It is a specific dance, since its movements are taught through “key” methods and techniques; it is a way of telling a story using the movement of the body. The term ballet is also used to designate the musical piece composed, on purpose, to be performed through dance.
It is considered one of the Performing Arts . Unlike other dances, in ballet, each step is structured structured. Sometimes it is thought that classical dance is limited exclusively to legs and arms, but in any movement that is executed, the following invariably will participate: the hands, arms, trunk, head, feet, knees; in short, the whole body down to its smallest parts, in a conjunction of muscular and mental dynamics.
History
The word Ballet comes from Old French and means to dance. The roots of the Ballet go back to the 17th century where they danced, sang and recited to entertain the nobles of the French and Italian courts. The first work where dance, mime and music are combined was “The Comic Ballet of the Queen” presented in 1581 in France.
Louis XIV was the creator in France of a school in 1661, the Royal Academy of Dance. The dance was built from the five positions of the master Beauchamps, Italian, Elizabeth and circus dances of the time. Before 1681 , it was forbidden for women to dance, so men performed the female roles. Afterwards, the women danced but with thick and coarse clothes that impeded and made movement uncomfortable. In 1720 , the rebellious Marie Camargo hiked her skirt above the knee and created blackouts.
The ballet was developed in Russia and in Italy where the choreographers Carlo Blasis and Enrico Cecchetti from Milano wrote the first Ballet coding “Traite élémentaire, théorique et pratique de l’art de la dans” in 1820 . It was the subject of all kinds of renovations and experiments. The release in 1913 of ” The Rite of Spring ” by Igor Stravinsky with choreography by Vaslav Nijinsky caused one of the biggest scandals in the history of music and dance. Currently the Labian notation created by the Hungarian Rudolf Von Laban in 1928 and the Beneshian notation by Joan and Rudolph Benesh, which is simpler, are used.
characteristics
General characteristics
There are seven basic ballet movements: Jump ( Sauter ), Stretch ( Etendre ), Bend ( Plier ), Raise ( Relevé ), Twist ( Tourner ), Slide ( Glisser ), and Throw or Rush ( Elancé ). And it also serves to learn French. Ballet or classical dance is the specific name given to a specific form of dance and its technique. Depending on the times, countries or currents and the choreographic show can include: dance , mime and theater .
Training is required from an early age, it can be said that from the age of 8 it is perfect because as a child you learn to recognize the rhythm and the space in which it moves, to be able to execute a tour in ‘triple air, a entrechat-six, or 12 fouettés en tournant. In addition, ballet is very useful as a preparation for any other style of dance.
The technique of this dance has a significant difficulty, since it requires concentration to dominate the whole body, also adding a training in muscular flexibility, muscular coordination and musical rhythm. The usual, although not mandatory. A parallel training in music theory is ideal, although not essential.
For warming up, a fabric (or leather) shoe with a split or full sole is used, very soft and easily adaptable. When the experience, the physical condition and the strength of the dancer already require it, the training with the ballet tips begins. The wardrobe must be comfortable and, above all, it must leave the body marked to be able to see and correct its movements, paying special attention to the arms and legs.
One of the elements used in this dance is “the bar” which is a long and thin piece of wood or metal used as support in the first exercises of the class.
Tips
The tips are special slippers that dancers acquire when they have basic training for their feet. At the beginning of this process, dancers suffer but over the years they gain strength and knowledge that make their feet suffer less and less. The first ballerina to climb to the tip of her feet was Marie Taglioni in the ballet La Sylphide, on that occasion her father created it for her.
The use of ballet pointers in female students is scheduled towards the end of the first year of ballet (Vaganova School), when the muscles are already ready. The exercises in this stage are very basic, limiting yourself to rising on your toes on both feet and always with the help of the bar.
Inside the pointe shoes, there are different types. Depending on the instep of the dancer, the hardness of the shoes will be higher or lower. The more instep the harder. The first tips of a dancer do not have to be of great hardness regardless of the instep, since it has to get used to the effort involved.
Positions
The leg positions were coded by Beuchamps and there are five basic positions:
1st position: Both feet in a straight line, joined at the heels.
2nd position: Feet in the same straight line, but about 30 centimeters apart.
3rd position: The feet together joined by their middle part one in front of the other.
4th position: Feet separated in a vertical line forward about 25 centimeters apart.
5th position: the feet are joined in the opposite direction; both heels facing outwards, thus bringing the toes of one with the heel of the other.
Styles
Romantic ballet
Romanticism was a current that influenced the art of the 19th century . In this style, the pain of unrequited love is discussed. There is an interest in the imaginary, in distant realms, and in the supernatural. The principal dancer is very important. His passive image must be the object of idolatry by inveterate romantics. The most prominent choreographers were the Italian Filippo Taglioni and the Danish Bournonville. Among the most representative dancers are Marie Taglioni, daughter of Filippo, and the French Jules Perrot.
Classic ballet
The extravagance of the imperial courts is reflected in this style. The main function is to show polished technique. The dancers were statuesque. In general, a classical choreography consists of 3 stages: Pas de deux or adagio, solos or variations, and a final Pas de deux or coda. Women wear fairytale dresses or short, raised dresses called tutus . Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov choreographed the most acclaimed classics.
Diaghilev Ballet
This style was invented by the Russian Mikhail Fokine who collaborated with a man named Sergei Diághilev who coordinated musicians, choreographers, composers and designers to create masterpieces. This style is less rigid, they are one act and uses men and women equally. Anna Pavlova, famous for “The Dying Swan”, and Vaslav Nijinsky were the representatives of this style.
Modern ballet
After Diaghilev’s death in 1929 , new styles emerged. Contemporary dance became a separate movement, having notable differences from ballet.
Most famous artists
Among the dancers who have gone down in history are the Canadians Wayne Eagling and Lynn Seymour, the English Lesley Collin, the tan Arthur Mitchell, the bass and comedian Wayne Sleep and the immortal Mikhael Barishnikov. Famous couples include Alicia Markova and Anton Dolin, the English Antoinnette Sibley and Anthony Dowell, and the famous Margot Fonteyn and Rudolf Nureyev.
Most famous works
- Among the classical ballet works are: “Coppélia”, “Sleeping Beauty”, ” Swan Lake “, “The Nutcracker”.
- In the romantic style are works such as: “La Sylphide” and “Giselle”.
- From Diaghilev’s style we find: “Pethuska”, “Les Sylphides”, “Le Specter de la Rose”, ” Firebird “, “The Rite of Spring” and “L’Après-midi d’un Faune”.
- Among the more modern ballets we find “The Prodigal Son”, “The Rake’s Progress”, ” Cinderella “, “The Dream”, “La Fille Mal Gardée”, “Manon”, and “Romeo and Juliet”.
Methods
The main four:
Russian: Vaganova method, by ballet teacher Agrippina Vaganova ( 1879 – 1951 ).
Italian: Enrico Cecchetti .
French.
Danish: August Bournonville ( 1805 – 1879 ).
Derived methods
- English: Royal (Royal Academy of dance). Based on the Vaganova method
- American: based on the tradition of the Russian Ballet (initially Fokine and Balanchine, in the middle of the 20th century Russian masters of the Vaganova school).
- Cuban: driven by Alicia Alonso .
Curiosities
The Guinness Record for entrechats goes to Wayne Sleep who achieved an entrechat-dix by crossing and crossing his legs five times before hitting the ground. Nijinsky is presumed to have made an entrechat-douze by crossing and crossing his legs six times.