...Classical ballet is a traditional, formal style of ballet formed in the Italian Renaissance courts of the 15th to 16th century. It is known for its accurate and scrupulous technique including of pointe work, turnout of the legs, and high extensions. It requires graceful and precise movements as well as having elegant qualities. Classical ballet has since become a highly technical form of dance with its own vocabulary. It is an extremely influential form of dance which has spread all around the world. After its formation in the 15th century, classical ballet quickly travelled to France where it soon developed into an art form. However, during the beginning, court ballets were performed by amateur dancers rather than professionals. Most of ballet's early movements had evolved from the social court dances and featured stage patterns rather than formal ballet technique that we have today. The current ballet technique includes of the 5 arm and feet positions produced by Pierre Beauchamp in. These positions are a fundamental part of classical ballet and are very important because every basic move in ballet begins and ends in one of the five positions. In first position, the balls of the feet are turned out completely. The heels touch each other and the feet face outward. In second position, the balls of both feet are turned out completely. The heels are separated, standing around shoulder width apart. Second position is very similar to first position, but the feet are spread apart...
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...examined the question of “why dance?” in musical theatre. The purely danced constructs of dream ballets can be used to examine this question very specifically. Dream ballets came along with the creation of the book musical, which helped create musical theatre form we know today. Thus, dream ballets played a significant role in shaping the function of dance on the musical stage. In their original iteration, dream ballets served to expose the internal lives of the characters that could not be expressed by words alone. Even though over time dream ballets have fallen out of popularity in favor of new forms and technologies, the purpose of externalizing the internal when words are not enough persists in...
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...Ballet started Ballet, as we know it today, it began during the Renaissance around the year 1500 in Italy. In fact, the term "ballet" comes from the Italian ballare, to dance. When Catherine de Medici of Italy married the French King Henry II, she introduced early dance styles into court life in France. At first, the dancers wore masks, layers upon layers of brocaded costuming, pantaloons, large headdresses and ornaments. Dance steps were composed of small hops, slides, curtsies, promenades and gentle turns. Dancing shoes had small heels and resembled formal dress shoes rather than any contemporary ballet shoe we might recognize today. The official terminology and vocabulary of ballet was gradually codified in French over the next 100 years. In the video I preformed the basic steps of ballet. First start off with good posture to avoid a strain, stand straight and have your shoulders over your hips. In the 1st position my heels touch with my toes turned out and place my arms in front of me in an oval shape. The 2nd position I move my feet apart and open my arms wide, they should be slightly rounded and in front of me. Now the 3rd position I cross one foot in front of the other, and brought one arm curved in towards me and the other arm to the side. Then the 4th position I placed one foot in front of the other with space between, raised one arm curved above my head and the other out to the side. Finally I finish off with the 5th position by placing one foot exactly in front of...
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...However, the dancers and the theatrical elements in this excerpt of Giselle captured the true essence of contemporary ballet with the classical ballet elements in it. In class, we discuss the difference with classical ballet and modern ballet is the costumes and the dancers’ frontal positions on stage are the elements that distinguishes the two dance forms. Due to the fact that the ballerinas had longer skirts and had many formations where they were not facing the audience, I believe it is fair to classify it as contemporary ballet. However, the music seemed to be classical ballet music. In the beginning of this performance, my friends and I noticed smoke coming from the light fixtures. We thought it was an electrical problem that was going...
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...The name Ballet comes from France and refers to the Italian word Balletto, a diminutive of Ballo meaning “dance”. It is a formalized form of dance with its origins in the Italian Renaissance courts of the 15th and 16th centuries. It quickly spread to the French court of Catherine de' Medici where it was developed even further. In the late 17th Ballet developed as high art during the reign of Louis XIV, who was totally found of dancing and even gave representations in French Court. Beauchamp, who was the personal teacher of the King, codified the five basic positions of classical dance which are used every day by every dancer. In 1669, Louis XIV, retired as a dancer, founded the Académie d’Opéra with Pierre Perrin as director. As French Court was really popular in Europe, other courts imitated the French Ballet and Ballet spread around Europe and then around the world. Then, Ballet spread around the world and many companies were created in the 20th century: for instance, The Royal Ballet Company had was created in 1931 and The New York City Ballet in 1948. Besides, the predominance of French in the vocabulary of ballet reflects this history. Nowadays, for example, in all courses all around the world the French vocabulary is employed: it is always funny to hear Chinese dancers speaking about “grands jetés” or “pas de bourret”. It is true that becoming a ballet dancer requires some physical aptitudes. Actually, dance movements require suppleness. Every dancer does the splits...
