Ballet History Final

Marie Taglioni (1804-1884)

* Marie Taglioni, Comtesse de Voisins (23 April 1804 - 22 April 1884) was a Swedish ballet dancer of the Romantic ballet era, a central figure in the history of European dance. She was one of the most celebrated ballerinas of the romantic ballet, which was cultivated primarily at Her Majesty's Theatre in London, and at the Théâtre de l'Académie Royale de Musique of the Paris Opera Ballet. She is credited with (though not confirmed) being the first ballerina to truly dance en pointe. Career: *Before joining the Paris Opéra, Taglioni danced in both Munich and Stuttgart, and at age 23 debuted in another ballet choreographed by her father called "La Sicilien" that jump-started her ballet career. Taglioni rose to fame as a danseuse at the Paris Opéra when her father created the ballet La Sylphide (1832) for her. Designed as a showcase for Taglioni's talent, it was the first ballet where dancing en pointe had an aesthetic rationale and was not merely an acrobatic stunt, often involving ungraceful arm movements and exertions, as had been the approach of dancers in the late 1820s. *In 1837 Taglioni left the Ballet of Her Majesty's Theatre to take up a three-year contract in Saint Petersburg with the Imperial Ballet (known today as the Kirov/Mariinsky Ballet). It was in Russia after her last performance in the country (1842) and at the height of the "cult of the ballerina", that a pair of her pointe shoes were sold for two hundred rubles, reportedly to be cooked, served with a sauce and eaten by a group of balletomanes.[6] *In July 1845, she danced with Lucile Grahn, Carlotta Grisi, and Fanny Cerrito in Jules Perrot's Pas de Quatre, a ballet representing Taglioni's ethereal qualities that was based on Alfred Edward Chalon's lithographic prints.[7] Pas de Quatre was originally choreographed to be presented to Queen Victoria, who attended the third performance.

Neo Classicism in Ballet/Balanchine: School of American Ballet (1934)

* The School of American Ballet (SAB) is an American classical ballet school and is the associate school of the New York City Ballet, a ballet company based at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City. The school trains students from the age of six, with professional vocational ballet training for students aged 11-18. Graduates of the school achieve employment with leading ballet companies worldwide, most notably in the United States with New York City Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, Boston Ballet, San Francisco Ballet, Miami City Ballet, Pacific Northwest Ballet and Houston Ballet. *Founded by Gorge Balanchine, Lincoln Kirstein and Edward Warburg.

Le Sacre du Printemps - Rite of Spring (1913)

* 'sacred spring'; French: Le Sacre du printemps) is a ballet and orchestral concert work by Russian composer Igor Stravinsky. It was written for the 1913 Paris season of Sergei Diaghilev's Ballets Russes company; the original choreography was by Vaslav Nijinsky with stage designs and costumes by Nicholas Roerich.

Context of Louis the XIV Court-Innovations of the Court Ballet: Dance became a Profession

* In the Baroque era (1600-1750)-ballet is an acceptable profession. *From the middle & lower classes-Hard at work a professional dancers. *Male performers dominated the stage until 1681.--Beauchamp, Louis pecourt and Claude Balon. *Dance Masters -choreographers who have been appointed by the court or sanctioned by the academy, Dance manuals.

La Ballet de la Nuit (1653)

*1653 King Louis XIV, at age 14 *The ballet is a political statement at the end of a tour year civil war. --The king is the sun around whom the whole kingdom revolved, The kind is Apollo-the sun god. *The ballet began at sunset and ended at sunrise. *Sun-king imagery--Radiant rays that could warm his people, violent rays that could kill his enemies.

Ballet Russes: Age of Exploration Revolution- Modern Art

*An expansive, yet focused, exhibition at the National Gallery of Art —"Diaghilev and the Ballets Russes, 1909-1929: When Art Danced with Music" — celebrates the high art of this groundbreaking company, which managed to be artistically excellent without ever being stuffy. *Showcasing more than 130 original costumes, set designs, paintings, sculptures, prints, drawings, photographs and posters, "Diaghilev and the Ballets Russes" also incorporates film clips in a theatrical multimedia installation. The film clips of modern-day Ballet Russes recreations assist the viewing experience exponentially by bringing to life what would otherwise be simply a colorful and interesting collection of art.

Marie Salle (1707-1756)

*Born into show business. *Performed in London at age 9. *Age 14, Paris opera house for one night. *Amazing dramatic and emotionally expressive range. *Change costumes to reflect character. *Found a home in London. *The audience wanted scandal. *Lead performer and choreographer of: Pygmalion (1734)-Popular in London & Paris.

Sergei Diaghilev (1872-1929)

*1905-1908 organized art, music and Opera exhibition in Paris. *1909 invited yo show Russian ballet in Paris-launching the Ballet Russes with 13 dancers (Anna Paulova, Adolpf Bloom, Vaslov Nijinsky). *Ballet Russes 1909-1929. *Visual designs. *Casting choices/favoritism.

Leonide Massine (1895-1979)

*1915, hired as a dancer. *1917, choreographed Parade. *Jean Cocteau, Pablo Picasso, Erik Satie dismissed in 1921.

Neo Classicism in Ballet/Balanchine: George Balanchine (1904- 1983)

*1925, the last major choreographer of the Ballet Russes and is often credited as the father of American Ballet Founder of the school of American Ballet (SAB) and Co founder the NYCB. *Formally trained in St. Petersburg he performed in several companies and was eventually asked by Diaghilev to become choreographer for the Ballet Russes in 1924. HE created 9 ballets for the company. Neoclassic Style: ~Apollo (1928) to a Stravinsky score- considered a turning point for him and is considered a turning point for him and is the first neoclassical ballet. simple costumes/sets. ~Plotless ballets- the music is the primarily inspiration rather that the narrative extraordinary choreography. *1933 he came to the US with the help of Lincoln Kirstein in order to start a ballet school SAB. He choreographed on Broadway and in 1938 he started Ballet caravan in LA and toured to North and South America. He later formed Ballet Society and was invited to be the resident company of City Center. HE in eventually created over 400 words for new New Your City Ballet. *Personal Life- married 5 times and many affairs with young ballerinas- More info about wives in notes.

Cecchetti

*Born in Rome. *He became a dancer, ,mime and teacher. *Career in the Russian ballet, first under Petipa and then under Surge Diaghilev. Developed a daily ballet curriculum--Logical progression of class exercises and compounds, balances the adagio and allegro of the class. Cecchetti Students: *Anna Pavlova *Michel Fokine *Vaslav Nijinsky *Tamera Karsarima *Mark Ova *Anton Dolin *Ninette de Valois Cecchetti's Publication: *1922 he wrote a manual of the theory and practice of classical theatrical dancing. *This book became the curriculum basis of the Cecchetti society.-- Founded in London to train teachers.

