Ballet – more than dance…
Ballet – is rather young art . It is a little over 400 years, although the dance decorated human life since ancient times. Ballet was born in Northern Italy during the Renaissance. The Italian princes loved lush palace feasts, in which dance was an important place. Country dancing did not fit the court ladies and gentlemen. Their clothes, like rooms, where they danced, did not allow informal movement. Special Teacher – dancing master – tried to bring order to the court dances. They rehearsed in advance with the nobility individual shapes and movements of dance and led the team of dancers. Gradually dancing became more and more theatrical.
The term “ballet” appeared at the end of XVI century (the Italian balletto – dance). But he did not mean the play, but only a dance scene, conveying a certain mood. Such “ballets” usually consisted of little connected with each other “O” characters – most often the heroes of Greek myths. After such “exits” began the general dance – “a great ballet.
The first ballet-representation was the “ballet” Comedy Queen “, staged in 1581 in France by the Italian choreographer Baltazarini di Belgiojoso. It was in France there was a further development of ballet. At first there were ballet-masked, and then grandiose melodramatic Ballets chivalrous and fantastic plots, where the dance episodes alternated vocal arias and recitation of poems. Do not be surprised at the time the ballet was not only a dance performance.
In the reign of Louis XIV’s court ballet performances achieved a special magnificence. Louis himself liked to participate in ballet, and his famous nickname “Sun King” received after the execution of the role of the Sun in “Ballet Night”.
In 1661 he founded the Royal Academy of Music and Dance, which included 13 leading dancing master. Their duty was the preservation of dance tradition. Director of the Academy, royal dancing master Pierre Beauchamp, identified five basic positions of classical dance.
Soon after the Paris Opera House was opened, which was appointed choreographer same Beauchamp. Under his leadership formed a ballet troupe. At first were collected in some men. Women on the stage of the Paris Opera appeared only in 1681.
The theater staged the opera-ballet composer Lully comedies-ballets and the playwright Moliere. They first attended the court, but the performances did not differ from the court submissions. They danced already mentioned the slow minuet, gavotte and pavan. Masks, heavy dresses and high heels prevented women from performing complex movements. Therefore, while male dances differed more grace and elegance.
By the middle of the XVIII century ballet has won great popularity in Europe. All the aristocratic courts of Europe sought to imitate the luxury of the French royal court. In urban areas open Opera. Many dancers and dance teachers can easily find a job.
Soon, under the influence of fashion female ballet costume has become much easier and freer under him were relayed through the body. Dancers abandoned shoes heels, replacing it with the light beskabluchnye shoes. Became less cumbersome and suit: pantaloon knee stockings and allowed see figure dancer.
Each innovation has made meaningful dances, and dance techniques – above. Gradually, the ballet was separated from opera and turned into an independent arts.
Although the French ballet school was famous for grace and plasticity, it was typical of a certain coldness and formality of execution. Therefore, choreographers and performers looking for other means of expression.
At the end of XVIII century was born a new direction in art – romanticism, which had a strong influence on the ballet. The romantic ballet dancer stood on pointe shoes. The first is made Maria Taglioni, completely changing the old idea of the ballet. In the ballet “La Sylphide” she appeared fragile creature from another world. The success was overwhelming.
At that time many great ballets, but, unfortunately, romantic ballet was the last period of prosperity of dance in the West. Since the second half of the XIX century ballet, having lost its original meaning, has become an appendage to the opera. Only in the 30-ies of XX century under the influence of Russian ballet began to revive this art form in Europe.
INTERESTING FACTS
In the ballets of the past there was a whole system of symbols. If the artist, for example, spent on his forehead with heel of his hand, implying that he had a crown on his head, it means “king”, folded his arms crosswise, then “died”, pointed to the ring finger of the hand where you would normally wear it – “I want to marry” or “married”, has to do with his hands wavelike motion, then, “sailed on the ship” and so on. Of course, all these gestures were understood only by the choreographer and dancers .
