Kendall Jenner covered the October issue of Vogue Espana, and the editorial ended up being surprisingly controversial. Kendall wasn’t naked, nor did she say anything particularly offensive in the interview. No, the controversy was that Vogue Espana made Kendall do a “ballerina” themed shoot, complete with ballet-type clothes and pointe shoes. Ballerinas on Twitter were SO MAD. They felt it was ballerina appropriation. They were especially mad about this video, where it became clear that Kendall has absolutely zero ballet skillz.
While I could defend a ballet-themed editorial, I cannot defend that one-minute video. It’s still the worst thing ever, in the history of time. Anyway, Kendall has finally spoken about the long-forgotten controversy. And her explanation makes little sense.
“It’s so funny that people are getting pregnant and married—or having crazy drama—but my drama is ballerinas being upset at me!” she writes on her app. “With my Vogue Spain shoot, I didn’t even know I was going to be a ballerina until I went into hair and makeup.”
She doesn’t get the anger. “It confuses me how people can get that upset when there are so many important things going on in the world. But, it’s obviously not going to stop me from working hard and being me.”
She didn’t know she was doing a ballet-themed shoot until she arrived for hair and makeup? Okay, I sort of believe that. Kendall is just a model-for-hire, it’s not like she has the clout to say yes or no to various magazine editors. Mostly, Kendall’s reaction – “OMG, I’m so famous and controversial but there are more important things!!” – is basically her reaction to everything. Kendall doesn’t know how to handle criticism at all. She could have ignored the controversy – especially since it was more than a month ago and most people had forgotten about it – but she just had to bring it up to make it into some kind of inspirational tale of perseverance. Notice she totally skips over the whole idea that ballerinas who have trained for 20 years might have a genuine beef with Little Miss Dead Eyes play-acting their craft too.
Photos courtesy of Vogue Espana.
Funny how all these people bring up the good old “there are more important issues in the world” yet never bother to actually talk about those issues.
And I wish all the Kardashians would stop using the words “work hard”.
Was just about to say.
I’m giving you ALL THE POINTS for this!
However, I actually agree with Kendall (GASP! The horror!) that this was just seemed REALLY STUPID to get angry over.
I’ll admit, I don’t get why they got mad either. They use models to depict accountants all the time, it doesn’t bother me. Her job is to be a model, if they want to model then go into modeling, don’t attack an industry for hiring an experienced model to….. model.
Agreed. Modeling is like acting. You just do what you are told and dress in what they give you. Maybe she ballarinas should be mad at the photographer since they have more control than the models
Yes.
plus 1.
I don’t get the anger. The shoots are set up way ahead of time, NOT by Kendall,. She as the model shows up, does as told ( if they are professional ) wears the clothes she is told.
She wouldn’t be the first to pose in ballet wear who wasn’t a ballerina.
Why ballerinas were mad at Kendall for the pictures and not mad at Natalie Portman when she basically said she became a ballerina in one year to “Black Swan”? Who was more disrespectful?
Ballerinas did get mad over Black Swan
Probably it’s a bit of jealousy that a real ballerina didn’t get the Vogue shoot, but Vogue wanted Kendall for the layout, so they need to get over it or don’t buy the issue.
Models model what they are told, that’s all.
@Hannah https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Swan_dance_double_controversy
Ballerinas were furious at natalie Portman for taking credit for dancing she didn’t do. Her body double, Sarah Lane, whose image was used for a great percentage of the dancing, gave detailed interviews about it. I think anger over this dumb Kendall shoot is an outgrowth of that, actually. But whereas Kendall is just a twit who goes where they tell her to go, Natalie Portman had ample opportunities to give credit to the woman who did the actual dancing and she didn’t because she wanted it to seem like an oscar-worthy feat. Tacky.
Well, I think it’s different. When they depict accountants, they usually don’t do any accounting, they are just dressed a certain way and shuffle tax papers in front of a computer.
I’m a language teacher, if they chose a model who didn’t speak a lick of that language, didn’t have a good ear, and didn’t train even a little bit to say a few words semi-correctly, I’d be side-eying them and making fun of her, too. If you go that route, I’m sure you can find a model that speaks the language in question – modeling is a very international job!
