This image presents a dance studio filled with young female dancers accompanied by their mothers, as well as the male and female dance instructors. The young dancers wear white, flowy, ballet gowns/tutus and pink ballet slippers. They are distinguished by the variety of pastel sashes tied around their wastes as well as the various colored flowers positioned in their hair. Some are practicing on the bar, others are checking out what they look like in the mirror, one young girl is positioned in an attitude dance step, while the others sit and chat with each other on the stairs practicing their pointed toes. Others stand with their mothers and stretch along the wall. The dance studio is crowded as some dances are pictured in a separate room. The time period of the painting feels old fashioned and elegant as the mothers are wearing fancy hats and long dresses with shawls and fur looking coats. Also, ballet is a delicate and graceful dance, and the painting is clean and precise as it almost looks like a real dance class. Also in the back corner of the dance studio it appears out the window that the view from the dance studio is of a city. Lastly there is a poster on the wall with writing that is hard to make out, but the typeface that can be seen looks old fashioned like the fonts from the old newspapers articles that we discussed in class.
On first glance I was drawn towards the image due to the beautiful, poofy, white ballet tutus. Then as I looked more at the image, I realized that overall, I enjoyed the color scheme as it is simple, muted, neutral colors that were soothing and visually appealing to my eyes. I was also intrigued because I enjoy dancing and the image brought me joy as I remembered times when I was dressed up practicing/ participating in a routine. While the painting is simple in style and color there is a lot happening in the frame to dissect. It was interesting to look at the various figures in the room and wonder what they are thinking/ how they are connected to the space. This painting shows that something as simple as a ballet class can be artistic, stylistic, and beautiful to capture and display in a gallery of the metropolitan museum of art.
​
The painting has cultural significance as the studio is meant to be a part of the Paris Opera house. When the painting was commissioned, that building had burnt down the year before, so it was a way to pay homage to the beautiful studio. The dance teacher in the frame is meant to be renowned ballet instructor Jules Perot. The poster on the wall is a memorial to Jean- Baptiste Faure, an opera singer who commissioned the work. It was originally on display in Paris before it was moved to the Met. Citizens of Paris who see this photo may have a deeper connection or appreciation for the piece as they can appreciate the recognition of the Opera House and distinguish the famous ballet teacher. Having that cultural background, makes the painting more valuable.