Petrouchka (1911)

*A Ballet in IV acts *Petrushka (French: Pétrouchka; Russian: Петрушка) is a ballet and orchestral concert work by Russian composer Igor Stravinsky. It was written for the 1911 Paris season of Sergei Diaghilev's Ballets Russes company; the original choreography was by Michel Fokine and stage designs and costumes by Alexandre Benois, who assisted Stravinsky with the libretto. The ballet premiered at the Théâtre du Châtelet on 13 June 1911 with Vaslav Nijinsky as Petrushka, Tamara Karsavina as the lead ballerina, Alexander Orlov as the Moor, and Enrico Cecchetti the charlatan. *Petrushka tells the story of the loves and jealousies of three puppets. The three are brought to life by the Charlatan during the 1830 Shrovetide Fair (Maslenitsa) in Saint Petersburg, Russia. Petrushka loves the Ballerina, but she rejects him. She prefers the Moor. Petrushka is angry and hurt, and challenges the Moor. The Moor kills him with his scimitar. Petrushka's ghost rises above the puppet theatre as night falls. He shakes his fist at the Charlatan, then collapses in a second death. *Petrushka brings music, dance, and design together in a unified whole. It is one of the most popular of the Ballets Russes productions. It is usually performed today using the original designs and choreography. Grace Robert wrote in 1946, "Although more than thirty years have elapsed since Petrushka was first performed, its position as one of the greatest ballets remains unassailed. Its perfect fusion of music, choreography, and décor and its theme—the timeless tragedy of the human spirit—unite to make its appeal universal".

Costume Changes - Ballets Blancs

*A ballet blanc, ("white ballet") is a scene in which the ballerina and the female corps de ballet all wear white dresses or tutus. Typical in the Romantic style of ballet from the nineteenth century, ballets blancs are usually populated by ghosts, dryads, naiads, enchanted maidens, fairies, and other supernatural creatures and spirits. *Choreographed by Philippo Taglioni, Marie Taglioni was in the ballet.

Catherine de Medici's court: Role of the Catholic Church

*A focal point for life: Shelter, Education, Morals, and a guide to the afterlife.

Bronslava Nijinska (1891-1972)

*A polish ballet dancer and choreographer sister to Nijinsky. *Formally trained in St. Petersburg and became a dancer in the Ballet Russes-she had a starring role in Fokiner's Carnaval. *She assisted Nijinsky in his choreography of the Afternoon of a Fawn and she started her own ballet school and wrote a book on the art of movement. *In 1921 Diaghilev appointed her as choreographer of the Ballet Russes. *By 1925 she started her own company and choreography for many others. *In 1939 she moved to LA and continued working and teaching in her own studio. *Las Noces (1923) : The wedding to a Igor Stravinsky score using Russian wedding lyrics- Diaghilev wept when he heard it. Theme- not a joyous wedding, but a somber one. It shows the restrictive nature of a women's duty to marry for the growth of the community. *Les Biches (1924): The little darlings or the Does (female deer) to a Poulenc score- based on Lois XIV and his lovers a little house party with sexually ambiguous characters. --The hostess originally danced by Nijinska herself, Three male athletes, The Garconne (the bachelor girl) a girl in blue velvet & white gloves, Two young girls who may be lovers.

Cecchetti Method

*A series of eight arm and body positions developed by the Italian ballet master, Enrico Cecchetti. *A school and style of ballet, originated by Enrico Cecchetti (1850-1928) in Italy. Emphasizes seven basic movements in dance: Plier (to bend), Étendre (to stretch), Relever (to rise), Glisser (to slide or glide), Sauter (to jump), Élancer (to dart), Tourner (to turn). Used by the Italian and Royal (English) Ballets. *The Cecchetti Council of America holds examinations in classical ballet for students and teachers who are training in the Cecchetti method. The Syllabus tests the technical and artistic accomplishments of student candidates who have been prepared by member teachers. It offers students an opportunity to demonstrate their technical ability and understanding of the material. Each level provides attainable goals that build self-confidence in their developmental progress and successful achievements. *Early Childhood Development The CCA offers three pre-syllabus examinations for younger children, ages 5 - 9, that will develop poise and musicality in a fun and creative environment. The Primary One, Two, and Three syllabus instills the love of dance and allows for creative expression. The teacher directs and leads the students during the examination. A teacher must hold the Grade I Teaching Certificate in order to present students at this level. *Grade I and II Syllabus For students on a more serious track, the two lower student grades will develop proper placement of torso, hips, and legs without exceeding anatomical limitations. The coordination of arms and head are developed with a concentration on smooth transitions throughout the exercises. *Grade III and IV Syllabus A more mature sense of musicality and quality of movement is emphasized in the third and fourth levels. Students develop strength and stability in the demonstration of the pirouettes and grand allegro. Suppleness and smooth graceful movements are developed in these levels along with the coordination of head, arms, legs, and body. Students present a one-minute dance for the Grade IV examination demonstrating the ability to perform through unset movements. The dance provides teachers the opportunity to help develop the student's awareness of choreographic concepts. *Professional Examinations Elementary Syllabus marks the beginning of the professional level examinations and links the student to the final three professional levels that demonstrate Maestro Enrico Cecchetti's work. It provides a culmination of the material in the graded work, demonstrating a mature and professional approach. In addition to adages and pirouettes that prepare the student for the more advanced levels, pointe work and the execution of beats are demonstrated in this syllabus. *The Intermediate, Advanced, and Diploma examination material used by the Cecchetti Council of America is maintained by the Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing, London, England. Cecchetti's legacy and tradition continues to flourish and survive the test of time in this universal work that is shared among seven Cecchetti Societies across the world. The syllabus demonstrates the beautiful adages, pirouettes and allegro used by Enrico Cecchetti. It develops strong classical lines, solid anatomical placement, as well as virtuoso jumps and beats.

Jean Dauberval (1742-1806)

*A student of Noverre *A teacher and dancer of the Paris Opera. *Choreographed La Filla Mal Gardee 1789.

Context of Louis the XIV Court-Innovations of the Court Ballet: Accreditation of teachers

*After Louis XIV retired from the stage at age 31 he established the Academic Royal de la Musique. *Etiquette was strictly prescribed-order and structure became the norm. *Authoritarian supervision of the arts. *Dance and music academics--Founded in 1661 to create standards for the perfection of technique and artistry, 13 dance masters commissioned by the King including Beauchamps, They would grant licenses for teaching dance and kept a register of teachers in Paris.

Context of Louis the XIV Court: Divine Right of Kings to Rule

*After Mazarin's death in 1661, Louis XIV broke with tradition and astonished his court by declaring that he would rulewithout a chief minister. He viewed himself as the direct representative of God, endowed with a divine right to wield the absolute power of the monarchy. *Divine Right is the idea that God created the monarchy and that the monarch should act as God's representative on Earth. Louis XIV decided to rule France directly, rather than through the prime minister. ... King Louis XIV personally led his army to many battles. Louis XIV did anything he could to lessen nobles authority.

Neo Classicism in Ballet/Balanchine: Agon (1957)

*Agon (1957) is a 22-minute neoclassical ballet for twelve dancers with music by Igor Stravinsky. Its first choreographer was George Balanchine.

Neo Classicism in Ballet/Balanchine: American Ballet Theater (1939)

*American Ballet Theatre (ABT) is a classical ballet company based in New York City. It has an annual eight-week season at the Metropolitan Opera House (Lincoln Center) in the spring and a shorter season at the David H. Koch Theaterin the fall; the company tours around the world the rest of the year. ABT was founded in 1939 by Lucia Chaseand Richard Pleasant and is recognized as one of the world's leading classical ballet companies. ABT is the parent company of the American Ballet Theatre Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School, and was recognized as "America's National Ballet Company" in 2006 by the United States Congress.[2][3]

Astarte

*Astarte, choreographed by Robert Joffrey, was the first live, multi-media ballet with a specially commissioned rock music score composed and performed by Crome Syrcus. It received its world premier on September 20, 1967 and was performed by the Joffrey Ballet in New York City at the City Center Theater. It was produced by Midge Mackenzie, with sets and lighting design by Thomas Skelton, costumes by Hugh Sherrer, and film created and photographed by Gardner Compton.[1] Astarte made the cover of Time Magazine in March 1968.

