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Gelsey Kirkland - Part 2

© Indrani Rauth

Artistically, she grew and made new discoveries about her art. For one, she realized the importance of musical phrasing. She learned that "the meaning of dance is not contained in the individual steps any more than the meaning of a phrase of music is contained in the individual notes--the meaning of ballet was to be found in the development of a theme, in the relation of the compositional parts to the whole." Kirkland developed a high sensitivity to the music, an ability to remain within the general structure of the music and at the same use artistic license to interpret it. Through this, she able to make the connection between music and dance.

Kirkland also mastered the ability to get inside of the character she was supposed to play. She tried get a sense of understanding of her character so she identify with them, and then translate this motivation into movement. She wanted to allow the audience a more complete experience of the performance. When she was preparing to perform the role of Giselle, she hired a mime specialist to help her learn to balance pure dance with dramatic expression. Kirkland wanted to encompass "an essential reflection of [Giselle's] inward being - each facet of [Giselle's] psychology had to be forged from a real quality in [Gelsey's] own personality." Her in-depth psychological approach came across to audiences. A review by dance critic Clive Barnes stated, ""few more experienced ballerinas have shown themselves to be so adept at distinguishing between the two acts of the ballet-at drawing the demarcation between flesh and spirit, substance and shadow."

Also, what set Kirkland apart was her superb technical mastery. Before she could truly give artistic expression, she required complete control over her body. She would refine each movement and each shape so that it contributed to the desired effect. She developed her artistry by blending a knowledge of when to follow the rules established for ballet, and when to follow her own artistic sense and bend the rules slightly. Kirkland would add small embellishments to add a sense of her own self in her dancing. For example, her use of her eyes was one of her tools of expression - a tool which could not be codified by the rules of ballet. The expression conveyed by her eyes became a distinguishing characteristic of her performance.