funding by the National Lottery through Arts Council England.