Ballet History
The ballet history is such a long
tale to tell. Numerous stories have it that the ballet history can
be traced back to renaissance Italy when people started to practice
the dance in the courts to entertain the Italian royalty. The dance
flourished during that time, about 15th century, as the
renaissance people started to develop a strong interest in art and
learning.
Let’s take a closer look at the
ballet history.
The Dance at the Court
As mentioned earlier, the ballet
history can be traced back to 15th century when the
renaissance people started to practice the dance in the courts of
Italy. The dance in the court was performed by the members of the
court themselves and it took place in large halls that were also
used for court banquets and balls. It reached its peak during the
reign of Louis XIV, who was also the one who established the first
professional ballet in the world.
The Rise of Formal Ballets
The early formal ballets owe their
existence to Louis XIV when he established the Royal Academy of
Dance to train dancers for the court’s ballets. Louis XIV was the
one who taught the dance, but he stopped dancing in 1670 for some
personal reasons. His courtiers followed his example, but then the
professional ballet he has started remained as the favorite. The
court ballet then gave way to professional dancing, and that period
marks the rise of more ballet companies in Italy.
According to numerous resources that
talk about ballet history, the first dancers of ballet were mostly
men who wear masks and perform women’s roles. It was later 16th
century that the first female ballerina came out to perform
professionally in theatre productions.
Throughout 16th century
onwards, the art of ballet developed with the use of a number of
fresh toe movements. The early dancers like Marie Camargo and
Marie Sall were famed for their sparkling jumps and leaps. It was
in the 18th century that the most famous choreographer of
dramatic ballet was known, the Frenchman Jean Georges Noverre. He
notably influenced many choreographers both during and after his
lifetime. It was alos him who advised choreographers to employ
movements that could be naturally and easily understood by the
dancers. The movements, as what he said, should work in harmony in
order to express what the dance is trying to portray. Noverre was
actually one of the most important personalities in ballet history.
The Romantic Ballet
The romantic ballet history can be
traced back to the year 1832 when ballet La Sylphide was performed
in Paris. It was this dance repertoire that inspired a number of
changes of the time, in theme, techniques, costume and style.
Perhaps what’s interesting to know about the romantic ballet is
that, according to ballet history resources, it was not a kind that
is restricted; however, the subjects it presents are of
out-of-this-world beings. And, it’s worth noting that the women
dominated the romantic ballet.
20th Century Ballet
Several forms of the dance emerged in
the 20th century. The idea of pure dance also grew in
popularity. It started to catch the attention of the younger
audiences, so it’s no wonder that today, ballets are often taught to
children. Also, more demanding movements came to emerge, as well as
new styles, techniques and forms. Perhaps, the most well-known
ballet form of today is the Swan Lake ballet, which was first
choreographed and performed by mostly Russian dancers.
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