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...ABE INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS COLLEGE MALOLOS, BULACAN CASE STUDY I. Case Study of Ballet Philippines II. Executive Summary of the case This case is about turnover and salary and the performer status in Ballet Philippines. How to deal with the turnovers and in lack of promotions. III. Background of the Case Founded in 1969 by Alice Reyes with the support of Eddie Elejar and the Cultural Center of the Philippines, Ballet Philippines (BP) is widely recognized today as a cornerstone of the Filipino cultural identity. Its audience represents a cross-section of Manila’s populace and includes visitors from around the country and around the world. Each year outreach and educational programs introduce new generations of audience members not only to dance, but to music and visual art as well. BP’s official school, the CCP Dance School, continues to produce dancers of international caliber. As the dance company in residence at the Cultural Center of the Philippines, Ballet Philippines is globally recognized as the country’s flagship company in ballet and contemporary dance. With a treasure trove of over 400 works, Ballet Philippines’ wide ranging, eclectic repertory is unparalleled in Asia. From full-length classical ballets and internationally recognized masterworks to indigenous works of Filipino folklore and social issues, the company weaves a colorful tapestry of the Philippine’s rich and diverse cultural heritage – uniquely and distinctly Filipino. The Company’s...
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...Ballet Terms: Adagio: at ease, leisure Allegro: brisk, lively Allonge: outstretched, extended Arabesque: position of the body in profile, supported on 1 leg, which can be straight or in plie, and other leg extended behind and at right angles to it. The arms are held in various harmonious positions creating the longest possible line from fingertips to toes. Shoulders are held square to the line of direction. Cecchetti Assemble: to assemble or join together Attitude: pose derived by Carlo Blasis from the statue of Mercury by Giovanni da Bologna. Position on 1 leg w/the other lifted in back, the knee bent at an angle of 90 degrees and well turned out so that the knee is higher than the foot. Avant: forward, a direction for the execution of a step. Balance: rocking step. Shift of weight from 1 foot to the other. Can be done crossing the foot either in front or back. Ballonne: Barre Battement: Beating. Action of the extended or bent leg. 2 types: grand and petit. Petits: tendus, degages, frappes, and tendu releves. Cabriole: A step of elevation in which the extended legs are beaten in the air. The working leg is thrust into the air and the underneath leg follows and beats against the first leg sending it higher. The landing is made on the underneath leg. Chaînés: [“chains, links”]. A series of rapid turns on half or full point with the legs in a tight first position, rotating a half turn on one foot and the other half on the...
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...At the Ballet: The Experiences of the Black Ballerina Historically, there have been strict norms for femininity in ballet which have remained relevant in modern times; ballerinas are expected to be lean and willowy, tall and blonde, in which is reflection of the traditional body ideal of classical Russian ballet. They are expected to use light, graceful, and fluid movements, which in turn established the body ideal. Uniformity is desired among the female dancers, as the art form requires symmetry and balance when performing as a group. However, as a male, the only requirement is to be good support for the ballerinas (Howard, 2017), resulting in a less strict standard of beauty. Ballet, since its inception, has been a sport that was incurred...
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...To many, ballet is discerned as the first style to combine social dance and choreographed display. Ballet was the favoured art form to entertain during Renaissance France thus fundamental for aristocratic banquets and was identified for their strict code of movement and visual detail. Ballet became more centred on performance rather than participation and began to incorporate narrative elements and music (Ted-Ed, 2016). In the early 20th century, the Ballet Russes became anchored as pioneers in a new era of modern ballet. Remembered for their amalgamation of art, music and choreography, they were a revolutionary creative force. Central to this innovation was Michel Fokine, the earliest choreographer, produced The Firebird in 1910; a story of...
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...The Art Of Ballet The production of Matthew Bourne’s Swan Lake tells a beautiful story that differs completely from the original Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake. He presents to the audience story line through well-choreographed ballet that is clear and does not require an extensive reading of the program notes to comprehend (Motzkus). The audience does not have to be well experienced or have any background in dance to grasp the understanding of the plot and characters development. Bourne’s Swan Lake takes the world by storm by replacing the main roles such as Odette/Odile and the swans, always played by ballerinas, with male dancers and presents before us his interpretation of Swan Lake. But what is the typical swan from Swan Lake? My first thought, like many others, would be just like this group of female dancers in their ruffles of tutu, tights, and tiara headpiece. A group of swans dance around their princess. They hope that she will find a prince of pure of heart who will pledge his love to her in order to break the curse. However the prince and princess are face with many challenges that will test their love and devotion to one another. It was only in death were they finally able to be together. And all this express with no words just dance movement and climatic music. [pic] [pic] Picture 1 Picture 2 But here comes Matthew Bourne who takes these thoughts and replaces all that everyone is used to in the performing arts with a group of dancers in knee-high feathered trousers...
