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Period: 1400 to
Renaissance Period: Italian and French Court Entertainment
Ballet, from Italian "balleto" or little dance originated in the Italian aristocratic courts of Renaissance Italy in the 15th and 16th Century. Catherine de'Medici, the Italian wife of King Henry II, introduced and popularized ballet as an art form in the French courts. Focus shifted from participation to performance -
Period: to
Baroque Period
Under the reign of King Louis XIV in the 17th century, ballet became highly organized and formalized. The French noble style of dance emphasized poise and intricate footwork and was foundational to classical ballet. He founded the first professional theatrical ballet company, the Paris Opera Ballet. It was also during this time that the five feet positions were developed. French ballet. (2023). In Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=French_ballet&oldid=1168831241 -
Russian Imperial Ballet of St. Petersburg
Founded in 1738. -
Period: to
Romantic Era
The Romantic Era in ballet refers to a period in the 19th century when ballet underwent significant stylistic and thematic changes. Ballets in this period emphasized emotion, storytelling, love and fantasy. It marked the rise of the ballerina as a central part of ballet, where previously men had dominated performances, and pointe shoes became an essential part of the ballerina's attire. Ballets: La Sylphide (1832) and Giselle (1841) -
Carlo Blasis
Italian dancer and choreographer writes extensively about ballet history and codifies ballet technique. -
Marius Petipa
French ballet dancer joins the Russian Imperial Ballet and helps the city become the ballet center of the world. Creates Don Quixote and Sleeping Beauty. -
Period: to
Classical Era
After the Romantic ballet era, the next major development in ballet occurred in Russia. Classical ballet is a mixture of the French style of Romantic ballet, the techniques developed in Italy in the late 19th century, and Russian teaching. Dancers are divided into leading roles, soloists and Corpse de ballet. Development of grand pas de deux. Ballets: Swan Lake, Sleeping Beauty, and the Nutcracker. Tchaikovsky’s familiar music in Swan Lake is one reason for the ballet’s enduring popularity. -
Enrico Cecchetti
Cecchetti (1850-1926) was an Italian ballet dancer and choreographer. He created a ballet technique that is now known as the Cecchetti method which is still popular today and taught in many ballet schools around the world. -
Sergei Diaghilev
Establishes the Ballets Russes.
Ballets: the Firebird (1910)
Composer Igor Stravinsky composes original music for his ballets. -
Labanotion
A system of dance notation or method for recording body movement is developed to record choreography. -
Period: to
Neoclassical Ballet
Emerging in the 1920's, Neoclassical ballet is a genre that developed in opposition to the style and rigidity of classical ballet. Heavily influenced by the Sergi Diagelev's Ballets Russes and exemplified by the works of George Balanchine, characteristics of the style emphasizes fast-paced movements, minimalistic set and costume design, and abstract storylines. -
George Balanchine and New York City Ballet
Former Ballets Russes ballet dancer, recognized as one of the most influential choreographers of the 20th-century, co-founds what will become the New York City Ballet. NYCB becomes renowned for it's athletic style and contemporary style by incorporating more abstract ideas. An inspiration for new forms of ballet.
Selective Ballets: Apollo (1928),The Four Temperaments (1941), Agon (1957)