Joffrey Ballet (1956)

*Based in Chicago, Illinois, is a premier dance company. The Joffrey regularly performs classical ballets, including Romeo & Juliet and The Nutcracker, and modern dance pieces. Many choreographers have worked with the Joffrey, including Paul Taylor, Twyla Tharp, George Balanchine, and founders Gerald Arpino and Robert Joffrey. Founded as a touring company in 1956, it was based in New York City until 1995 when it moved to Chicago. The company's headquarters and dance academy are in Joffrey Tower, and it performs its October-May season at the Auditorium Theatre. In 2020 the company will move its performance venue to Chicago's Civic Opera House through an arrangement with the Lyric Opera of Chicago.

Balthasar de Beaujoyeux (1534 - 1587)

*Born 16th century, Piedmontregion, Italy—died 1587, Paris, France. *Composer and choreographer who influenced the development of theatrical dance and opera. *In 1555 the Duke de Brissac brought Beaujoyeulx to the French court of Queen Catherine de Médicisas a violinist. He became valet de chambre to the royal family and unofficially arranged court festivals.

Marie Camargo (1710-1770)

*Born in Brussels; Spanish mother/Italian father. *Spreed and drive/ a brilliant technician. *Fast foot work *Shortened her skirt, exposing her ankles. *Musicality. *Prevost kept her in the corps until a male dancer was absent and she improvised a solo. From then onward she was a promo ballerina. *She received the largest pension any dancer had ever received at the time. *She retried in comfort.

Lucille Grahn (1819-1907)

*Born in Denmark. *August Bournonville lover. *1839 joins Paris Opera. *Retried to Germany. *Known as the Danish Taglioni.

Alonzo King (1952)

*Born in Georgia to civil-rights activists Slater King and Valencia King Nelson, is an American dancer and choreographer based in San Francisco, CA.[2] King, who was raised in California,[3] completed dance training at New York based ballet schools and performed with The Dance Theater of Harlem and other dance companies until 1980/1981.

Carlotta Grisi (1819-1899)

*Born in Italy. *Met Jules Perrot in 1833. *1841 joined Paris Opera. *Danced the original Giselle (1841). *Madame Parrot. *Danced in Londan, St. Petersburg. *Many believed she was the first to wear a blocked slipper to dance en pointe.

Ivanov versus (1834-1981)

*Born in Moscow. *Studied ballet in Moscow and St. Petersburg, and joined the Maryinsky Theater's company in 1850. *Admired for his character roles. *Became Petipa's assistant ballet masters. *He put up with Petipa's demanding ways. Choreography: *A new version of La Fille Mel Gardee. *When Petipa became ill, he choreographed the Nutcracker. *He also choreographed the 2nd and 4th acts of Swan Lake. *He remained in the shadow of Petipa throughout his career.

Fanny Elssler (1810-1884)

*Born in Vienna Austria. *Opera Debt 1834. *Veron promoted her to rival Taglioni as an exotic dancer. *Claques. *Known for her lively, versatile dancer and actress. *Performed all across Europe London. *1840 traveled to USA, Cuba. *Known for her fiery temper and earthy movements, quite the opposite of the romantic image of ballerinas. Elssler offered a contrast to the femininity of the other romantic-era ballerinas. She was a versatile dancer and actress who embodied the standards of the 19th-century female dancer.

Apollo (1928)

*Brought men to the forefront in this piece. *Simple costumes and set-remains Balanchine's signature. *Reflects Balanchine's focus on music as the primary influence on choreography as opposed to narrative.

Rodeo (1942)

*By Aaron Copland, about story of tomboy cowgirl in American West, "Hoe-down" *The original ballet was choreographed by Agnes de Mille for the Ballet Russe de Monte-Carlo, a dance company that moved to the United States during World War II. In order to compete with the rival company Ballet Theatre, the Ballet Russe commissioned de Mille out of a career of relative obscurity. The choreographer was given considerable creative control, choosing Aaron Copland as the composer after being impressed by his previous ballet, Billy the Kid. Though Copland was initially reluctant to compose "another Cowboy ballet," De Mille persuaded him that this show would mark a significant departure from his previous work. As de Mille found herself occupied with instructing a highly international cast in the mannerisms of American cowboys, Copland recommended that Oliver Smith design the sets, in what would prove to be a prescient action.

Pas de Quarte (1845)

*Choreogrphed by Jules Perrot (1845).--Ballet master at her majesty's, Theater in London. *Carlotta Grisi (1819-1899) *Fanny Cerreto (1817-1909) *Lucille Grahm (1819-1907) *Marie Taglioni (1804-1884) *Danced by age not talent.

Innovations of the Classical Period: Classical Tutu

*Classical Tutu skirts are available in the softer English Tutu style or the Russian Pancake Tutu style. ... The English Tutu slopes gently from the High Hip-line and the net is tacked slightly looser so giving it a much softer fluffier look. Often worn for Sugar plum Fairy and Odette and many other Classical ballets.

In the Middle Somewhat Elevated (1987)

*Commissioned by Rudolf Nureyev in 1987 for the Paris Opera Ballet, Forsythe's In the middle, somewhat elevated was recognized immediately as a contemporary masterpiece and has since entered the repertories of major companies around the world. *Choreography: William Forsythe *Premiere: May 30, 1987; Paris Opera Ballet *Music: Thom Willems (1987)

Classical Ballet: The Age of Petipa: Russian Imperial Court

*Coppélia (sometimes subtitled: The Girl with the Enamel Eyes) is a comic ballet originally choreographed by Arthur Saint-Léon to the music of Léo Delibes, with libretto by Charles-Louis-Étienne Nuitter. Nuitter's libretto and mise-en-scène was based upon two stories by E. T. A. Hoffmann: Der Sandmann (The Sandman). In Greek, κοπέλα (or κοπελιά in some dialects) means young woman. Coppéliapremiered on 25 May 1870 at the Théâtre Impérial de l'Opéra, with the 16-year-old Giuseppina Bozzacchi in the principal role of Swanhilda and ballerina Eugénie Fiocre playing the part of Frantz en travesti. The costumes were designed by Paul Lormier and Alfred Albert, the scenery by Charles-Antoine Cambon(Act I, scene 1; Act II, scene 1), and Édouard Desplechin and Jean-Baptiste Lavastre (Act I, scene 2). *The ballet's first flush of success was interrupted by the Franco-Prussian War and the Siege of Paris (which also led to the early death of Giuseppina Bozzacchi, on her 17th birthday), but eventually it became the most-performed ballet at the Opéra. *Modern-day productions are traditionally derived from the revivals staged by Marius Petipa for the Imperial Ballet of St. Petersburg in the late 19th century. Petipa's choreography was documented in the Stepanov method of choreographic notationat the turn of the 20th century. These notations were later used to stage the St. Petersburg version for such companies as the Vic-Wells Ballet (precursor of today's Royal Ballet).

Aftrnoon of a Faun (1913)

*Created by Vaslav Nijinsky *Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun is a musical evocation of Stéphane Mallarmé's poem "Afternoon of a Faun," in which a faun—a half-man, half-goat creature of ancient Greek legend—awakes to revel in sensuous memories of forest nymphs. Debussy begins with a sinuous flute melody evocative of a graceful female form.