I think if she had just done the photos – I’d agree with you that it’s just dress up, but that video actually ventured into the territory of dance, and her lack of skill was painfully obvious. That was poor judgment on behalf of Vogue. I’m sure there are TONS of models with ballet background who, while probably still not as good as professional ballerinas, could pretend to be ballerinas for 1 min a lot better than this girl. So, a poor choice of an editorial, and well-deserved criticism, IMO.
She has nothing to apologize for.
Vogue has done layouts on models wearing garb representing different professions for years, with models posing in the garb of the profession.
If Vogue wanted Kendall they wanted Kendall.
The faux rage is a yawner. imo
This is how I think about it.
When they have models posing as accountants, I’m sure they make some kind of effort to make them look accountant-like.
With this ballerina photo shoot, they dressed her up but made no effort to have her look ballerina like. Those poses would be atrocious to any dance teacher, even the one where she’s on her toes. Her posture alone is nowhere near ballerina like, and that’s something that could have been fixed easily.
So, they dressed her up in ballet clothes, and they were done. I’m sure to professional ballerinas that says: you’re just prancing around in pretty clothes, what you’re doing isn’t actually important.
I kind of get it. I think it is Kardashian-centric rage tho. If I had worked as hard as those folks work at my craft, only to see one of this lazy, vapid, entitled clan posing as if they had any clue I might be pissed also.
I don’t get either.
I get ticked at models pretending to be chemists in equipment ads. They wouldn’t last two minutes in a real lab… Makeup to contaminate their samples, hair floating around loose to set them aflame too near a burner, etc. Just reminds me that real women who are chemists are invisible. They could at least get the basics right.
So I can see why real ballerinas would be ticked at Kendall’s poor imitation, although whoever set up the shoot is really to blame because they didn’t give her any direction. Kendall isn’t really very good as a model, she doesn’t have whatever it takes to seem natural in whatever role is to be played. They really shouldn’t bother interviewing her, either. She just isn’t that interesting. As with the Kardashian/Jenner Krew in general – her intellectual/emotional growth seems stunted.
The reason why so many dancers are upset is because in the video she was talking about how much dancing was an out-lit for her when you could obviously tell she had never danced a day in her life. Just jumping on pointe for a shot is disrespectful for all the years, bruises, and terrible feet that us “oppressed dancers” actually go through. The model, photographer AND magazine she was modeling for should apologize. And, she could have hurt herself doing whatever she thinks was dancing just by standing on pointe shoes. There are many beautiful dancers they had to choose from rather than Jenner. And it’s not even that I dislike her or her family.
Of course she doesn’t
She doesn’ t need to apologize. It’s a gig, she did the job.
Someone needs to tell this girl that she does not need to address everything that’s said about her. Especially if it was said a month ago.
She can’t. She’s part of the Koven. EVERYTHING is about them. Komments are necessary for their very survival.
She has nothing else to talk about, though.
Her eyes in the header photo are so vacant and sleepy. She’s clearly not a ballerina, but she doesn’t seem like a model to me either. She looks like a girl playing dress up, not a professional. Mille Bobby Brown’s Interview photos show so much more in the face than Kendall ever has.
I don;t think she gets why the sky is blue, so we are all not surprised. But I must say, “ballerina appropriation” is a bit much.
This^^ Really? “ballerina appropriation”? Ugh.
So much this, this is one of the few times I think things like this need to be shut down and shut down hard. Ballerina appropriation, is basically trying to create a white narrative of oppression.
Putting women of color in ballet companies as a principal dancer should be what they’re fighting for.
Why should they fight for that, exactly?
In a different thread today, FKA Twigs claims that women of color have certain things that are characteristic for their bodies that make them not suitable for ballet.
Guess what? Plenty of white girls get told the same thing. The range of women’s bodies that IS naturally suitable for ballet is very very narrow and, it being a Western dance form, is it really that outrageous that it favors white dancers? I mean, we routinely hear that “white people can’t dance”, and a lot of other dance forms (hip hop?) seem to be quite dominated by black dancers. Why is that ok, but ballet must change?
I mean, if a black dancer does have the body for the ballet and is deserving of being a prima, I’m all for it and I would consider it discrimination not letting her assume the role, but I’m sure at any given time, there’s more than 1 deserving ballerina, so I think that proving racism would be hella hard, especially to an outsider. But I’m not sure that this is a cause that would get me all fired up, if nothing else because of the minimal number of black women who would benefit from it.
