Ballet

Ballet has been influential globally and has defined the foundational techniques which are used in many other dance genres and cultures.

[citation needed] Ballet originated in the Italian Renaissance courts of the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries.

Ornamented costumes were meant to impress viewers, but they restricted performers' freedom of movement.

The implementation of the proscenium arch from 1618 on distanced performers from audience members, who could then better view and appreciate the technical feats of the professional dancers in the productions.

Together their partnership would drastically influence the development of ballet, as evidenced by the credit given to them for the creation of the five major positions of the feet.

[12] Famous dancers of the twentieth century include Mikhail Baryshnikov,[13] Erik Bruhn,[14] Maria Tall Chief,[15] Jeanne Devereaux,[16] Suzanne Farrell,[17] Margot Fonteyn,[13] Rosella Hightower,[18] Gelsey Kirkland,[13] Natalia Makarova,[13] Arthur Mitchell,[19] Rudolf Nureyev,[13] Anna Pavlova,[13] Maya Plisetskaya,[20] and Galina Ulanova.

The Romantic era was marked by the emergence of pointe work, the dominance of female dancers, and longer, flowy tutus that attempt to exemplify softness and a delicate aura.

[5] This movement occurred during the early to mid-nineteenth century (the Romantic era) and featured themes that emphasized intense emotion as a source of aesthetic experience.

The plots of many romantic ballets revolved around spirit women (sylphs, wilis, and ghosts) who enslaved the hearts and senses of mortal men.

[4] Famous ballet dancers of the Romantic era include Marie Taglioni, Fanny Elssler, and Jules Perrot.

[26] Contemporary ballets may include mime and acting, and are usually set to music (typically orchestral but occasionally vocal).

Both of these pieces were considered innovative for their melding of distinctly modern movements with the use of pointe shoes and classically trained dancers.

The French method is often characterized by technical precision, fluidity and gracefulness, and elegant, clean lines.

For this style, fast footwork is often utilized in order to give the impression that the performers are drifting lightly across the stage.

[34] She developed an extremely precise method of instruction in her book Basic Principles of Russian Classical dance (1948).

She espoused the belief that equal importance should be placed on the arms and legs while performing ballet, as this will bring harmony and greater expression to the body as a whole.

[37] Developed by Enrico Cecchetti (1850–1928), this method is one known internationally for its intense reliance of the understanding of anatomy as it relates to classical ballet.

The goal of this method is to instill important characteristics for the performance of ballet into students so that they do not need to rely on imitations of teachers.

[39] A key component is the use of diagonal épaulements, with the upper body turning towards the working foot typically.

The Royal Academy of Dance method, also referred to as the English style of ballet, was established in 1920 by Genee, Karsavina, Bedells, E Espinosa, and Richardson.

Cotton and silk were mixed with flax, woven into semitransparent gauze[44] to create exquisite ballet costumes.

During the 17th century, different types of fabrics and designs were used to make costumes more spectacular and eye catching.

Silks, satins and fabrics embroidered with real gold and precious stones increased the level of spectacular decoration associated with ballet costumes.

[44] Women's costumes also consisted of heavy garments and knee-long skirts which made it difficult for them to create much movement and gesture.

During the 18th century, stage costumes were still very similar to court wear but progressed over time, mostly due to the French dancer and ballet-master Jean-Georges Noverre (1727–1810) whose proposals to modernize ballet are contained in his revolutionary Lettres sur la danse et les ballets (1760).

Noverre's book altered the emphasis in a production away from the costumes towards the physical movements and emotions of the dancers.

Flowers, flounces, ribbons, and lace emphasized this opulent feminine style, as soft pastel tones in citron, peach, pink, and pistachio dominated the color range.

[46] As of 2020, American dancers (including ballet and other dance forms) were paid an average of US$19 per hour, with pay somewhat better for teachers than for performers.

[48] Posterior ankle impingement syndrome (PAIS) most commonly affects people who perform repetitive plantar flexion, such as ballet dancers.

[50] In addition, some researchers have noted that intensive training in ballet results in lower bone mineral density in the arms.