Dance and Music Academies

*Dance and music academics--Founded in 1661 to create standards for the perfection of technique and artistry, 13 dance masters commissioned by the King including Beauchamps, They would grant licenses for teaching dance and kept a register of teachers in Paris.

The Dying Swan (1805)

*Dance created by Michel Fokine. *The dance we composed in a few minute... a high degree of technique perfection is pessary, but the technique serves only as a means of the perpetual longing for life by all mortals. The dance aims not so much at the eye of the spectator but at his soul, at his emotions. *The Dying Swan (originally The Swan) is a solo dance choreographed by Mikhail Fokine to Camille Saint-Saëns's Le Cygne from Le Carnaval des animaux as a pièce d'occasion for the ballerina Anna Pavlova, who performed it about 4,000 times. The short ballet (4 minutes) follows the last moments in the life of a swan, and was first presented in St. Petersburg, Russia in 1905. The ballet has since influenced modern interpretations of Odette in Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake and has inspired non-traditional interpretations as well as various adaptations.

Maguy Marin (1951)

*Dancer and choreographer contemporary French, born in Toulouse on June 2, 1951, belonging to a Spanish family (father Andalusian and Madrid mother), emigrated to France after the Spanish civil war. *He studied at the Conservatory of Toulouse, and with Nina Vyroubova in Paris, and made his debut in the Strasbourg Ballet. In 1970 he/she joined the newly created school Mudra de Maurice Béjart in Brussels, and three years later formed, along with other students of this school, the Chandra theatrical group, under the direction of Micha van Hoecke, group that was dissolved in 1974. In 1977 he/she joined the Ballet du XXe Siècle, where the ballets premiered Notre Faust (1975) and Héliogabale (1976) Béjart and performed his first choreography Yu-Ku-Ri (Louafi, 1976). However, in 1978, he/she left the company to open a Studio in Brussels, which was the basis of the company Ballet-Théâtre de l'Arche with the dancer Daniel Ambash. Next Ambash choreographed: L'Adieu (Dosse, 1978).

August Bournonville (1805-1879)

*Danish ballet master and choreographer. *His father Antione was a dancer/ choreographer who had trained under Noverre. *He trained with his father to Paris. *In Paris he trained under Auguste Vestris (1760-1842)-- Vestris has taught Marius and Luchien Petipa, Fanny Elssler, Jules Perrot, and Marie Taglioni, Vestris was granted the title "God of the Dance", He danced with Marie Taglioni at the Paris Opera form 1820-1828. *Choreographed for the Royal Danish Ballet 1830-1848 in Copenhagen where he added 50 ballets to the repertoire and developed his own unique style known for lightness and beauty.

Louis (Le Grand) Dupre (1697-1774)

*Debut at the Academy Royale de Musique 1714 and became its ballet master in 1739. * he put on performance in London, Dresden, and the Polish Court. *He was a professor at the Opera de Paris-- His students were: Marie Camargo, Gaeten Vestris, and Jean Greorges Noverre.

Ballet of the Nuns (1831)

*First romantic ballet. *The short ballet tells of deceased nuns rising from their tombs in a ruined cloister. Their aim is to seduce the knight, Robert le Diable, into accepting a talisman to win him a princess. At the end of the ballet, the white-clad nuns return to their tombs. The ballet was created (in part) to demonstrate the building's newly installed gas lighting. The lighting was capable of creating ghastly effects. *Ballet of the Nuns starred Marie Taglioni as the Abbess Helena. Although opening night was marred with a few mishaps, Taglioni made her indelible mark on the ballet world in the role. She became known for her ethereal qualities and her moral purity, and is one of the most celebrated ballerinas in history.

Ballet Russes: Age of Exploration Revolution- Collaboration

*Diaghilev commissioned works from composers such as Igor Stravinsky, Claude Debussy, Sergei Prokofiev, Erik Satie, and Maurice Ravel, artists such as Vasily Kandinsky, Alexandre Benois, Pablo Picasso, and Henri Matisse, and costume designers Léon Bakst and Coco Chanel.

La Sylphide (1832)

*Duality in characters (Elfie and Sylph), Sylph- supernatural creature---Half dead girls, Uplifting and depressing. *Choreographed by Filippino Taglioni and performed by one of the greatest ballerinas of the 19th century Marie Taglioni. One of the most famous Romantic Ballets., First true romantic ballet. *La Sylphide (English: The Sylph; Danish: Sylfiden) is a romantic ballet in two acts. There were two versions of the ballet; the original choreographed by Filippo Taglioni in 1832, and a second version choreographed by August Bournonville in 1836. Bournonville's is the only version known to have survived and is one of the world's oldest surviving ballets.

En Travesti

*Female roles taken by men. *Term used to describe masked and costumed dancers who appear in roles disguised as the opposite sex

Philippo Taglioni

*Filippo Taglioni (aka Philippe Taglioni; 5 November 1777 - 11 February 1871) was an Italian dancer and choreographer and personal teacher to his own daughter, Romantic ballerina Marie Taglioni. (He had another child who also danced ballet, Paul Taglioni.) Also, although August Bournonville's version is better known, it was Taglioni who was the original choreographer of La Sylphide, in 1832. Works: *1830: Le dieu et la bayadère *1832: La Sylphide *1833: La révolte au sérail *1836: La fille du Danube *1838: La gitana *1839: L'ombre *1840: Le Lac des fées *1841: Aglaë, ou L'Elève de l'amour *1852 : Satanella oder Metamorphosen based on The Devil in Love (novel)

Michel Fokine (1880-1942)

*First choreographer for the Ballet Russes. *1909-1912=The Fokine period. *Objections to Petipa's Ballets. *Created dozens of works: The Dying Swan, Spetre de la Rose, Sheherazade, Firebird, Petrouchka, Chopiniana, Les Sylphides.

Catherine de Medici (1519-1589)

*From Italy to France by way of political marriage, brought Italian dace Masters to France, Patron of the Arts. *Born in Florence, Italy *Married at age 14 to Henry 2nd, heir to French throne. *Marriage= political alliance. *Ruled French court form 1535-1589.

Innovations of the Classical Period: Five act story ballets

*Fueled by the dramatic retelling of five romantic ballets (La Sylphide, Giselle, La Bayadère, Swan Lake, and Petrushka) and interwoven with a contemporary storyabout a man whose daunting gambling debt pushes him to the edge of his own abyss, it is both a pulpy entertainment and a meditation on the physicality

Jean-Georges Noverre (1727-1810)

*His birthday is now the international day of dance April 29th. *Dancer, performer, teacher, choreographer--Marie Antoinette's dancing master. *Choreographer and director of dance companies in Lyon, Stuttgart, and Milan. *Winter: Letters on dancing and ballets (1760) *Dance is an art of communication.--Called for collaboration in all aspects of a ballet's creation. * The French Revolution reduced him to poverty *He recommences broad education for a choreographer.-- Study paintings, observe people, create realistic gestures for the stage.

Jean Baptiste Lully (1632-1687)

*Humble beginnings *The King's music master--musician, composer, dancer, mime, and administrator, danced with Louis XIV in 30 ballets. *Director of the Royal Academy of Music--Supervisor of ballet in the court of Louis XIV, He organized classes and rehearsals. *Gangrene.