Timbuktu, I agree, the number of potential dancers who have the natural physical characteristics for ballet is small. I think the aesthetic is very fixed and similar to modelling – the people working in that field also only consider certain characteristics (tall, thin etc).
On top of that even if you are suited you need to have the discipline and motivation to become a professional and then good enough and lucky enough not to get injured, to become successful.
Even then only top dancers can earn good money (corp-de-ballet dancers are on an average salary).
I studied ballet, and I was a natural turner and have high arches, but the shape of my feet weren’t an advantage for pointe work and I was told my knees weren’t flat enough (my teacher was telling me to pull up my knees when they were already straight), then my weight and my motivation went anyway.
No doubt there is rascism in ballet but I don’t think it’s to with physique.
@ Timbuktu hip-hop dancing is no longer overwhelmingly dominated by black people. There are tons of white people working as commercial dancers (hip-hop and jazz) Look at the back-up dancers for pop-stars. Even music videos by black artists tend to have a lot of Latina and other non-black women.
On the other hand it is rarity to see a black woman hired at a major ballet company. Whether that’s because of racial discrimination, body type, the expense of ballet training, or a combination, I’m not sure. I’m just saying.
Also, I’m not sure I agree that only a minuscule amount of black women would benefit from having more black ballet dancers. True very few people of any race will become professional ballet dancers, because there are a limited amount of jobs available, but seeing woc working in high-profile, traditionally white fields could inspire young children to pursue their dreams. For example, Misty Copeland, the principal dancer at ABT, has become a powerful symbol little girls of color.
@Timbuktu – Actually up until the 1950’s, the “typical” ballerina body form wasn’t the body form that most people NOW think it is. And that has 100% to do with Serge Diaghilev and his vision of flat chested, lithe. young woman. Before that, body structure on the dancer wasn’t that big of a deal. It had to do with having strength in their ankles, knees, and their feet forms. Actually most ballerinas pre-Diaghilev, were fuller body types. Because of Diaghilev, the “ballerina” body type was born, and adhered to. And it’s not a “western” dance form. It originated in Russia, and came here. You can call it a “European” dance form, but don’t refer to it as a western form.
And at Timbuktu says and Becky says… Most successful ballerina in the world – Misty Copeland. African American
@Goldie
Well, but how many of those girls who are inspired by Misty Copeland can actually make it to the top? Becky explained it very well how hard it is to make it there. It’s like being happy that we have Halle Berry so that black girls can aspire to stardom in movies. Yes, it’s fantastic that we do have Halle Berry, but how many girls realistically have a shot at becoming the next Halle Berry? Again – I truly am all for it, but I also truly think that only a handful of girls will benefit from these role models in a tangible way.
@Nicole
First of all, from Wikipedia:
“Ballet is a type of performance dance that originated in the Italian Renaissance courts of the 15th century and later developed into a concert dance form in France and Russia. It has since become a widespread, highly technical form of dance with its own vocabulary based on French terminology.”
So, I see no problem with my calling it a western dance form. Even if we accept your version of events (that it “originated” in Russia), Russia spans West and East, and I seriously doubt it that ballet was cultivated in Kamchatka. Moscow and St. Petersburg, where major ballet schools were, are very much in the Western part of Russia.
Considering that today any major Western city has a ballet company, I really do not understand why you chose to take an issue with that statement of mine.
Second of all, I fail to see what 1950-s ballet has to do with what we have going on today. Actresses and models also looked very different in the 1950-s, but your options as of today are: conform to modern standards or look for another job. It’s not a race thing. I don’t like it one bit myself, btw, I do wish for a bigger body diversity, but again, my wishing and reality are two different things.
Also, unless they did not perform lifts back in 1950-s, I can’t see how the body types could be THAT different: if a man has to lift a woman, then short, skinny women will always be favored.
@Gina
Most successful? By what measure? She’s obviously very successful, but I how do you figure that she’s “most successful in the world”?
Also, I am not sure why you felt compelled to say that. I do not believe I said anywhere that African Americans should not or cannot be successful ballerinas.
