Ballet History A brief introduction on the history of Ballet as we know it.

Ballet History

A brief introduction

on the history of

Ballet as we know it.

Ballet Video #1

Written Records of Dance

• The understanding of what types of dances were done before any written record comes from musical scores, literary references and artistic depictions.

• No record of dance or dance instruction books until the 15th century. Earliest record in 1489.

• The first manuscripts found discussed the skills and duties of the dance masters (instructors).

• Dance master would then document choreography.

Classical Ballet History• Began in the 1500’s

– Court dances in Renaissance Italy and France.– Most dance historians believe this to be the first troupe to

perform the first ballet (Le Ballet Comique de la Reine - The Queen’s Ballet Comedy). It was said to be just over 5 ½ hours long.

– Dance technique was extremely limited so they depended on spectacular costumes and scenery to impress the audience. To make sure that the audience understood the story, they provided printed copies of the verses used in the ballet.

• Very different from the Ballet we know today.– Extravagant and lavish– Masks and costumes– Performed by nobles and royality – All characters

played by men– Became more serious and theatrical in the late 16th century.

Louis XIV (The Sun King)

• Paris was known as the “Capitol of the Ballet World”.

• Louis XIV had dances as part of entertainment (Ballet de cour).

• He established the L’Academie Royale de Musique it de Danse

• Using members of the court to professional dancers when he became too big to perform himself.

• Started using dance in plays to help enhance the plot.

Academie Royale de Dance

• Established in 1661 by Louis XIV– Dance masters were appointed to set artistic

standards for teaching and training dancers for court ballet.

• Pierre Bauchamps established a vocabulary for dance steps and created the 5 basic positions for feet and arms.

• With serious training, the French professionals developed skills that had been impossible for the amateurs.

• The French terminology created by the Academie has become the standard for the ballet world and is still used today.

Acedemie Royale de Dance Cont.

• End of 17th Century - Ballet moved from the courts to the stage.

• Ballet moved from the courts to a proscenium stage.

• Dances from the early 18th century can still be seen today.

• Although dance had moved to a stage, costumes and movement still reflected courtly heritage.– In 1760, the French choreographer Jean Georges Noverre

criticized the professional dancers of the Acedemie in his book Lettres sur la danse, et sur les ballets (Letters on Dancing and Ballets). Noverre complained that the dancers cared too much about showing their technical skills, and too little about the true purpose of ballet.

– Noverre urged that ballet dancers stop using masks, bulky costumes, and large wigs to illustrate or explain plot and character.

– Noverre developed the ballet d'action, a form of dramatic ballet that told the story completely through movement.

Evolution of Ballet• Male dominance of Ballet was being

challenged.• Marie Camargo was the 1st

professional to take place of an amateur. She introduced shorter skirts and soft ballet shoes.

• Women started wearing less restrictive clothing.

• Marie Salle was the 1st female choreographer to create dances without wigs and corsets.

• Movements became more difficult.– Choreography started to include leaps, jumps

and turns.- Pirouette was 1st performed in Paris in

1766.• Started to depict a meaning and/or

message. Ballets began to tell stories.

Classical Ballet

• Easily identifiable• Elaborate costumes• Fairytale of fables• Classical music• Three categories of dancers

1. Principals2. Soloists3. Corps de ballet

Carlo Blasis

“Father of Modern Classical

Ballet Technique”

Romantic Era

• Giselle is the most popular romantic period ballet because of 2 things:

-Well-developed storyline

-Emotional play on the audience

Tchaikovsky is well known for his danceable scores in:-Swan Lake

-Sleeping Beauty

-Nutcracker

Contemporary Ballet

• Similar to classical in that choreography still uses the same basic steps and positions.

• May wear Pointe shoes, slippers or bare feet.

• Lack of story line or plot.• More concerned with movement than

a story.• Elimination of elaborate sets and

props.• Movement is more abstract and free.

Examples of contemporary

ballet

George Balanchine known for:Leaving Russia for artistic Freedom

Choreographing more than 150 balletsFounder of School of American Ballet

Anna PavlovaExposed Americans to ballet as a performing art in

the 1900’s

Ballet Video #2