Innovations of the Classical Period: Use of Corp de Ballet

*In ballet, the corps de ballet ([kɔʁ də balɛ]; French for "body of the ballet") is the group of dancers who are not principal dancers or soloists. They are a permanent part of the balletcompany and often work as a backdrop for the principal dancers.

Mikhail Baryshnikov (1948)

*Is a Latvian-born Russian-American dancer, choreographer, and actor.[2] He is often cited alongside Vaslav Nijinsky, Rudolf Nureyev and Vladimir Vasilievas one of the greatest male balletdancers in history.

Lilac Garden (1936)

*Is a ballet in one act choreographed by Antony Tudorto a composition by Ernest Chaussonentitled Poème, Op. 25. With scenery and costumes designed by Hugo Stevenson, it was first presented by Ballet Rambert at the Mercury Theatre, London, on 26 January 1936. It is considered to be the first of the genre of psychological ballets

Coppelia (1870)

*Is a comic ballet originally choreographed by Arthur Saint-Léon to the music of Léo Delibes, with libretto by Charles-Louis-Étienne Nuitter. Nuitter's libretto and mise-en-scène was based upon two stories by E. T. A. Hoffmann: Der Sandmann (The Sandman). In Greek, κοπέλα (or κοπελιά in some dialects) means young woman. Coppéliapremiered on 25 May 1870 at the Théâtre Impérial de l'Opéra, with the 16-year-old Giuseppina Bozzacchi in the principal role of Swanhilda and ballerina Eugénie Fiocre playing the part of Frantz en travesti. The costumes were designed by Paul Lormier and Alfred Albert, the scenery by Charles-Antoine Cambon(Act I, scene 1; Act II, scene 1), and Édouard Desplechin and Jean-Baptiste Lavastre (Act I, scene 2). *The ballet's first flush of success was interrupted by the Franco-Prussian War and the Siege of Paris (which also led to the early death of Giuseppina Bozzacchi, on her 17th birthday), but eventually it became the most-performed ballet at the Opéra. *Modern-day productions are traditionally derived from the revivals staged by Marius Petipa for the Imperial Ballet of St. Petersburg in the late 19th century. Petipa's choreography was documented in the Stepanov method of choreographic notation at the turn of the 20th century. These notations were later used to stage the St. Petersburg version for such companies as the Vic-Wells Ballet (precursor of today's Royal Ballet).

Sadler Wells Ballet (1931)

*Is a performing arts venue in Clerkenwell, London, England located on Rosebery Avenue next to New River Head. The present-day theatre is the sixth on the site since 1683. It consists of two performance spaces: a 1,500-seat main auditorium and the Lilian Baylis Studio, with extensive rehearsal rooms and technical facilities also housed within the site. Sadler's Wells is renowned as one of the world's leading dance venues. As well as a stage for visiting companies, the theatre is also a producing house, with a number of associated artists and companies that produce original works for the theatre. Sadler's Wells is also responsible for the management of the Peacock Theatrein the West End, during times not used by the London School of Economics.

Romantic Ballet: The Nutcracker 1892

*Is an 1892 two-act ballet. *Originally choreographed by Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov.

Gelsey Kirkland (1952)

*Is an American ballerina. Kirkland joined the New York City Ballet in 1968 at age 15, at the invitation of George Balanchine. She was promoted to soloist in 1969, and principal in 1972. She went on to create leading roles in many of the great twentieth century ballets by Balanchine, Jerome Robbins, and Antony Tudor, including Balanchine's revival of The Firebird, Robbins' Goldberg Variations, and Tudor's The Leaves are Fading. Balanchine re-choreographed his version of Stravinsky's The Firebird specifically for her.[1] She left the New York City Ballet to join the American Ballet Theatre in 1974. *She is perhaps most famous to the general public for dancing the role of Clara Stahlbaum in Baryshnikov's 1977 televised production of The Nutcracker. She left the American Ballet Theatre in 1984.

Louis's style that remains

*Vertical style in body carriage. *Positions of the body. *Basic steps and vocabulary. *The language of ballet. *Regal carriage and controlled energy-even in living dancers. *Decorative arms and hands. *Sense of effortlessness. *Shoulders moving in opposition to stepping foot. *This elegance, stateliness, sense of composure and grander comes to us from this Baroque period and Louis XIV.

William Forsythe (1949)

*Is an American dancer and choreographer resident in Frankfurt am Main in Hesse, Germany. He is known internationally for his work with the Ballet Frankfurt (1984-2004) and The Forsythe Company (2005-2015). Recognized for the integration of ballet and visual arts, which displayed both abstraction and forceful theatricality, his vision of choreography as an organizational practice has inspired him to produce numerous installations, films, and web-based knowledge creation, incorporating the spoken word and experimental music.

The Dance Theatre of Harlem (1969)

*Is an American professional ballet company and school based in Harlem, New York City. It was founded in 1969 under the co-directorship of Arthur Mitchell and Karel Shook. Milton Rosenstock served as the company's music director from 1981 to 1992. The DTH is renowned for being both "the first Black classical ballet company",[1] and "the first major ballet company to prioritize Black dancers".

Matthew Bourne (1960)

*Is an English choreographer. His work includes contemporary dance and dance theatre. He has received multiple awards and award nominations, including the Laurence Olivier Award, Tony Award and Drama Desk Award, and he has also received several Honorary Doctorates of Arts from UK universities. Bourne was knighted in the 2016 New Year Honours for services to dance.

Royal Ballet (1956)

*Is an internationally renowned classical ballet company, based at the Royal Opera House in Covent Garden, London, England. The largest of the five major ballet companies in Great Britain, the Royal Ballet was founded in 1931 by Dame Ninette de Valois,[1] it became the resident ballet company of the Royal Opera House in 1946[1] and was granted a royal charter in 1956, becoming recognised as Britain's flagship ballet company. The Royal Ballet was one of the foremost ballet companies of the 20th century, and continues to be one of the world's most famous ballet companies to this day, generally noted for its artistic and creative values. The company employs approximately 100 dancers and has purpose built facilities within the Royal Opera House. The official associate school of the company is the Royal Ballet School, and it also has a sister company, the Birmingham Royal Ballet, which operates independently. The Prima ballerina assoluta of the Royal Ballet is the late Dame Margot Fonteyn.

Neo Classicism in Ballet/Balanchine: Jerome Robbins (1918-1988)

*Jerome Robbins (October 11, 1918 - July 29, 1998) was an American choreographer, director, dancer, and theater producer who worked in classical ballet, on stage, film, and television. Among his numerous stage productions were On the Town, Peter Pan, High Button Shoes, The King and I, The Pajama Game, Bells Are Ringing, West Side Story, Gypsy, and Fiddler on the Roof. Robbins was a five-time Tony Award-winner and a recipient of the Kennedy Center Honors. He received two Academy Awards, including the 1961 Academy Award for Best Director with Robert Wise for West Side Story.

Fanny Cerrito (1817-1909)

*Jules Perrot & Cario Blais. --Debut in Naples 1832, Married Arther Saint-leon.

Jules Perrot (1810-1892)

*Jules-Joseph Perrot (18 August 1810 - 29 August 1892) was a dancer and choreographer who later became Ballet Master of the Imperial Ballet in St. Petersburg, Russia. He created some of the most famous ballets of the 19th century including Pas de Quatre, La Esmeralda, Ondine, and Giselle with Jean Coralli. *Considered the greatest male dancer of the Romantic era. His ballets were known for their dramatic plots and expressive choreography. *An early French developer of the ballet dance form

Catherine de Medici's court: Rise of the Merchant Class

*Marco Polo traveled to the east- established a trade route and commerce. *Merchants become wealthy- a new class for people.----They become influential in the kind's court, the rase of towns. *The Medici family is the most influential and most respected merchant class family in Italy.--They had great power in Florence in 15-16th centuries, They were patrons of the arts, including Leonardo de Vinci and Michelangelo.