@Timbuktu I think you misunderstood my point. I already acknowledged that very few dancers of any race can become professionals (let alone principals) because there are a very limited amount of jobs available. Nevertheless, I still believe that Misty Copeland is a good role model for little girls of color. All too often, woc are portrayed in a negative light. Seeing positive examples of woc who are successful, talented, poised does have an impact on people. Some black girls have stated that they never bothered to try ballet, because viewed it as a “white dance”. So maybe seeing a successful black ballet dancer will get some kids to try it. They may not all grow up to be pro ballet dancers, but that doesn’t mean they won’t benefit from it in terms of discipline, grace, simply doing something they enjoy. Furthermore, when I mentioned Misty inspiring people, I wasn’t simply referring to dancers. I’ve read about her and she had to overcome a lot of obstacles (poverty, racism) to get to where she is. Regardless of what field they chose to go into, there’s a fair chance that a poc will experience some discrimination. So seeing someone like Copeland who has excelled in a field that has not always been welcoming towards black women has an impact on some people.
People on this site are constantly saying that they want to more opportunities for women in the entertainment industry, poc, plus-size models, etc. I don’t think it’s because most folks here think they have a shot at becoming A-list models or actors. Rather, seeing someone who shares your gender, skin color, body type etc. can affect your self worth and also the way others view you.
Timbuktu- the French and Russian roots of ballet may be connected. The Russian aristocracy spoke French… Even today there are borrowed French words in Russian that are easier to understand if you know French, since they are French cognates rather than English cognates (French and English parted ways a long time ago and the meanings of apparent cognates diverged). So I can see an art form popular in France moving easily to Czarist Russia.
Does she understand why Uber was upset with her?
I can kind of see where they are coming from. If I had trained my butt of for 20years and this tart came out with this I would be doing some major eye rolling and bitching to my friends and stuff but I wouldn’t go as far as some have. That video though *cringe*
That’s how I feel, too. I’d certainly speak up on social media, but I’d find the situation ridiculous more than insulting, I think. It’s not like that editorial was going to go to a ballerina either way, they would have rather changed the concept and kept Kendall than stuck to the concept and hired a ballerina.
Yeah but why do they think it’s any different for them. I’d argue that doctors train for YEARS and give up so much of their life to become doctors… and then you have tv show after tv show where the doctors are portrayed as unfaithful morons who spend more time gossiping or sleeping together than they do being doctors.
Or anything relating to computers on tv shows. Clicky clack on the keys for long enough while a video plays on the screen doing something completely ridiculous or impossible and you have all of the CSI shows or Criminal Minds, or what have you. Yell enhance and press a magic button, and you’ll suddenly be able to enhance ridiculously low quality images.
It’s pretty rare for ANY profession to be displayed even half way realistically – I’m not sure why they’re surprised that this happened to them – unless they genuinely believe that Grey’s Anatomy is real life.
This exactly.
@Erinn
Who said that it’s different *just* for ballerinas?
Doctors and computer programs are welcome to side-eye and call out as well.
I think a big difference, though, is that most people realize that they can’t fake being a doctor, not with some prep, anyway. But a few people think that putting your leg up and down a few times makes you look like a realistic ballerina. I was one of those people when I was 5.
It reminds me of that one survey they did on the streets, where people were asked what subject they thought they could teach at school right this moment. An overwhelming majority answered “literature”, because, you know, math and sciences are hard, but anyone can do arts and humanities…
But you trained your butt off for 20 years to be a ballerina not a model.
I just thought of this: is ballerinas are pissed at “Little Miss Dead Eyes play-acting their craft too.”, I wonder if the 80s and 90s supermodels feel the same way about the ‘instagram models’ of today…
I mean, it’s not apples to apples, but an interesting way to think about it I guess…
I’m more mad that she’s in pointe shoes and her stance and feet are horrendous. I didn’t care about the editorial she has no control over it.
Also the use of ballerina appropriation just minimizes ACTUAL cultural appropriation. Anyone can be a ballerina. Culture is something you are born with. I thought the hoopla was silly
Nicole, I didn’t see the original shoot but that pic in the dress where she’s barely on pointe just looks awful to me.
Naomi Campbell did a Vogue shoot years ago featuring pointe work, but she trained as a dancer. Shame the mag couldn’t find a model for this shoot who’d studied ballet.
