The picture “Before the exam” depicts young dancers, who are emotionally excited by the excitement associated with the forthcoming, landmark performance for them.
Here, Degas did not set the task to emphasize the exquisite grace and airiness of young dancers, which he usually paid the main attention to, but conveyed the feeling of the inner emotional state of the dancers.
Each ballerina will emphasize the individual character, her own mood and experience, with which they try to cope in their own way, but with the first sounds of music and the appearance on the stage, the excitement immediately disappears, and everything will be dedicated only to the dance and the audience.
The image of old ladies, carefree chattering in the background, adds a story of emotionality, emphasizing the inner tension of young dancers. On canvas there is no posibility of poses, which favorably emphasizes the naturalness of the scene.
