2. Ballet’s BeginningsBallet’s Beginnings  The word “ballet” is French with a Latin background  Origins in the Italian Renaissance courts  Provided entertainment at lavish weddings  Early ballets were participatory  “Ballet de cour” was introduced in the 16 th century.  First ballet de cour, Ballet Comique de la Reine, lasted for over five hours.

3. Ballet Comique de la ReineBallet Comique de la Reine

4. Louis XIVLouis XIV  King Louis XIV loved dancing – used it to glorify himself and the throne  * Late 17 th century – founded the Academie R Royale de Musique (The Paris Opera).  * First professional ballet company emerged.  (The Paris Opera Ballet)  * Dance eventually became an independent form form of art

5. Women in BalletWomen in Ballet  Women were not allowed to dance until 1681  Ankle-length, formal gowns were worn while dancing  The first standard ballet shoe for women was a heel  Mid-18 th century – non-heeled shoes were first worn  Marie Camargo is credited with the innovations of: ballet slippers, the calf-length ballet skirt and ballet tights.

8. Evolution of DanceEvolution of Dance  Jazz often borrows from ballet techniques  Lyrical combines technical elements from classical ballet with the freedom and expressiveness of jazz  Acro fuses classical technique with acrobatic elements

9. En PointeEn Pointe  Marie Taglioni is rumored to be the first to dance en pointe  Pointe training should not happen until after age 11  Rigorous training is required to go en pointe  Extreme strength in the tendons is necessary  The modern pointe shoe design is often attributed to Russian ballerina Anna Pavlova

10. Modern DanceModern Dance  20 th century – Invented by Isadora Duncan  An expression of rebellion against classical ballet  Free-flowing clothes, loose hair, bare feet  Natural movements  Extremely passionate: jumps, leaps, stretches.

11. Giselle  Heartbreaking, poetic tale of the love between a peasant girl named Giselle and Count named Albrecht  First presented at the Paris Opéra’s Salle Le Peletier in 1841  Oldest ballet in the active repertoire with a continuous performance history  Giselle is one of the most sought-after roles in ballet

12. Coppélia  The fable of a boy who falls in love with a beautiful doll named Coppélia and the chaos that ensues  Premiered in 1871; full of humor and ballet mime  Represents the halfway point between the misty poetry of Giselle and the classic splendor of Swan Lake  Introduced automatons, dolls, and marionettes to ballet

13. Swan LakeSwan Lake  Classic love story of a princess bewitched into swan form and a prince who attempts to break the spell  Tchaikovsky composed the piece as amusement for his niece and nephew  Performed in 1877; huge failure when previewed  Re-produced in 1895 after Tchaikovsky’s death and became a huge success.

14. More by TchaikovskyMore by Tchaikovsky  The Sleeping Beauty (1889)  The Nutcracker (1892)  1812 Overture

15. Famous French CompaniesFamous French Companies  The Paris Opera Ballet (Paris)  Ballet National de Marseille (Marseille)  Ballet Biarritz (Biarritz)  Opéra National de Lyon (Lyon)  Centre Chorégraphique National de Nantes (Nantes)

16. Renowned ConservatoriesRenowned Conservatories  The Royal Ballet School (London, England)  French Academie of Ballet (New York)  The School of American Ballet (New York)  Joffrey Ballet School (New York)

17. “Ballet is not technique but a way of expression that comes more closely to the inner language of man than any other.” - George Borodin

18. References  Homans, Jennifer. Apollo's Angels A History of Ballet. New York: Random House, 2010. Print.  Terry, Walter. The Ballet Companion A Popular Guide For the Ballet-Goer. Apollo ed. New York: Dodd, Mead & Company, 1968. Print.  Robert, Grace. The Borzoi Book of Ballets. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, Inc., 1946. Print.  Guillot, Genevieve. The Book of Ballet. New Jersey: Prentice Hall, 1976. Print.  Volynsky, Akim. Ballet's Magic Kingdom. New Haven: Yale University Press, 2008. Print.