Grace & Poise: A Muslim ballet school in the UK

Abstract

Grace & Poise Academy is a Muslim ballet school with a unique syllabus
where students dance to poetry, not music, expectations of female modesty
among parents, teachers and students are met and attention is paid to Islamic theology
and morals. While cultivating Islamic adab (etiquette), akhlaq (ethics) and
Islamic pedagogies, the academy is also inspired by classical ballet training and
alternative holistic educational traditions. The result is both traditionalist and progressive,
and points to a possible future for Islamic creativity, signalling openings
rather than closures. The research for this article is based on interviews, media
analyses and participant observation.