1. Chapter ?? 9 Ballet C H A P T E R

3. Chapter 9 Ballet Enduring understanding: Ballet is a classic, Western dance genre and a performing art. Essential question: How does ballet help me express myself as a dancer?

4. Learning Objectives Recognize major ballet works, styles, and ballet artists in history. Execute basic ballet technique, use ballet vocabulary, and perform barre exercises and center combinations. Apply ballet etiquette and dance safety while dancing. Evaluate and respond to classical and contemporary ballet performances.

5. Introduction Ballet began as a Western classical dance genre 400 years ago and has evolved into an international performing art form. The word ballet comes from the Italian term ballare, meaning to dance; ballo is a dance in the ballroom.

6. Chapter 9 Vocabulary Terms adagioallegro à la secondeà terre balletballet technique barre center derrièredancer directions Devantturnout en l’air

7. Ballet Beginnings Ballet moved from Italy to France when Catherine de’ Medici married the heir to the French throne, King Henry II. She produced what has become known as the first ballet, La Comique de la Reine, in 1588.

8. Ballet at the French Court Louis XIV performed as a dancer and gained the title The Sun King after one of his most famous dancing roles. A patron of the arts, Louis XIV established the Academy of Music and Dance. In the next century the Academy would become the Paris Opéra.

9. Court Ballets During the 17th century, court ballets were dance interludes between dramatic or vocal performances or entire performances. Sometimes ballets were part of themed balls such as pastoral or masquerade balls. The dances were the social dances of the day. The production had a story line or theme.

10. 18th-Century Ballet In the 18th century, ballet moved from the court to the theater where music, costumes, and dance changed. New choreographers and composers brought fresh ideas about what was ballet. Dancers and choreographers developed new artistic visions and expanded ballet technique in the opera houses and theaters in London, Milan, and Vienna that began to rival the Paris Opéra.

11. 18th-Century Dancers At the beginning of the 18th century in France, male dancers continued to dominate the stage. During the century, female dancers developed their technique and made costume innovations. Gaetan Vestris: premier dancer at the Paris Opéra who took the title The God of the Dance Jean George Noverre: choreographer who wrote about ballet d’action Marie Salle: popular dancer who abandoned the fashionable hairstyles and dress to dance in soft gowns Marie Camargo: dancer and rival of Marie Salle who shortened her skirts so her jumps and beats could be seen and who danced in flat- soled slippers (forerunners of modern ballet slippers)

12. 19th-Century Romantic Ballet Romantic ballets were dramatic action stories told through dancing and pantomime in two acts. This style of ballet most often told stories about love triangles. In Act I, female dancers usually portrayed villagers. In Act II the dancers were transformed into spirits or similar ethereal beings.

13. Ballet Dancers of the Romantic Era Marie Taglioni (1804-1884): An Italian dancer, she was one of the first dancers to poise for an instant on the tip of her dance slipper. Carlotta Grisi (1819-1899): An Italian dancer, she performed the lead dance role in the ballet Giselle with choreography by Perrot. Fanny Elssler (1810-1884): A Vienna-trained dancer, she toured the United States with her troupe. Her signature dance was La Cachucha, a sensuous, earthy, strong solo. Jules Perrot (1810-1882): A French dancer and choreographer, he is considered the greatest male dancer of the romantic era.

14. 19th-Century Classical Ballet Classical ballets told stories through ballet, character dance, and pantomime. Classical ballets contained two or more acts; the Nutcracker ballet has two acts, while Swan Lake has four acts. A feature of classical ballet is the pas de deux (dance for two). Classical Ballet Choreographers Marius Petipa (1819-1910): A French dancer who moved to St. Petersburg, he choreographed evening-length ballets. Lev Ivanov (1834-1901): A Russian-born choreographer who worked with Petipa, Ivanov’s claims to fame include the Nutcracker and Swan Lake, acts II and IV.

15. Ballet in the United States Before 1800 In colonial times, English theatrical companies toured major cities performing operas, ballets, and dramas as entertainment. The first ballet produced in America was La Foret Noire imported from France near the end of the 18th century. A colonial American, John Durang (1786-1822) was a circus performer and dancer. He performed ballet pantomimes, popular dramatic presentations with ballet and mime interludes in colonial theaters.

16. 19th-Century American Ballet Dancers Augusta Maywood (1825-1876): She performed in the American version of La Sylphide. In Europe, she was the first American ballerina to perform at the Paris Opéra. Mary Anne Lee (1823-1899): American-trained dancer who studied in Paris, she returned to form a company that toured U.S. cities. She was the first American to play the role of Giselle. George Washington Smith (1820-1899): An American-born and -trained dancer and choreographer, he partnered with May Anne Lee on tour and danced the role of the first American Albrecht in Giselle.