The shoot was fine, the video was dumb. As for her response, wow so #brave 🙄
Why should people get upset about getting married or pregnant?? She loves the drama this gave her, let’s not lie. I think ballerinas were more upset about the video rather than anything else. This girl is so boring, I can’t muster any emotion for it though.
When celebrities try to pull the, “there are more important things going on in this world, what do you care what I do?” card, it’s very annoying! If no one cared what you did, you wouldn’t have a career.
The bottom picture of her on the barre is terrible. Aside from her height and her lanky body, I see nothing special about her. I feel for the millions of models out there with more talent who’ll never get a chance while Kendall enjoys a career based on nepotism and connections during the era when couture fashion sold its soul to social media.
simple don’t put pointe shoes someone who doesn’t know how to use them, it hurts my eyes
Exactly! That was my issue! She looked ridiculous!
This exactly. I’m ballet trained, and the thing with that form of art is that line is everything. I had to work damn hard to get it. So yeah, I get that everyone’s entitled to play-pose or whatever, but for me this was so aesthetically awful that I just couldn’t get past the gawk. Especially the pointe photo. Ugh.
This “controversy” was so unwarranted. And I can’t stand the Kardashians, but criticizing Kendall for doing her job as a model is ridiculous. That’s what those editorials are about. They dress the models up in theme costumes and take pictures.
Just because Misty Copeland crossed over from ballet to modeling doesn’t mean ballerinas have some sort of right to be models. Because that’s what they are mad about, right? That if there are ballerina editorials to be done, they should get the gig, right?
Oh my god.
Fashion photographer Sarah Silver (once married to LeAnn Rime’s ex) does a lot of photography with dancers as the model, because she studied ballet when younger, and likes movement.
They are talking what they use as far as equipment, but around 1:30 they begin to show the photo shoot of the principal dancer for the New York City Ballet Company, Sara Mearns.
Note: They show all of the photos from the photoshoot at the end of the video. Now, that is so beautiful how she captured the dancer. There’s no flexibility or fluidity evident in the Kendall shoot.
Sara Silver shoot. There is just no comparison to the tepid Kendall shoot with the results. And the dancer’s legs are amazing.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Shd1vx7IJw4
I bet they would not have gotten pissed if she did an amazing job modeling the crap out of those hideous pieces…but she didn’t…
All I got is that Kendall got what she wanted – attention. Otherwise why bring this up now and not at the time the controversy was first brought to light.
“I like walking around” LOLLLLLL
Wow, walking, that’s so deep.
That’s how they all are. A local radio show host was on the other day, and he said he watched Kim Kardashian’s interview on 60 Minutes. I guess it was taped before the robbery. He said listening to her, the only word that came to mind was “vacuous.” I saw part of the clip and agreed. I will always stand behind the fact that I don’t believe for a second she writes those open letters or op-eds she’s done before.
I’m mad that the fashion industry has made her such a superstar when there are far more deserving and better models out there.
I had to laugh when she says she loves walking around, being free because when 3 of the sisters, (can’t remember which ones) dressed up so they could walk around being free they couldn’t handle not being recognized and let people know who they were as soon as they could.
Before anyone judges me for watching the show I have no idea why I watched it that day, all I can think of is that I couldn’t find the remote.
No need to feel liable to judgment for watching a Kardashian show. I watched an incredible amount of The Girls Next Door (Hugh Hefner and his trio of girlfriends) because 1) it was the only thing on during the wee hours infomercial desert and 2) I just couldn’t believe it…
If they wanted it to look professional, surely they would’ve hired a real ballerina.
I was a dancer for years and don’t get what the fuss is about. She’s clearly just playing around and doing the job that was asked of her. No one would mistake her feet, lack of turnout and extensions to be anything but amateur. This is akin to little girls playing dress-up. It’s harmless.
I suspect that there is a lot that Kendall “doesn’t get.”
Each time I see her I think about what must have been a difficult business decision for Kris. Do I artificially enlarge the ass of the only one that has a shot as a legitimate model just to fit the brand?
I have no problem with Kendall doing what she was hired to do. I have a problem with Vogue thinking that any untrained person can pretend to be a ballerina. I just have a problem with Vogue, since the Kimye cover.
I’m not a professional, but I am a dancer. The answer is to laugh at how awkward it looks to someone who knows what they are doing, not get offended or mad. But like all these twitter controversies, the loudest, most ridiculous statements get the most play.
