Ballet — LLMpedia

Ballet
source
Name	Ballet
Caption	Students performing a pas de deux
Country	Italy, France
Creator	Catherine de' Medici, Louis XIV of France
Year	15th–17th centuries

Contents

Ballet is a theatrical dance form that developed in the courts of Renaissance Italy and classical France, evolving into a global performing art central to institutions such as the Mariinsky Ballet and the Royal Ballet. It combines codified technique, narrative and abstract choreography, musical collaboration and elaborate staging practiced by companies like the Bolshoi Ballet and the New York City Ballet. Major historical moments tied to figures including Marius Petipa, Sergei Diaghilev, George Balanchine and institutions such as the Paris Opera Ballet shaped repertories that tour venues like the Metropolitan Opera House and the La Scala.

History

Ballet traces roots to Renaissance pageants patronized by Catherine de' Medici, court spectacles in Florence and court ballets at the Palace of Versailles commissioned by Louis XIV of France, who later founded the Académie Royale de Danse. The 19th century saw the rise of Romantic ballets staged at the Académie Nationale de Musique and the Paris Opera, with choreographers such as Filippo Taglioni and composers like Hector Berlioz and Ludwig Minkus supporting works performed by dancers from the Imperial Theatre in Saint Petersburg. The late 19th and early 20th centuries were transformed by the collaborations of impresarios such as Sergei Diaghilev with artists like Igor Stravinsky, designers from Ballets Russes and choreographers including Michel Fokine and Marius Petipa, leading to the modernist era influenced by Vaslav Nijinsky and later innovators such as George Balanchine at the New York City Ballet and reformers like Rudolf Nureyev and Natalia Makarova who reshaped repertory and technique.

Classical technique codified traditions taught at schools including the Vaganova Academy, the Royal Ballet School, and the School of American Ballet, emphasizing turnout, alignment, pointe work and the five positions associated with teachers like Enrico Cecchetti and systems such as the Cecchetti method and the Bournonville School. Daily class structure used in companies like the Bolshoi Ballet or the Mariinsky Ballet includes barre, center work, adage, allegro and petit allegro, training dancers who may join ensembles such as the Corps de Ballet or rise to soloist and principal ranks as seen in organizations like the American Ballet Theatre. Cross-training with institutions such as the Royal Academy of Dance and contemporary techniques developed by figures like Martha Graham and Merce Cunningham inform injury prevention and athletic development, often guided by medical centers such as the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital and sports science programs at universities like Indiana University.

Classical full-length works from choreographers like Marius Petipa (e.g., productions staged to music by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky) coexist with neoclassical pieces by George Balanchine and contemporary commissions from choreographers such as William Forsythe, Alvin Ailey, Twyla Tharp and Christopher Wheeldon. Styles include Romantic ballets exemplified by presentations like Giselle and La Sylphide; Imperial classics performed by the Mariinsky Ballet and the Bolshoi Ballet; neoclassical repertory associated with the New York City Ballet; and contemporary hybrid works premiered at festivals like Jacob's Pillow and staged at venues including the Sadler's Wells Theatre. National schools such as the Bournonville School, the Vaganova Academy tradition, and the Royal Ballet School aesthetic reflect diverse choreographic lineages preserved in archives like the Benesh Movement Notation collection and promoted by competitions such as the Prix de Lausanne.

Major companies include the Bolshoi Ballet, the Mariinsky Ballet, the Royal Ballet, the New York City Ballet, and the American Ballet Theatre, while national institutions such as the Paris Opera Ballet and the Kirov Ballet have historically set repertory standards. Training institutions of note are the Vaganova Academy, the Royal Ballet School, the School of American Ballet, and the The Royal Danish Ballet School, supported by foundations such as the Ford Foundation and presented at festivals like the Edinburgh Festival Fringe and venues like the Kennedy Center. Government ministries of culture in countries like Russia, France and United Kingdom fund some companies, while philanthropic patrons such as the Joffrey Ballet benefactors and corporate sponsors maintain touring seasons to houses including the Metropolitan Opera House and the Kursky Rail Terminal-adjacent theaters.

Costume and scenography for productions have involved collaborations with designers such as Leon Bakst, Léonide Massine (designer/artist collaborations), and modern designers working with houses like the Paris Opera Ballet and choreographers including Serge Lifar and Natalia Makarova. Composers central to the repertoire include Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, Igor Stravinsky, Ludwig Minkus, Camille Saint-Saëns and contemporary composers commissioned by companies such as the New York City Ballet. Lighting and stage technology developed in theaters like the Royal Opera House and at festivals such as Spoleto Festival USA integrate digital design and historic craft preserved by institutions such as the Victoria and Albert Museum and archives at the Library of Congress that document scores, set models and costume sketches.

Category:Performing arts