Spectre de la Rose (1911)

*Le Spectre de la rose (The Spirit of the Rose) is a short ballet about a young girl who dreams of dancing with the spirit of a souvenir rose from her first ball.[1] The ballet was written by Jean-Louis Vaudoyer who based the story on a verse by Théophile Gautier and used the music of Carl Maria von Weber's piano piece Aufforderung zum Tanz (Invitation to the Dance) as orchestrated by Hector Berlioz. *The ballet premiered in Monte Carlo on 19 April 1911, produced by the Ballet Russes ballet company. Michel Fokine was the choreographer and Léon Bakstdesigned the original Biedermeier sets and costumes. Nijinsky danced The Rose and Tamara Karsavina danced the Young Girl. It was a great success. Spectrebecame internationally famous for the spectacular leap Nijinsky made through a window at the ballet's end.

Les Noces (1923)

*Les Noces (French; English: The Wedding; is a ballet and orchestral concert work composed by Igor Stravinsky for percussion, pianists, chorus, and vocal soloists. The composer gave it the descriptive title "Choreographed Scenes with Music and Voices" and dedicated it to impresario Sergei Diaghilev. Though initially intended to serve as a ballet score, it is often performed without dance. *The ballet premiered under the musical direction of Ernest Ansermet at the Ballets Russes with choreography by Bronislava Nijinska on 13 June 1923, in Paris. Several versions of the score have been performed, either substituting orchestra for the percussion and pianos or using pianolas in accordance with a version of the piece that Stravinsky abandoned without completing.

Les Sylphides (1909)

*Les Sylphides: is a short, non-narrative ballet blanc. The ballet, described as a "romantic reverie",[1][2] is frequently cited as the first ballet to be simply about mood and dance.[1] Les Sylphides has no plot but instead consists of several white-clad sylphs dancing in the moonlight with the "poet" or "young man" dressed in white tights and a black tunic. *Its original choreography was by Michel Fokine, with music by Frédéric Chopinorchestrated by Alexander Glazunov. Glazunov had already set some of the music in 1892 as a purely orchestral suite, under the title Chopiniana, Op. 46.[3]In that form, it was introduced to the public in December 1893, conducted by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov.

Neo Classicism in Ballet/Balanchine: Lincoln Kirstien (1907- 1996)

*Lincoln Edward Kirstein (May 4, 1907 - January 5, 1996) was an American writer, impresario, art connoisseur, philanthropist, and cultural figure in New York City, noted especially as co-founder of the New York City Ballet. He developed and sustained the company with his organizing ability and fundraising for more than four decades, serving as the company's general director from 1946 to 1989. According to the New York Times, he was "an expert in many fields," organizing art exhibits and lecture tours in the same years.

Neo Classicism in Ballet/Balanchine: Lucia Chase (1897- 1986)

*Lucia Chase (24 March 1897[2] in Waterbury, Connecticut - 9 January 1986 in New York City, United States) was an American dancer, actress, ballet director and also the co-founder of the American Ballet Theatre.[1]

Romantic Ballet: The Industrial Revolution

*Manufacturing. *Industrialization Society. *Movement into Cities. *Improvements. *Abuses. *Child Labor.

Pygmalion (1734)

*Marie Salle, London 1734. *Costume and hair. *Story--A sculptor-pygmalion, A statue that comes to life.

The Sleeping Beauty (1890)

*Marius Petipa - 4 fairies for Aurora, did not invite the evil fairy - put a spell on Aurora @ 16 she would prick her finger on a spindle & fall asleep for 100 years - End of Act I pricks her finger - Act III is the wedding (divertissement, Grand Pas A Deux). *Is a ballet in a prologue and three acts, first performed in 1890. The music was composed by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (his opus66). The score was completed in 1889, and is the second of his three ballets. The original scenario was conceived by Ivan Vsevolozhsky, and is based on Charles Perrault's La Belle au bois dormant. The choreographer of the original production was Marius Petipa. *The premiere performance took place at the Mariinsky Theatre in St. Petersburg on January 15, 1890. The work has become one of the classical repertoire's most famous ballets.

Neo Classicism in Ballet/Balanchine: Maria Tallchief (1925- 1913)

*Married Balanchine 1946-1952. *First Native American to become a prima ballerina. *One of her early teachers was Nijinska in LA. *She was dancing with the Paris Opera Ballet when she met Balanchine. He was the intern director fo the company at the time. *He was 45yrs old and she was 21 yrs old. *Her parents new agents the union. *1948 Balanchine and Marie founded NYC Ballet and are invited to become the resistant company of the Lincoln Center. *Balanchine choreographed "Firebird" for her. *In 1949 she becomes the first surge plum fairy of the NYC Ballet.

All Male Swan Lake (1999)

*Matthew Bourne's Swan Lake is a contemporary ballet based on the Russian romantic work Swan Lake, from which it takes the music by Tchaikovsky and the broad outline of the plot. Bourne's rendering is best known for having the traditionally female parts of the swans danced by men. *4 Acts

Innovations of the Romantic Ballet: Point shoes

*Mid-18th century dancer Marie Camargo of the Paris Opéra Ballet was the first to wear a non-heeled shoe, enabling her to perform leaps that would have been difficult, if not impossible, in the more conventional shoes of the age. *As dance progressed into the 19th century, the emphasis on technical skill increased, as did the desire to dance en pointe without the aid of wires. When Marie Taglioni first danced La Sylphide en pointe, her shoes were nothing more than modified satin slippers; the soles were made of leather and the sides and toes were darned to help the shoes hold their shapes. Because the shoes of this period offered no support, dancers would pad their toes for comfort and rely on the strength of their feet and ankles for support.

Marius Petipa (1818-1910)

*Moved to St. Petersburg in 1847. *Lived in Russia for the rest of the century. *This whole period of Ballet history is known as the Age of Petipa. *Born in France but became famous in Russia. *Began studying dance with his father. *He studied with Auguste Vestris. *Has a partner to Fanny Essler. *In 1862 he was appointment ballet master in St. Petersburg Russia. *Collaborated with Pyotr Illich Tehaikovsy on many ballets. *His attention to dramatic context, form, and music in creation a unified production is what crystalized the form by the end of the century. *He has left us a legacy of ballets. Created Over 50 Ballets: *Don Quixote (1869) *LA Bayadere (1899) *The Sleeping Beauty (1890) *Cinderella (with Enrico Cecchetti and Lev Ivanov 1893). *Swan Lake (with Lev Ivanov, 1895).

Neo Classicism in Ballet/Balanchine: Suzanne Farrell (1945)

*Never married Balanchine. *She becomes a principle dancer for NYC Ballet in 1963 at age 18. *Balanchine created many important woks for her-- the role don Dulcinea in born Quixote, Balanchine danced the role of Dan Quixote on opening night. *He divorced Tanaquil Le Clarcq to pursue Suzanne Farrell.--But instead she married fellow dancer Paul Mejia wile on tour, Balanchine fired her and she goes off to perform in Europe with Ballet Bejart in Brussels Belgium. *She returns to NYC Ballet in 1975 and Balanchine creates Many more works for her until his dealth in 1993.

