Sōphrosynē in the city: Plato’s Laws and modern ballet

Abstract

Plato’s final work, the Laws, plans a new city in Crete. Far from censoring the arts as in Republic X, this new city requires everyone to sing and dance at civic festivals. Plato made two major changes from his earlier account of art as mimēsis (imitation). First, artworks can be accurate and beneficial; second, art’s pleasures help educate youths in virtue (especially sōphrosynē or moderation) while sustaining civic harmony. Plato’s Timaeus similarly links individual and cosmic harmony. Together these texts helped stimulate the foundation of Renaissance arts “academies” that led to court dance and, later, ballet. We argue, focusing on works by choreographer George Balanchine, that the notions of mimēsis and sōphrosynē have continuing relevance for modern ballet. Balanchine had to invent new ways for dance to foster harmony within a tumultuous, increasingly irrational, new city and universe.