Ballet of the Romantic Era

History of Ballet Culture and Development

Ballet BeginningsEmerged in 15th century Renaissance courts of Italy as a dance interpretation of fencing

Further developed in the French courts from the time of Louis XIV in the 17th century

Reflected in French Vocabulary of Ballet

The Ballet Comique de la Reine –

considered to be the first Ballet

Brought to France by Catherine de Medicis who came from the Italian royal family and became the French queen

Ballet Beginnings

Lingo and Technique

Turn out 5 Positions Pointe Plié Relevé

Tendu Jumps Passé Pirouette

Classical (1660 – 1830)King Louis XIV established the first Royal Academy of Dance

Wore masks, wigs or large headdresses, heeled shoes, corsets, and hoopskirts

Two French dancers shortened their skirts and adopted heelless slippers to display sparkling jumps and beats – discarded their corsets and put on Greek robes to dance in Pygmalion

Very male dominated until the Romantic era

French developed ballet that portrayed story with just movement and expression

Other ballet companies begin to develop, most notably the Russian Imperial Ballet of St. Petersburg

Began developing technique (jumps, leaps, pirouettes), toe dancing (dancers stood on their toes for moment or two)

Classical

Romantic (1830 – 1900)Introduced with La Sylphide in Paris

Emphasis on otherworldly beings

Pointe shoes – floating

White tutu – otherworldly

Dominated by Women (Cult of the Ballerina)

Sleeping Beauty, Swan Lake, The Nutcracker, Giselle, Faust (The Ballet!)

Grandeur of Parisian ballet spread to other parts of Europe

Denmark Russia – greatest

integrity of Ballet during Romantic period

New stage effects such as lighting and wires allowed for supernatural spectacles

Coppélia – last Romantic Ballet

Supernatural 1st act – earthly 2nd act – spiritual

world

Romantic

Neoclassical Ballet (1900 – 1960s) Used classical technique and positions More expansive, expressive Pushed classical boundaries Wider, more modern spacings

Neoclassical

Contemporary (1900s)

Basic ballet structure Utilizes many elements of modern

Turn in of the legsFloor workGreater range of movement

Contemporary