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...Introduction In my essay I am going to be discussing ‘Tragic Ballets ‘and ‘Heroines’. As a child I spent a brief period studying ballet and on a visit to Prague, in February 2013, I enjoyed watching the Russian Ballet perform 'Giselle' at the Prague State Opera House. I have often wondered why so many ballets and the female heroines in them end in tragedy. My essay will discuss the issues that female heroines face and the events that eventually bring them to their fate. I will also discuss the origins and definitions of ‘heroine’ and ‘tragedy’. In order to examine my chosen themes I started my investigation by watching, analysing and comparing the films ‘Black Swan’, ‘The Red Shoes’ and the ballet ‘Giselle’. I read the feminist writings of Marina Warner on the portrayal of women, the Catholic Church and also her book on ‘Joan of Arc. In my essay I will be discussing the themes of love, conquest, devotion, deception, spirituality and how they play a role in altering the lives of the female protagonists in various different situations and offer my own opinions on how the tragedies are formed. I will begin my comparison of the female heroines that I will be discussing, with Giselle. Figure 1'Giselle and Count Albrecht' The Russian Ballet Giselle is a poor peasant’s daughter who falls in love with Count Albrecht. Count Albrecht’s character plays the main part in the protagonist Giselle’s downfall during the ballet, as he breaks her heart when she learns that he is betrothed...
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...Ballet and Modern Dance Dancing is considered to be a form of expression and is known to be one of the most exquisite and expressive forms of art. Dancers use body movements to create stories and send emotions to their audience. Some dancers perform ballet, while others perform modern dance. Ballet and modern dance are two forms of dance that have strongly influenced the development of other various styles of dance, and can express emotions such as love, joy, anger and sorrow. Conoley-Paladino (2012), “In the very beginning, modern dance was considered to be an expressional dance and ballet was considered to be a technical dance. However, the two forms have since merged.” (para. 2). Ballet began in Italy in the 14th century and was introduced to France by Catherin de’ Medici. The first ballet with music, props, and movement took place in France, in front of Catherin and the courts. (apollolibrary.com, 2013) The term “ballet” comes from France and traces back to Italy, which means “to dance”. Ballet continued to develop throughout the 15th and 16th centuries, and well into the 20th century, where different styles of ballet soon developed. (balletdancersguide.com, 2014) Ballet can tell a story, express feelings, or reflect music, and is usually performed in front of an audience. Ballet is a very graceful dance, in which dancers perform unnatural body movements, such as leg extensions above their head. However, these movements look natural when done correctly. ...
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...Ballet Script Introduction Ballet is a form of dance that uses emotions, Physical movement, and gestures. Ballets tell a story, like a play except the dancers don’t speak. Some examples of different ballets are Swan Lake, Cinderella, and the Nutcracker. Ballet is an art, just like a painting or a piece of music. Technique Ballet is based off 5 positions of the feet. Dancers turn their feet outwards which helps with leaps, turns, and balance. In ballet, not only are there positions for the feet, but there are positions for the arms and head, that help with their posture. Because, in ballet you need to have the perfect posture. Ballet dancers dance on the point of their toes which is called dancing on pointe. Usually only female dancers dance...
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...As a ballet dancer, each day I strive for perfection. As a girl who is naturally short with short legs, sometimes that can be hard because it can lead to shorter lines, which are not aesthetically pleasing. Grand allegro, or big jumps, is especially challenging because I do my grand jetes higher and in a shorter time frame than the girls who have the long legs. I continuously get corrections to lengthen my lines during grand jetes because I am not in the air for long enough to do so. While I cannot change what I was born with, I can figure out a way to stay in the air for a longer amount of time and travel a longer distance, which would allow me to lengthening out my legs and give longer lines. A grand jete is a leap that I take from running....
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...Ballet blanc was a time period when all the dancers wore white. For instance, ballet dancers would all look the same (height, weight, hair color, skin color, etc.) and they would wear soft romantic tutus that flowed down to their ankles. Their pointe shoes and tights were even white! The atmosphere that the ballet blanc created was not only sweet but soft. The lighting was soft and music was sweet. Some examples of ballet blanc would be the performance of La Sylphide, act two and Giselle. I chose to watch and write about the video on Coppelia by the Royal Ballet. The performance took place on a stage in a theater. The lighting was darker, but where the two main dancers were on stage it was more lighted so you could see them more clearly. On the stage there were many props ranging from a table and chairs to life sized dolls and manikins in the background. Not only were there props, but the stage was decorated as if the setting was taking place in a basement or cellar. The sound of the music created a dark, light, mysterious, and magical feeling to the...
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