A Brief History of Ballet

A Brief History of Ballet

When it comes to dancing, there is nothing quite like the style and elegance of ballet. Virtually every other style of dance originates with ballet, and all styles are compared to ballet in one way or another.

Introduction

When it comes to art, precision and flow, ballet doesn’t take a backseat to any other style of dance.

Here is a brief history and timeline of this classic form or expression.

Introduction cont…

The beginning of ballet can be traced back to the Italian Renaissance courts of the 15th century. During that time, dancing and music were the featured in lavish events performed for the noblemen and women of the day.

Wedding celebrations were among the main types of events where the masters of dance taught their craft to the nobility. From these humble beginnings, the art of ballet was born.

In the Beginning

In 1547, Catherine de Medicis became the queen of France. Her family were the rulers of Florence, Italy and she introduced the French court to the same dance she learned in Italy.

What is widely considered the very first ballet was created by the queen’s chief musician Balthasar de Beaujoyeux in 1581. It was called Le Ballet comique de la Reine, was over five hours long and combined dance, special effects, singing and the spoken word.

The 16th Century

In the 17th century:

Louis XIV helped to revive the French’s interest in ballet by taking part in the ballets performed at his court. He opened the first ballet school in 1661. The school was called l’Academie Royale de Danse and was designed for dancers to learn how to perform for him.

The five classic ballet positions were created by Pierre Beauchamps sometime around 1670.

In 1681 ballets switched from the courts to the stage with the French opera Le Triomphe de l’Amour.

The 17th Century

In the 18th century:

French ballet dancers that have been trained professionally start performing in public around 1708.

The Russian Imperial Ballet of St. Petersburg was founded in 1738.

Dance costumes continue to be modified until Marie Camargo donned tights and removed the heels from her dance shoes, creating the ballet slipper.

Jean-Georges Noverre of France rejects opera ballets and pushes for ballet as a distinct art form all its own.

The 18th Century

In the 19th century:

Ballets inspired by Greek dramas and myths fall out of favor and fairytales, love stories and tales of escape grow in popularity.

Italian dancer and teacher Carlo Blasis pens volumes on the theory and history of ballet and codifies ballet techniques between 1820 and 1830.

Pointe shoes and tutus portray female dancers as heavenly beings, floating on air. The concept of the prima ballerina is born.

The 19th Century

The first romantic ballet, called La Sylphide is created in 1832 by Italian choreographer Filippo Taglioni.

French dancer Marius Petipa joins the Russian Imperial Ballet in 1847, which vaults the city to the top of the ballet world.

19th Century cont…

Ballet continued to evolve during the 20th century, spreading to North America and other parts of the world. Many different countries around the world now have at least one ballet school and company.

Several choreographers began crafting ballets with no definitive story line, allowing the body movement to express the music and translate human emotion.

Today, ballet includes both classical forms and traditional stories, as well as contemporary choreography and innovations. It continues to grow without losing sight of its origin.

Modern Ballet

http://www.pbt.org/community-engagement/brief-history-balletPittsburgh Ballet Theatre

http://www.cbc.ca/news/background/ballet/CBC News

References