The casual, come-as-you-are approach may pry open elitist doors for audiences who would otherwise find the ballet too stuffy, but I wonder about the cost. When you can buy popcorn or cotton candy at intermission, does everything become one big circus? Have we excused ourselves from dressing up and behaving politely because it is easier not to? Just because it is hard for children to sit quietly through a show, does that mean they should not be required to? And when we let ourselves off these hooks, do we miss out on the magic of the experience or ruin it for others?Read more