History of Ballet

Question 1

Write 7 dot points about the era of Court Dancing.

Answer 1

• Combination of Dance, Theatre and Opera.
• Court Ballet had their focus directed towards a presence (i.e. King, Queen)
• Scenery and Costumes were lavish and ornate.
  Choreography resided in a skilled devising of shapes and patterns. The dance steps used were those of different social dances in the period.
• Was popular between the 1500’s and 1700’s.
• 1672 Louis 12th founded the Paris Opera and added to it a school of dancing. Professional dancers gradually took the place of nobility.
  1681- first professional ballerinas took to the stage.

Question 2

Write 6 dot point about the era of Ballet D’Action.

Answer 2

• A dramatic narrative presented through mine and dance (1800’s)
• A desire for naturalism- reflected through the use of simple costumes and natural hair styling.
• Noverre, a choreographer had great influence in reforming dance from the rigid formula of opera ballet to a freer from the dance.
• Noverre declared that, “We should have less of the Fairy tale, less of the marvelous, more truth and more realism and dancing will appear to much greater advantage.”
• Mime and gesture became important.
• Auguste Viotr is bridged the gap between Ballet D’Action and Romantic Ballet due to his development for the Demi character style.

Question 3

Write 6 dot points about the era of Romantic Ballet.

Answer 3

• Early to mid 1800s’
• Ballet was enormously popular and reflected the arts of the day (ie. music, literature, visual arts)
• Romantic age was concerned with dreams of the unattainable
• Plots of Ballets were set in exotic places and were concerned with the unusual and the supernatural.
• The Ballerina took the dominant role, all were thin to give the impression that they were illusion that could float across the stage.
• Point work became important.

Question 4

Write 6 dot points about the era of Russian Ballet.

Answer 4

• Russian Ballets have been in existence since the 1700’s, under the supervision of the Tsar. It wasn’t until the mid 1800s’ that Romantic Ballet was declined and the Russian Ballet in St. Petersberg began to flourish.
• Famous choreographer, Marius Petipa studied under Perrot, a master of Ballet D’Action. (This could have been a major influence in style)
• Ballet were grand spectacles, and complex full length extravaganzas.
• Music was grand.
• Ballets include Sleeping Beauty.

Question 5

Write 6 dot points about the era of Modern Ballet.

Answer 5

• Mikhail Fokine
  1. 1898 1st soloist in Imperial Russian Ballet.
  2. 1904 his theory of reform. He declared ballets on historical subjects should be true in movement and in design. Music, design and mime should all seek expressive truth and aim at forming a cohesive whole rather than making a succession of dance numbers open for display.
• Ballets
  1. Runic 1907 wanted bare legs on stage. Dancers appeared eredibly like the historical characters they were representing.
  2. 1911 Petrushka
• Tlijinstry
• Massini
• Tlijinska and others