Neo Classicism in Ballet/Balanchine: New York City Ballet (1948)

*New York City Ballet (NYCB) is a ballet company founded in 1948 by choreographer George Balanchine[1]and Lincoln Kirstein.[2] Balanchine and Jerome Robbins are considered the founding choreographers of the company. Léon Barzin was the company's first music director. City Ballet grew out of earlier troupes: the Producing Company of the School of American Ballet,[3] 1934; the American Ballet,[4] 1935, and Ballet Caravan, 1936, which merged into American Ballet Caravan,[5] 1941; and directly from the Ballet Society,[6][7] 1946.

Male versus Female Dancers

*One sided emphasis-female. *100 years earlier male new the focus. *Mysterious, elusive, feminine ideal. *Men are demoted to servant status.

Innovations of the Classical Period: Pas de duex

*Pas de deux-adagio. *Female variation *Male variation *Coda

Ballet Comique de la Reine (1581)

*Performed by nobles- six hour play. Old testament tales & Greek/Roman mythology- the first real ballet- Catherine de Medici patron- produced in honor of Queen's daughter in law. *Ballet cornique de la raine (1581). *Performed in Paris. *Lasted 5hrs (10pm-3am). *In honor of Catherine daughter-in-law. *The story is set on the island of Circe, and an evil sorceress is conquered by the king fo France.

Giselle (1841)

*Primere 1841. *Carlotta Grisi and Lucien Petipa. *Choreography by Jean Coralli and Jules Perot. *Act 1- Sunlight--Giselle a happy but fragile present girl, Prince Albrecht disguised as a peasant boy, Bathilde, Albrecht rich fiancé, Hilarion a jealous present, Griselle goes mad and dies. *Act 2- Moonlight-- Forest setting at night, Willis sylphlike, Albrecht visits Giselle's tomb and is caught by the willis.

Jason and Medea (1763)

*Produced by Noverre in 1763. *Based on Greek Mythology. *Objections to the production.

The Rambert Ballet (1926)

*Rambert, (known as Rambert Dance Company before 2014) is a leading British dance company. Formed at the start of the 20th century as a classical balletcompany, it exerted a great deal of influence on the development of dance in the United Kingdom, and today, as a contemporary dance company, continues to be one of the world's most renowned dance companies. It has previously been known as the Ballet Club, and the Ballet Rambert.

Innovations of the Romantic Ballet: Sunlight moonlight ballets

*Romantic Ballet; first act is live ands happy and second act is more dark. *First act is a "sunlight ballet. Second act is "moonlight".

Innovations of the Romantic Ballet: Stage lighting

*Romantic ballet owed much to the new developments in theatre effects, particularly gas lighting. Candles had been previously used to light theatres, but gas lighting allowed for dimming effects and other subtleties. Combined with the effects of the Romantic tutu, ballerinas posing en pointe, and the use of wires to make dancers "fly," directors used gas lighting to create supernatural spectacles on stage.

Romantic Ballet -vs- Classic Ballet

*Romantic ballet: started in the 19th century and focused greatly on the drama and emotion of the stories being told. Female dancers were dominant in these ballets with much pointe work and flowy costumes. There was a great focus on conflicts such as good and evil, beauty and ugliness and spirit and flesh. Romantic ballet examples include Coppelia and La Sylphide. Long poofy tutus *Classical Ballet: When people talk about ballet, they are often referring to classical ballet. This is the early styles of ballet that became most popular in the 19th century in places such as France and Russia. These ballets are very story-focused and have an orchestra as well as a big focus on costumes and sets to emphasise the story. Dancers are graceful with much pointe work and symmetry. Classic ballet examples include Swan Lake and The Nutcracker. Straight out tutu style.

Romantic Ballet: Swan Lake 1895

*The 1895 Petipa/Ivanov/Drigo revival of Swan Lake is a famous version of the ballet Swan Lake. *This is a ballet based on an ancient German legend, presented in either four acts, four scenes (primarily outside Russia and Eastern Europe), three acts, four scenes (primarily in Russia and Eastern Europe) or, more rarely, in two acts, four scenes. *Originally choreographed by Julius Reisinger to the music of Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (opus 20), it was first presented as The Lake of the Swans by the Ballet of the Moscow Imperial Bolshoi Theatre on 20 February/4 March 1877 (Julian/Gregorian calendar dates) in Moscow, Russia. *Although the ballet is presented in many different versions, most ballet companies today base their stagings both choreographically and musically on this revival by Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov, staged for the Imperial Ballet, first presented on 15 January/27 January 1895, at the Imperial Mariinsky Theatre in St. Petersburg, Russia instead of the original version.

Lines Ballet (1984)

*The Alonzo King LINES Ballet(AKLB) is an American contemporary ballet company based in the San Francisco Bay Area. The ballet company, founded by choreographerAlonzo King, premiered at San Francisco State University's McKenna Theatre in 1982. *LINES Ballet performs its home season at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts in San Francisco[3] while also maintaining an international touring schedule that includes featured performances at venues such as Venice Biennale in Venice, Théâtre National de Chaillot in Paris, and The Kwai Tsing Theatre in Hong Kong.[4][5] LINES Ballet, which celebrated its 35th Anniversary season in 2017, features a diverse line up of dancers from countries including Germany, Canada, South Korea, and The United States; and presents programs that exemplify the company's artistic vision to renew and transcend traditional ballet with cross-genre collaborations.[6][7] In October 2017, Muriel Maffre, a former principal dancer for the San Francisco Ballet, was named the company's chief executive officer.[

Ballet Russe: Age of Exploration Revolution- Revolution in Russia

*The Ballets Russes (French: [balɛ ʁys]) was an itinerant balletcompany based in Paris that performed between 1909 and 1929 throughout Europe and on tours to North and South America. The company never performed in Russia, where the Revolution disrupted society.

Innovations of the Romantic Ballet: Long tutus

*The costume for the Romantic ballerina was the romantic tutu. This was a full, white, multi-layered skirt made of tulle. The ballerina wore a white bodice with the tutu. In the second acts of Romantic ballets, representing the spiritual realm, the corps de ballet appeared on stage in Romantic tutus, giving rise to the term "white act" or ballet-blanc. The dancers wore pointe shoes to give the effect of floating. However, sometimes they decided to throw in extra sharp, sassy movements to portray the given concept or intent, often using high kicks and fast turns.

Moscow - Bolshoi

*The Bolshoi Theatre is a historic theatre in Moscow, Russia, originally designed by architect Joseph Bové, which holds ballet and opera performances.[1] Before the October Revolution it was a part of the Imperial Theatres of the Russian Empire along with Maly Theatre(Small Theatre) in Moscow and a few theatres in Saint Petersburg (Hermitage Theatre, Bolshoi (Kamenny) Theatre, later Mariinsky Theatre and others). *The Bolshoi Ballet and Bolshoi Opera are amongst the oldest and most renowned ballet and opera companies in the world. It is by far the world's biggest ballet company, with more than 200 dancers.[2] The theatre is the parent company of The Bolshoi Ballet Academy, a world-famous leading school of ballet. It has a branch at the Bolshoi Theater School in Joinville, Brazil.

