 By 1661, a dance academy had opened in Paris, and in

History of Ballet
1681 ballet moved from the courts to the stage. The
 Ballet originated in the Italian Renaissance courts of the French operaLe Triomphe de l’Amour incorporated

15th century. ballet elements, creating a long-standing opera-ballet

 Noblemen and women were treated to lavish events, tradition in France.

especially wedding celebrations, where dancing and  By the mid-1700s French ballet master Jean Georges
music created an elaborate spectacle. Dancing masters Noverre rebelled against the artifice of opera-ballet,
taught the steps to the nobility, and the court believing that ballet could stand on its own as an art
participated in the performances. form. His notions — that ballet should contain

 In the 16th century, Catherine de Medici — an Italian expressive, dramatic movement that should reveal the

noblewoman, wife of King Henry II of France and a relationships between characters — introduced

great patron of the arts — began to fund ballet in the the ballet d’action, a dramatic style of ballet that

French court. Her elaborate festivals encouraged the conveys a narrative. Noverre’s work is considered the

growth of ballet de cour, a program that precursor to the narrative ballets of the 19th century.

included dance, decor, costume, song, music and

poetry.
 A century later, King Louis XIV helped to popularize
and standardize the art form. A passionate dancer, he
performed many roles himself, including that of the Sun
King in Ballet de la nuit. His love of ballet fostered its
elevation from a past time for amateurs to an endeavor
requiring professional training.
BASIC POSITIONS
(FEET)
1. Possibly the easiest of the basic ballet positions is
first position in ballet is a position of the feet where a
dancer is standing with their heels together and toes
facing equally out to either side.
2. Continuing with our ballet positions, we come to
second position which is very similar to first, just
with the feet about hip distance apart.
3. To do third position, simply start in first position,
then move the heel of one of your feet to the middle
of the other. Your legs should remain straight with
the feet and legs turned out equally.
4. Fourth position is a very important position for
different types of pirouettes. To stand in fourth
position, place one foot in front of the other, about a
foot’s distance apart.
5. The most difficult of all the basic ballet positions is
fifth position. To do fifth position in ballet, stand
with your feet close together, one in front of the
other and turned out away from the body.
TERMINOLOGIES
(ARMS)
1. First position with the arms looks like you are holding a
beach ball in the middle of your stomach right in front
of you.
2. To try second position, start in a nice looking first
position of the arms, then open at the elbows, only
moving them slightly back a couple inches.
3. Start with your arms in first, and simply open one arm
to second, leaving the other one in its place in first.
4. Fourth will start to be a little trickier than the first three
positions. Starting in first position of the arms, move to
a third position by opening one arm. Now, with the arm
still in first, lift it above your head, completing the
fourth position.
5. Starting in first position, simply lift both of your arms
over your head and extend them very slightly.
1. Assemblé (assam blay) - Lifting off the floor on one
leg, and landing on two. Legs assemble at the same
time and return to fifth position.
2. Grande Jeté (grand jeh tay) - a big jump from one
foot to the other in which the working leg is brushed
into the air and appears to have been thrown.
3. Croisé (quo say) - A dancer stands with legs crossed at
an angle to the audience. The disengaged leg may be
crossed in the front or in the back.
4. Turn-out - The dancer turns his or her feet and legs out
from the hip joints to a 90-degree position.
5. Classical Ballet - a traditional style of ballet which
stresses the academic technique developed through the
centuries of the existence of ballet.
6. Modern Ballet - a type of ballet from the twentieth
century. To this day, modern ballet looks to re-invent
itself and reach out in an ever-increasing facet of
creation and movement.
7. Ballerina - a female dancer in a ballet company.
8. Danseur - a male dancer in a ballet company.
HISTORY
9. Choreographer - a person who composes or invents
ballets or dances.
10. Choreography - describes the steps, combinations, and
patterns of a ballet or dance.
11. Pointe Shoes - The satin ballet shoes used by dancers
when dancing on their pointes (toes). Pointe shoes are
reinforced with a box constructed of numerous layers of
strong glue in between layers of material. Pointe shoes
are not made of cement or wood.
12. Tutu - the short classical ballet skirt made of many
layers of net. A romantic tutu is a long net skirt
reaching below the calf.
13. Barre - a horizontal bar (usually made of wood) along
a studio wall for class exercises. Every ballet class
begins with barre exercises.
 Ballet originated in the Italian Renaissance courts of the
15th century.
  In the 16th century, Catherine de Medici — an Italian 5. To do fifth position in ballet, stand with your feet close
noblewoman, wife of King Henry II of France and a together, one in front of the other and turned out away
great patron of the arts — began to fund ballet in the from the body.
French court.
(ARMS)
 By the mid-1700s French ballet master Jean Georges
Noverre rebelled against the artifice of opera-ballet, 1. First position with the arms looks like you are holding a
believing that ballet could stand on its own as an art beach ball in the middle of your stomach right in front
form. of you.
2. Start in a nice looking first position of the arms, then
BASIC POSITIONS open at the elbows, only moving them slightly back a
couple inches.
(FEET)
3. Start with your arms in first, and simply open one arm
1. A position of the feet where a dancer is standing with to second, leaving the other one in its place in first.
their heels together and toes facing equally out to either 4. Fourth will start to be a little trickier than the first three
side. positions. Starting in first position of the arms, move to
2. Second position which is very similar to first, just with a third position by opening one arm. Now, with the arm
the feet about hip distance apart. still in first, lift it above your head, completing the
3. Start in first position, then move the heel of one of your fourth position.
feet to the middle of the other. Your legs should remain 5. Starting in first position, simply lift both of your arms
straight with the feet and legs turned out equally. over your head and extend them very slightly.
4. To stand in fourth position, place one foot in front of
TERMINOLOGIES
the other, about a foot’s distance apart.
Plié (plee ay) - means bent, bending - of the knee or knees.
Pirouette (peer o wet) - a rotation or spin - a complete turn of Allegro (a leg grow) - allegro in ballet involves fast and
the body on one foot, on point or demi-pointe (half- pointe). dynamic movements, usually jumping steps and sequences.

Tour en l'air (tour on lair) - a turn in the air - usually a male

dancer's step, although ballerinas may do them to depending on
the choreography.

Croisé (quo say) - A dancer stands with legs crossed at an

angle to the audience. The disengaged leg may be crossed in
the front or in the back.

Turn-out - The dancer turns his or her feet and legs out from
the hip joints to a 90-degree position.

Ballet Master or Ballet Mistress - a person in a ballet company

whose job is to give the daily company class and to rehearse
the ballets in the company repertoire.

Balletomane (bal lay toe mane) - A ballet fan or enthusiast.

Pas de Deux - a dance for two.

Adagio (u da zhe-o) - is a succession of slow, soft, lyrical, and

continuous movements. Adagio creates the illusion that the
positions flow from one into another.