A feminist researcher disapproves of the National Ballet’s Don Quixote costumes

On Friday Having its premiere at the National Ballet Don Quixote the costume has attracted criticism.

Known as a researcher and feminist Saara Särmä wondered Instagram-in his update, why the character of Sancho Panza, characterized in the story as an uncivilized brat and fool, has been dressed up with the help of an artificial stomach to make him fat. Särmä characterized the outfit as a “ladies suit”.

In Särmä’s opinion, ballet’s “fat phobia” is not surprising, but he wonders if ballet can afford to exclude some potential viewers.

“At least I wouldn’t go, and I’m fat. I also know many others who think the same way,” Särmä says to HS.

Särmän according to our culture, there is a stigma of fatness, where fatness is associated with stupidity, laziness and other negative stereotypes.

The interpretation of the National Ballet is based Miguel De Cervantesin to a classic novel written in the 17th century. In it, Sancho Panza, the servant of the main character, Don Quixote, is described as fat in appearance. His name Panza means belly.

Sancho Panza has been depicted as a big man from the beginning, also in the theater and ballet adaptations of the novel.

“You can think about how tightly you have to stick to that character. Why can’t a character nowadays who is associated with positive qualities just as well be fat,” says Särmä.

The National Ballet artistic director Javier Torres has familiarized himself with Särmä’s comments. He says that he thought about the costume of the character of Sancho Panza and wondered if the belly button of the costume should be left out. However, this was not completely done, but the upholstery has been reduced compared to the previous version.

“First of all, the character should not be funny but very touching, as he was described in the novel. The main reason is that when Cervantes described this character, he named it Sancho Belly. It would be ridiculous if the character did not have a belly, which is an integral part of the character,” says Torres.

If the belly pads were removed from the character’s costume so people wouldn’t get hurt, Torres thinks the dancer should be dressed in thicker clothes to make her look sturdier. Again, it would not fit the context in this case.

He says that it is important that, body shamingista in other words, there is a discussion about body mockery, but in his opinion, Saara Särmä’s criticism is not in the right context. Torres suspects that Särmä hasn’t seen the ballet and hopes that he will come to see it.

“Overweight people have been mistreated in our society, and that’s a mistake. But we can’t deny everything, because then we end up in a situation where we can’t do anything. I think we have boundaries, respect and understanding about what we do,” says Torres.

The National Ballet from the fattening costumes of the characters in the shows there was also a discussion of 2018 Cinderella– in the ballet.

At that time, the costume of the dancer who played Perso, Cinderella’s other half-sister, who was chasing treats and clumsy, had foam padding added to her outfit.

In HS’s review the solution was considered unsuccessful.

“Perhaps comedy is supposed to arise from a lush person trying to dance a ballet reserved for slender people”, critic Jukka O. Miettinen wrote.

In the National Ballet performed in 2019 Pippi Longstocking – ballet had a scene where Peppi visits New Zealand. In it, the costumes and masking of the dancers were interpreted as colonialist and racist.

When Pippi Longstocking returned to the repertoire in 2022, the costumes, lights and masking were redesigned due to critical feedback.