Beautiful ballet
Think of all the different ways there are to tell a story. We can sing a song, like “Itsy Bitsy Spider.” An author can relate a tale in a book. Actors can tell a story through a movie or play.
This week, The Mini Page leaps into the world of ballet. When it first began, ballet, like many other types of dance, was another way to tell a story.
Ballet’s beginnings
The first ballet was believed to have taken place in 1581 — more than 400 years ago! At that time, kings and queens kept huge courts of people to serve and entertain them. Court entertainers wore fancy costumes and performed speaking and singing roles, along with dancing and music.
The first ballet, the Ballet Comique de la Reine, was performed in Paris during a three-day wedding celebration at the court of Catherine de’ Medici, the wife of King Henry II of France. The story it told was of the Greek goddess Circe. The ballet lasted more than five hours.
Royal influences
Ballet de cour, or court dance, called for specific movements — pointed feet and turned-out legs, for example. These positions would later become the basis for the five basic ballet positions.
As ballet became more technical and specific as a dance form, costumes were changed. For example, the enormous wigs and skirts of the time made it difficult for dancers to turn quickly and jump. Skirts became shorter so that legs and feet could be seen by the audience.
Ballerinas
In the 1700s and 1800s, ballerinas began to dance on pointe — up on their toes in special shoes called pointe shoes. Famous ballerinas became known for their special talents — jumps, turns or beautiful arms.
Europe and Russia
Ballet became popular in Italy, France and Russia. In the early 20th century, an arts promoter named Sergei Diaghilev started a ballet company in Paris called the Ballets Russes (roos), or “Russian Ballet.” Experts say his company changed the way people experienced ballet. During this time, the male dancer became more important to the dance. In addition, great composers began to create music for ballet, and artists such as Picasso began creating sets for the productions.