Agreed. It was worthy of a little snark and a chuckle…nothing more. Some people will always take it too far no matter what it is.
Kendall should’ve just given a self-deprecating response and moved on. Of course, the Kardashians aren’t known for their sense of humor and humility.
I can’t stand the kardashians but the outrage here is a bit much. She’s playing a part. I was a highly trained equestrian for most of my life and I just shake my head at photo shoots with models on horses. And movies. Nothing correct.
Look at the way she said that. “My drama is…”. It’s what she brings to the table, her storyline. They hold onto even the mildest controversy like precious jewels, because their only assets are how other people react to them.
I get that trained ballerinas work damn hard, and Kendall is clearly not a ballerina. But the way I saw the video was that it was supposed to be childlike, like a little girl pretending to be a ballerina? If that was the intent, than a real ballerina may have kind of defeated the purpose.
This is ridiculous.
I work in the dance world, in NYC.
THey call ballerinas bunheads.
No one would bother to take the time to even SAY they were pissed. Dancers are overworked and vastly underpaid but are devoted to their craft. They are blessed whenever hired. Whoever complained is an idiot. It is more than obvious that Kendall is extremely awkward physically. And she has NEVER denied it. However she is a tomboy and is fun to watch move. So…whatever. WHo cares?
Models MODEL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! They PRETEND to be WHATEVER the Producer of the shoot WANTS.
Get over it girls.
She is not a good model, maybe for Sears catalog Circa 1985..nothing alluring or interesting about her. I am so confused as to how she is a top model. Mind blowing.
Okay well I’m one of those dancers who’s been training for more than 20 years now & this shoot didn’t piss me off. However the girl looked a hot mess! You don’t put a girl in pointe shoes in Vogue when she can barely stand in them. Her feet looked ridiculous. And there are other models that could have done this shoot that know how to look the part.
OK that ballerinas were “offended” by a model posing as one for a photoshoot is ridiculous, and to go so far as to call it “appropriation” is the offensive part. Bonus angry points for making me defend a Kardashian. Seriously, if the “feet and posture” were all wrong, the responsibility is with the photographer or creative director on set telling her how to pose to make it look authentic.
Having said that, I hate that Kendull has to act all high horsey by saying “there’s more important things going on,” as if people can’t think about more than one thing at the same time. Also, as many here have pointed out, she’s certainly not talking about those things, so she’s a hypocrite to boot. It’s a lazy way to not take responsibility for anything and turning it on the offended party.
Angelina Jolie did a ballerina shoot. Why didn’t she just blasted for that?
Sorry but I’m baffled and amused that people are angry. It’s a photo shoot not even a movie or tv show. It’s silly to expect her to look professional. It’s not as if Kendall got the lead in “Swan Lake”.
If anything her poses are so “unballerina like” that it’s proof how talented a ballerina truly is, even in the way they carry themselves. I mean a trained model tries to pose as a ballerina and fails miserably.
Maybe ballerinas find it insulting to sexualize their profession.
Ballet like modern dance like acting tends to be populated by people who worked at their craft and continue to work at their craft but rarely earn money doing it and if they do they supplement their earnings with work unrelated to their craft. In addition to that ballet dancers have a short shelf life as do actresses for that matter. I can understand why these people might get frustrated and feel ungenerous towards these Kardashan types who seem to dress themselves up in the accoutrements raking in the cash for doing so while have no idea what the reality is.
It was a ridiculous confected outrage. This wasn’t appropriation. Ballerinas are not a historically maligned culture, religion or ethnicity. As for that video being the worst thing ever in the history of all time, really? I love celebitchy but comments like that really do lend credence to those who say this site is an outrage echo chamber.
Oops duplicated.
Come on Vogue. That video is hardly better than a Barbizon production with a Barbizon model, just better clothes. Kendall is a terrible model and it’s always revealed when she is asked to bring the magic, but editors aren’t seeing this? I blame them for making terrible choices and lowering the bar. And the barre too I guess.
I have two left feet but even I can tell that Kendall has zero dancing ability, that was so awkward to watch.
That video is like an unintentional homage to classic late 80s/earky 90s SNL. All it is missing is a Dana Carvey cameo.