HEALTH OPTIMIZING PHYSICAL EDUCATION III

The history of ballet begins around 1500 in Italy. Terms like “ballet” and “ball” stem from the
Italian word "ballare," which means "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. Such restrictive clothing was sumptuous to look at but difficult to move in.
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, and during the reign of Louis XIV, the king himself performed many of the popular dances of
the time. Professional dancers were hired to perform at court functions after King Louis and fellow
noblemen had stopped dancing.

A whole family of instruments evolved during this time as well. The court dances grew in size,
opulence, and grandeur to the point where performances were presented on elevated platforms so that
a greater audience could watch the increasingly pyrotechnic and elaborate spectacles. Jump ahead 200
years and take a look at the proscenium stage at the War Memorial Opera House -- the elevation of the
stage and dramatic height of the curtained opening will remind visitors of this development first hand.

From Italian roots, ballets in France and Russia developed their own stylistic character. By 1850
Russia had become a leading creative center of the dance world, and as ballet continued to evolve, certain
new looks and theatrical illusions caught on and became quite fashionable. Dancing en pointe (on toe)
became popular during the early part of the nineteenth century, with women often performing in white,
bell-like skirts that ended at the calf. Pointe dancing was reserved for women only, and this exclusive taste
for female dancers and characters inspired a certain type of recognizable Romantic heroine - a sylph-like
fairy whose pristine goodness and purity inevitably triumphs over evil or injustice.

In the early twentieth century, the Russian theatre producer Serge Diaghilev brought together
some of that country's most talented dancers, choreographers, composers, singers, and designers to form
a group called the Ballet Russes. The Ballet Russes toured Europe and America, presenting a wide variety
of ballets. Here in America, ballet grew in popularity during the 1930's when several of Diaghilev's dancers
left his company to work with and settle in the U.S. Of these, George Balanchine is one of the best known
artists who firmly established ballet in America by founding the New York City Ballet. Another key figure
was Adolph Bolm, the first director of San Francisco Ballet School.

https://www.atlantaballet.com/resources/brief-history-of-ballet

Styles of Ballet

Earlier styles were connected with geographical origin, like French ballet, Italian ballet, and Russian ballet.
Later styles combined classical ballet and other dance techniques, like neoclassical ballet and
contemporary ballet.

In the 19th century, romantic era brought romantic ballet style, the most performed classical ballet
style. In the center of attention are ballerinas, female dancers, in classical short white tutus. They often
played the role of mystical female that enslaved mortal men's heart. Characteristics of this style are pointe
work, precise body movements, and intense emotions. Best known romantic ballets are La Sylphide and
Coppélia.
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Classical ballet style, like French, Italian and Russian, is characterized by classical ballet vocabulary and
techniques. Classical ballet has training methods which often got their names by their creators, like
Cecchetti method, after Italian ballet dancer Enrico Cecchetti. In 1920 in London was created a Royal
Academy of Dance method. This English style merged French, Italian, Russian and Danish styles. Best
known classical ballets are by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, like The Nutcracker and Swan Lake.

Neoclassical ballet style opposite to classical ballet has abstract elements, as no strict scenery, plot and
costumes and minimal set design. It eliminates the formalities and opens up to modern techniques and
ideas. Modern ballet style emerged from neoclassical ballet style. Opposed to delicate moves greater
athleticism was favored.

Contemporary ballet style utilized ballet techniques, like classical ballet and elements from modern,
ethnic and jazz styles and allows experimentations with ballet and modern dance. There is a fine line
between contemporary ballet and contemporary dance, and also between contemporary ballet and
neoclassical and modern ballet. Dancers’ moves are bigger, faster, and so it is characterized by robust
athleticism, floor work, turn-in of the legs, dancing barefoot, acting and mime.

Methods of Ballet

Methods represent formalized and standardized classical ballet training systems, often founded by one
creator or a ballet group.

Italian ballet style has Cecchetti method named by ballet dancer Enrico Cecchetti.

Russian ballet style has Vaganova method named by dancer Agrippina Vaganova and Legat method
named by Nikolai Legat.

English ballet style has Royal Academy of Dance training system that was created by the group of
professional ballet dancers.

French and American ballet style are not standardized as training system or method by one creator.
French ballet style has training system from groups like Paris Opera Ballet School.

Techniques of Ballet

Ballet technique formalized methods and execution of body movement. They define toe pointing, body
posture, arm movement and mode of turn. A great part of ballet training drill are ballet techniques. They
are practiced to become a part of ballet dancers, to develop aesthetics of ballet and avoid injuries.

Ballet terminology has a great vocabulary that defines formalized positions or movements.

Ballon technique means that ballet dancer appears light-footed while jumping and looks lightweight like
defying gravity.

Bravura is the showy style of ballet dance that consists of a lot of elaborate steps.

Pirouette is a non-traveling turn on one leg and consists of one or more rotations.

Pointe technique means dancing on the tips of fully extended feet.

The split is a position of legs where they are extended in opposite directions. Straddle split means that
legs stand to the side. The front split means that one leg stands forward, and the other stands back.

Plié is a continuous bending of the knee outward with the upper body part held upright.

Grand jeté is a long horizontal jump starting from one leg and landing on the other.

Turnout technique means to finish movements with legs rotated outward.

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Assemblé means jump that lands on two feet.

Fouetté is a move where a quick pivot on the supporting leg changes the orientation of the body and the
working leg.

Port de bras technique means to move arms gracefully to different positions.

Alignment technique means to keep head, shoulders and hips vertically aligned.

Cambré technique means bending body from the waist forward, backward, to the side or circular and
bringing back to center.

Arabesque position of the body means that ballet dancer stands on one supporting leg held straight, and
another leg is turned out and extended behind the body held straight.

FIVE FUNDAMENTAL POSITIONS of the ARMS and FEET

POSITION ARMS FEET

1st Raise arms to a circle in front of the chest. Bring heels close to touch; toes apart.

Open up arms sideward, raised below

2nd Bring feet apart sideward.
shoulder level with a graceful curve.

Raise one arm overhead while other arm Bring the heel of one foot to touch the
3rd
remains in 2nd position. instep of the other foot.

Raise one arm in front of chest in a half Bring one foot in front of the other foot to
4th
circle, while one arm remains overhead. walk strike.

Raise both arms overhead in a graceful Bring the heel of one foot to touch the toe
5th
curve. of the other.