Dance and Class

Dance

Dance is a central theme in this film, where American art—and the way we experience and understand art—is discussed and defined through the bodies of women.

Many scholars argue that Aznavour's true achievement in this film is her scrutiny of the dominant male gaze and voyeurism present in classical cinema. Beyond making the gaze visible, "Dance, Girl, Dance" presents alternative approaches to these visual systems, with both male and female characters resisting voyeurism and fetishism.

Dance, Girl, Dance1940

In this film, dance is not just a symbol but an object of semiotic exploration. Throughout the movie, Judy is associated with music, while Bubbles is detached from it. Visually and musically, these two women occupy entirely different soundscapes. Despite the musical gap between Judy and Bubbles, Judy shares the theme of dance with other characters, and her career is narrated through the development and shifts in the theme song "Morning Star."

Judy's transformation regarding the concept of dance parallels the contemporary developments in American ballet, and the film offers commentary on this art form. Tracing Judy's struggles, evolution, and success, "Dance, Girl, Dance" suggests that American ballet was established without foreign influences and had the power to defend itself, just like Judy standing up for herself and earning applause from American audiences. Aznavour's film acknowledges that dance and art provide powerful spaces where women can control not only their destinies as artists but also the elusive gaze.

Class

Two distinctly different performance modes—musical theater and ballet—along with two contrasting career models—exploitation versus self-expression—are juxtaposed in the film. While Bubbles and Judy embody opposing extremes, both women are not diminished or ridiculed; instead, their contrast serves as a connection rather than a barrier. The film emphasizes female relationships by portraying dance as a form intertwined with different desires.

The focus on Aznavour's gender themes often overshadows her concern for social class. Another commonality between the two female protagonists is the desire to climb out of their respective social classes. Representing different paths to independence and escape from their social strata, Judy insists on her belief that dance should be self-expression. Her dream is to become a dancer, focusing on skill improvement and gaining respect, embodying an idealistic aspect of women's career paths. On the other hand, Bubbles views dance as a tool for earning money and achieving economic independence. She doesn't care whether she is being exploited; instead, she challenges men on stage. Importantly, she mocks heterosexual relationships, using sex and marriage to transcend class differences.

Compared to the tightly woven plot of the girls' personal growth, the romantic subplot feels somewhat loose. The playboy suddenly appears in the girls' lives and eventually leaves. His feelings for Judy seem fickle, and his marriage to Bubbles comes off as a joke. Conversely, Adams' infatuation with Judy is abrupt, lacking proper setup. Towards the end, he hugs Judy lightly, thinking she's laughing when she's actually crying, indicating that he doesn't truly understand Judy's inner world. Perhaps this is Aznavour's ironic commentary on classic Hollywood romantic stories.

Basilova's role is crucial, even though her death is dramatically (and comically) staged. She gazes at Judy, appropriating the traditional, stereotypical desires reserved for men in Hollywood films. Most importantly, it's another example that highlights the significance of female relationships in the film, more critical than female characters entering the world of heterosexual romance.

Judy's resistance to the audience is not so much a challenge to the concept of women as spectacles but a creation of an alternative performance. An objectified spectacle directly attacks the film's audience and challenges the entire concept of spectacle. This rupture is immediately restored by subsequent enthusiastic applause. Despite the momentary supremacy of women's discourse, they return to the stage of spectacle. Aznavour's film, especially "Dance, Girl, Dance," is remarkable in both affirming the importance of the "female gaze" theory in the 1970s and acknowledging its limitations. It reminds us that there are women on both sides of the stage, finding pleasure in mutual gazing.