The 5th Congress of Exercise and Sport Sciences - The Academic College at Wingate

Perceptual Changes of the Woman's Body from the 19th to the 20th Century

Diana Issan Saporta
The Academic College at Wingate, Netanya, Israel

Background: When we look at painting from the 19th and 20th centuries we cannot ignore the evolution of painting, and if we focus on the portrayal of the woman`s body the differences and the evolution are prominent. With the birth of photography at the end of the 19th century and its development during the 20th century we can also identify the changes in how the woman`s body is portrayed.

Aims: As a professional dancer in the past and a dance and movement teacher for many years I have always been interested by the woman`s body and the body image. The aim of this study is to examine the transformation of the female dancer`s body through the exploration of her depiction in art.

Method: In an attempt to address these issues, this exploratory study examined artifacts produced in the 19th and 20th centuries by society, media, and visual arts and their influence on the woman`s body image. It further examined the relations between the different techniques of dance and the female dancer`s body portrayal.

A deeper view into the paintings and photos of the 19th and 20th centuries through the eyes of painters and photographers from different periods in history reveals distinct views of the woman`s body.

Discussion and Conclusions: Dance and women dancers, in particular, have always been a subject for painters and photographers. Art, in general, and especially painting and photography have an important role in the perception of the woman`s body. At the same time, the evolution and development of new dance techniques in the 20th and 21st centuries have also impacted this perception. As such, the inter-relationship of art and dance, have both reflected and at the same time shaped society`s view of the woman`s body. Many questions remain to be addressed about the evolution of the woman`s body in the 21st century and the role of society in this evolution.

Diana Issan Saporta
Diana Issan Saporta
The Academic College at Wingate








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