The Monstrous-Feminine in Performances by Florentina Holzinger
Abstract
This chapter identifies the rigid structure of ballet discipline, a process so stultifying that it can shatter the very bodies it seeks to govern. Rather than beautifying these bodies, then, it transforms them into monsters, and in the performances of Florentina Holzinger, these monsters emerge and take over the stage, forcing the audience to see not the expected beauty but the actual monstrosity at the core of ballet. In so doing, Holzinger provides a space in which we, monstrous beings that we too are at our core, can recognize ourselves as monsters and even celebrate the fact that we do not, and can never, conform to the normate dystopia.
Fields of Study & Subjects
Arts and Performance Studies
Theatre and Performance Studies
Diversity and Impact of Dance
Publication details
- Journal / source
- Routledge eBooks
- Pages
- 45–54
- Publication date
- 10 February 2026
- Language
- EN
- Document type
- Book chapter