BALLET HISTORY NOTES Ballet Beginnings… - First Ballet was Comique de la Reine, 1851. - Incorporated music, poetry, and songs produced by the court to portray plot. - Staged in Paris, Frace Catherine De Medici -First Ballet was produced by her -She brought dance to France -Came to France with Henry II -Brought trained musicians & dancers -Ballets had elaborate sets -Lasted from 10pm – 4am King Louis XIV (14th) - The Sun King, patron & supporter of dance - Ballet came to life in French courts - Ballet progressed under his reign - Nickname “Sun King”, believed to Come from his role as Apollo in Ballet. French Courts- Ballet Youtube Link https://youtu.be/ LDtpDlCf94g Pierre Beauchamps (1631-1705) - Dance Master of King Louis XIV - Began a notation for dance, Formulated beginning principals of Ballet - Created the five feet positions - Ballroom was a heavy influence of Ballet - Dancers were usually at the same talent level - Wore elaborate costumes (they were heavy, up to 50 lbs.) 2 Effects on Ballet as art: 1. Theatre and Stage (proscenium stage: vertical plane of space, surrounded on the top & sides.) 2. Turn out and Rotation- because of stage movement was side to side. French Revolution (1789-1799) - French Revolution- Ballet became a public form of entertainment. - Moved away from ballrooms and royalty - Government organized festivals Golden Age (19th century) - Technique changed and evolved - Vocabulary evolved - Ballet became more like it is today Romantic Period - La Sylphide- Fillipe Taglioni’s first ballet choreographed for Marie Taglioni. First Ballet to use ¾ length tutu. -Rise of the ballerina: pointe work & increase in technical ability, decline in male dancers, men used mostly as workhorse for partner work. Famous Ballerinas of Romantic Period… Marie Taglioni (1804 - 1884): -Italian, considered greatest ballerina of her time. -First woman on pointe shoes -Trained by her father Carlotta Grisi (1821 - 1899): -Italian, known for her role in Giselle, -First woman to use boxed pointe shoe. Ballet in Russia Marius Petipa (1822 – 1910) choreographer for Imperial Ballet in St. Petersburg -Choreographed over 60 ballets -All his dancers did pointe -Choreographed The Sleeping Beauty & Swan Lake Enrico Cecchetti (1850 – 1928) born to 2 dancers -Born in a dressing room -Taught Imperial Theatre in St. Petersburg (1887-1902) -Developed own technique & opened his own school. -Anna Pavlova was his student .