17. Early 20th-Century Diaghilev Ballet A Russian theater director and entrepreneur, Serge Diaghilev selected an all-star cast from the Russian Imperial Theatres for Diaghilev’s Ballets Russes premier appearance in Paris in 1909. For the next two decades, Diaghilev’s company traveled throughout Europe, the United States, and South America presenting works by new choreographers and dancers. The company presented classical repertory to avant-garde works. The dancers’ technical virtuosity and artistry would astound the world and usher in a new era of ballet.

18. Early 20th-Century Ballet Dancers and Choreographers Michel Fokine (1880-1942): Russian dancer and choreographer. Primarily he choreographed story ballets, such as Firebird (1909), but his signature work was an abstract ballet, Les Sylphides (1909). Anna Pavlova (1881-1931): Russian dancer and prima ballerina at the Russian Imperial Theatres. She created her own company and toured the world. Her signature work (the Dying Swan solo) was choreographed for her by Michel Fokine. Vaslav Nijinsky (1890-1950): A Russian-trained dancer, Nijinsky joined Diaghilev’s company. His work as a dancer created a new status for the male dancer. Nijinsky choreographed cutting-edge ballets that were sometimes shocking to audiences.

19. George Balanchine (1904-1983) Russian dancer invited to the United States to establish and direct The American Ballet company and school. By the end of the 1940s, the New York City Ballet emerged, with Balanchine as its artistic director and choreographer. He is known as the father of American ballet. Balanchine wanted to express modern 20th-century life and ideas. Most of his works were abstract ballets in the neoclassic style. Neoclassic (meaning new classic) ballet is a style that was built on classical ballet technique but overlaid with contemporary ballet style to create a new classic style.

20. Jerome Robbins (1918-1998) An American-born dancer, choreographer, and director who contributed modern ballets to the New York City Ballet (NYCB) repertory. Robbins joined NYCB in 1950 as a dancer; 2 years later he became the associate artistic director of the company. In his ballets, real people danced on stage moving in ways that reflected what was happening in society at the time. Robbins’ works provided a complementary vision to Balanchine’s work.

21. Ballet Theatre By the end of the 1930s, Ballet Theatre formed as a second New York company. Heiress Lucia Chase and colleagues founded the company. The company’s number of dancers, choreographers, and its repertory of dances included both classical and modern ballets.

22. Second Half of the 20th Century New York City Ballet and American Ballet Theatre toured internationally. Ballet companies in New York and cities around the United States emerged with new artistic directions that absorbed contemporary society and arts styles. The defection of dancers from then Soviet Union brought a new infusion of classical training that would blend into the rapidly developing contemporary ballet styles of choreography in the United States.

23. 20th-Century Ballet Choreographers Robert Joffrey (1930-1988): Formed the Joffrey Ballet with Gerald Arpino in New York. The Joffrey Ballet repertory was a combination of revived 20th-century ballets and new contemporary ballets. Gerald Arpino (1928- ): A dancer and company director of the Joffrey Ballet, Gerald Arpino choreographed contemporary, topical ballets. Arthur Mitchell (1934- ): He joined the NYCB as the first African American dancer in the company. In the 1960s, Mitchell founded the Dance Theatre of Harlem. The company’s repertory is a mix of Balanchine’s works, Mitchell’s works such as John Henry, and new choreographers with a wide range of styles.

24. 21st-Century Ballet Choreography By the end of the 20th century, modern ballet had morphed into contemporary ballet. Underlying this style was the traditional ballet technique. Contemporary ballet demanded that dancers train in ballet and other genres such as modern and jazz dance to interpret the ballets being created. Elliot Feld (1943- ): Performed ballet, modern dance, and on Broadway before starting his first of several generations of the Feld Ballet. His contemporary ballets have a fresh, eclectic style. Alonzo King: American-born choreographer from Georgia, he choreographs contemporary ballet works. His company, LINES Ballet, performs his extensive repertory. King’s extensive choreography and his company have gained him an international reputation.

25. Methods and Schools of Ballet During the 19th and 20th centuries ballet training systems evolved. Enrico Cecchetti developed the Cecchetti method. He recorded and published his ballet curriculum in the 1920s. His method continues through international dance organizations. Russian dancer and teacher Agrippina Vaganova developed her method. In 1934 she published her ballet method, Basic Principles of Ballet, which is used widely today. In England, the Royal Academy of Dance (RAD) developed a graded ballet curriculum taught around the world. In the latter 20th century, the Balanchine method of training emerged. ABT has developed a training curriculum that is reaching into academic and community settings.

26. Basics of Ballet Class The ballet class is made up of two sections: 1. At the barre, dancers execute exercises to gain strength and practice technique in preparation for dancing. 2. The second part of the class in the middle of the dance space is known as the center. Ballet exercises or steps are performed as adagio (slow) movements or allegro (fast) movements to the musical accompaniment. Ballet terminology uses French language terms because of its French heritage.

27. Characteristics of Ballet Technique Classical alignment of the body Outward rotation of the legs from the hip sockets (turnout) Codified positions of the feet and arms Pointed feet Basic movement principles (alignment, turnout, stance, weight transfer, and balance)

28. Ballet Class Safety Pay attention to your clothing, accessories, and your space. Shoes should fit well with elastic straps and ties tucked in. Hair is pulled away from your face and secured so that you can see and it doesn’t hit you or another dancer in the face. When dancing as a group, you need to practice awareness of personal space and group space. Following the teacher’s instructions for entering or leaving the space will help to avoid traffic jams or personal collisions. When moving across the floor, you should move without stopping and keep aware of other dancers moving across the floor.

29. Positions of the Feet Classical ballet has five basic positions of the feet. First position Second position Third position Fourth position Fifth position In these positions, the weight of the body is vertically centered over the feet and the entire foot rests on the floor (full-foot position).

30. First Position

31. Second Position

32. Third Position

33. Fourth Position

34. Fifth Position

35. Active Foot Positions Positions where the working foot is resting on or off the floor or it is positioned somewhere on the supporting leg are called active foot positions. All positions use turnout of the supporting and the working legs: B+ (also called attitude à terre derrière) sur le cou-de-pied (on the neck of the foot) retiré (withdrawn)

36. Ballet Positions of the Arms Classical ballet has five basic positions of the arms. They are numbered similar to the positions of the feet. Preparatory position First position Second position and demi-seconde position Third position Fourth position Fifth position To create long, curved lines your arms slightly flex at the elbows and the wrists, and your hands extend the lines created by the arms.

37. Preparatory Position

38. First Position

39. Second Position and Demi-Seconde Position

40. Third Position

41. Fourth Position

42. Fifth Position

43. Dancer Directions CecchettiRussian

44. Working Leg Direction The working leg extends and foot points à terre (on the floor) or en l’air (in the air); devant (to the front), à la seconde (to the side or second position), or (derrière) (to the back of the body).

45. The Barre The barre is the first part of the ballet class. Barre exercises prepare you to dance in the center. A second definition of the term barre is the actual bar—a rail that helps you to increase or test your balance while doing the barre exercises. Often before barre exercises, dancers do a prebarre warm-up. For basic barre exercise videos clips, visit the web resource.

46. Basic Barre Exercises demi-plié (half bend of the legs) and grand plié (big bend of the legs) battement tendu (stretched beating) on the floor battement jeté or dégagé (battement thrown—or disengaged— from the floor) rond de jambe à terre (circular movement of the leg on the floor): en dehors (or outward away from the supporting foot) and en dedans (or inward toward the supporting foot) battement frappé (struck beating) battement développé (battement developed) grand battement (big kicks)

47. The Center The center is a series of exercises, steps, and combinations of steps. The center part of class has several sections. Visit the web resource for video clips of center exercises and steps. Center Barre Exercises port de bras (carriage of the arms) first port de bras and second port de bras Introduction or Transition Steps pas de bourrée (stuffed steps) glissade (gliding step) chassé (chasing step)

48. Adagio Poses and Steps Adagio is the section of the center where dancers practice slow sequences of movements. arabesque: a pose, a step in adagio, or a step in allegro combination battement développé (battement developed) Classical positions of the body include eight basic positions. Croisé devant (crossed in the front) and effacé devant (shaded in the front) are two classical positions of the body that apply in a number of poses used in the center section of the ballet class.

49. Allegro Steps In the center, you do two types of allegro: Petit (small) allegro steps or fast, brisk movements pas de chat (step of the cat) jeté (thrown) assemblé (assembled) Grand (large) allegro steps, including large jumps, hops, and leaps that move across the floor ballet walks arabesque sauté (arabesque jump) grand jeté (big leap)

50. Sautés (jumps) Basic sautés are performed in first position, second position, or both positions. Changement (changing) is a basic jump starting in either third or fifth position, where the feet change in the air and land with the opposite foot in front.

51. Révérence You perform this choreographed bow or curtsy at the end of a traditional ballet class to thank the teacher and musician for the class. After the révérence, traditionally, students applaud the teacher and the musician for dance.

52. Becoming a Dancer It takes time and patience to put all of the moving and thinking parts of ballet technique or other dance genres into a seamless, integrated performance. In any dance genre, there is always something more to explore through your movement, expand through practicing, or understand both in mind and body. These continued refinements to your execution of movements, use of transitions, and sculpting of body line will one day transform you from a student to an artist.

53. Evaluate Your Development This activity (part of activity 9.4) is just an introduction to reflection and application of what all dancers do every day. This activity can be applied to any dance genre. Awareness of personal space Observing, listening, and learning exercises or combinations presented in class Memorizing the exercises and steps so you can present them accurately in time to the music and with appropriate quality or style Applying technique to movement Awareness of how movement principles interact with exercises and steps

54. Summary Ballet has centuries of traditions created by contributions of dancers and choreographers. Because of its long history, ballet technique has evolved through many styles and continues to reach new places today. Ballet training provides physical and intellectual benefits that extend to other disciplines, studies, and careers beyond dance.