Cachucha (1836)

*The Cachucha was created in Cuba though it is now considered a Spanish dance. Fanny Elssler (1810-1884, Vienna) popularized this dance when she introduced it to the public in the ballet from Rossini's opera La donna del lago in 1830's London, and cemented its fame in Jean Coralli's ballet Le Diable boiteux (1836, Vienna).

Pierre Beauchamps (1636-1705)

*The Kings dancing master and superintendent of ballets. *Listed and described ballet technique--Dance d'ecole -dance style of the academy,His writing describes 5 positions of feet and arms, turn out. *Stressed technical excellence. *Geometrical patterns. *Always fall the King.

Innovations of the Romantic Ballet: Nationalistic Fairytales

*The Romantic Period began in the early nineteenth century and reflected the romantic ideas of art and literature of that time. Following the Classical Period, ballet became a marriage of dynamic technique and dramatic storytelling. This was the birth of the story ballet. The Romantic Era was a time of fantasy, etherealism, supernaturalism and exoticism. The stories of the time dealt with issues of good vs. evil, man vs. nature and society vs. the supernatural. Women became the superstars of the ballet with the introduction of pointework, a style of dancing on the tip of the toes which gave the illusion of floating. With women being centerstage, men took the role of supporting the ballerina. Important ballerinas of this era include Marie Taglioni, Carlotta Grisi, Lucille Grahn and Fanny Ceritto. Popular ballets of the romantic period include La Sylphide, Giselle, and Coppelia.

Neo Classicism in Ballet/Balanchine: Romanticism as a philosophy

*The Romantic ballet is defined primarily by an era in ballet in which the ideas of Romanticism in art and literature influenced the creation of ballets. ... The Romantic ballet had no immediate end, but rather a slow decline. Arthur Saint-Léon's 1870 balletCoppélia is considered to be the last work of the Romantic Ballet.

Ballet Russe: Age of Exploration Revolution- Nationalism/WWI

*The Slavophile movement became popular in 19th-century Russia. Slavophiles opposed influences of Western Europe in Russia and were determined to protect Russian culture and traditions. Aleksey Khomyakov, Ivan Kireyevsky, and Konstantin Aksakov are credited with co-founding the movement.

Taglioni-Elssler Rivalry

*The Taglioni-Elssler Rivalry, which was largely a fabrication of the Opera management to boot ticket sales, persists through the 19th century.

Vagonava

*The Vaganova method is a ballet technique and training system devised by the Russian dancer and pedagogue Agrippina Vaganova (1879-1951). It was derived from the teachings of the Premier Maitre de Ballet Marius Petipa, throughout the late 19th century. It was Agrippa Vaganova who perfected and cultivated this form of teaching classical ballet and turned it into a viable syllabus.[1] The method fuses elements of traditional French style from the romantic era with the athleticism and virtuosity of Italian Cecchetti technique.[2] The training system is designed to involve the whole body in every movement, with equal attention paid to the upper body, legs and feet. Vaganova believed that this approach increases consciousness of the body, thus creating a harmony of movement and greater expressive range

Neo Classicism in Ballet/Balanchine: Victorian Era

*The Victorian Era saw an evolved dance form from the 16th century Italy in 19th century England. Ballet was a pure and graceful form of dance that was practiced by both men and women in the Victorian era. ... Ballet performances were put up at the Royal Academy of Dance in England which was founded after the Victorian era.

Neo Classicism in Ballet/Balanchine: Don Quixote (1965)

*The ballet Don Quixote is based on segments of the classic novel, The Ingenious Gentleman Don Quixote of La Mancha, by Miguel de Cervantes Saavreda,. ... A simple farmer, Sancho Panza, is his "squire;" his muse is Dulcinea, in reality a local peasant girl, but in Quixote's delusion, a vision of perfection and purity. *The most famous and enduring ballet adaptation was created by the choreographer Marius Petipa, unrivalled Maître de Ballet of the Tsar's Imperial Ballet of St. Petersburg, and the composer Ludwig Minkus. By special commission, Petipa mounted the work for the Ballet of the Imperial Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow.

Agnes De Mille (1905- 1993)

*The niece of the film director Cecil B. DeMille and granddaughter of the economist Henry George, worked extensively with American Ballet Theater, but the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo commissioned her most famous work, Rodeo. That ballet, featuring music by Aaron Copland (possibly assisted by an uncredited Leonard Bernstein), details a love rectangle between characters known as American Cowgirl, Champion Roper, Head Wrangler, and Rancher's Daughter. Her other notable stage ballets include Three Virgins and a Devil and Fall River Legend (based on the life of Lizzie Borden). De Mille also found success in musical theater, creating a revolutionary "dream ballet" for Rodgers and Hammerstein's Oklahoma!. *Was an American dancer and choreographer.

La Fille Mal Gardee (1789)

*The poorly guarded girl. *Choreographed by Jean Dauberval, 1789. *Music: a collection of 55 popular French songs. *Just before the French Revolution. *Exotic- peasant life. *Considered the oldest ballet. *Simone-a wealthy widow. *Lisette-the daughter. *Alain-a good natured dope. *Colin-handsome bet poor. *The villagers. The Harvest Festival.

Innovations of the Romantic Ballet: Flying

*They danced in a style more fluid and ethereal than 18th-century dancers and were especially prized for their ballon as they tried to create the illusion of flight. Sometimes this was literally achieved through the use of flying harnesses and wires, but more significantly it was achieved by the new technique of dancing on pointe. Though female dancers did not yet wear the solidly blocked pointe shoes of the later 19th century—their slippers were stiffened only by lines of darning

Ballet D' Action

*Unified, expressive dance works *Emotionally expressive and beautiful images. *Follows dramatic plots. *Imitates life scenes, naturalism. *Includes dancing for the sake of beauty and design.

Neo Classicism in Ballet/Balanchine: Seranade (1928)

*Was Balanchine's first choreographed ballet in America.

Frederick Ashton (1917- 1988)

*Was a British ballet dancer and choreographer. He also worked as a director and choreographer in opera, film and revue. *Determined to be a dancer, despite the opposition of his conventional middle-class family, Ashton was accepted as a pupil by Léonide Massine and then by Marie Rambert. In 1926 Rambert encouraged him to try his hand at choreography, and though he continued to dance professionally, with success, it was as a choreographer that he became famous. *Ashton was chief choreographer to Ninette de Valois, from 1935 until her retirement in 1963, in the company known successively as the Vic-Wells Ballet, the Sadler's Wells Ballet and the Royal Ballet. He succeeded de Valois as director of the company, serving until his own retirement in 1970. *Ashton is widely credited with the creation of a specifically English genre of ballet. Among his best-known works are Façade (1931), Symphonic Variations (1946), Cinderella (1948), La fille mal gardée (1960), Monotones I and II (1965), Enigma Variations (1968) and the feature film ballet The Tales of Beatrix Potter (1970).

Alicia Alonzo (1920-2019)

*Was a Cuban prima ballerina assoluta and choreographerwhose company became the Ballet Nacional de Cuba in 1955.[2] She is best known for her portrayals of Giselle and the ballet version of Carmen. *From the age of nineteen, Alonso was afflicted with an eye condition and became partially blind. Her partners always had to be in the exact place she expected them to be, and she used lights in different parts of the stage to guide herself.

Francoise Prevost (1680-1741)

*Was a French ballerina who helped establish dramatic dance in the early world of classical ballet. She was expressive, light and dramatic in style. In 1699, Prevost debuted at the Académie d'Opera in the ballet, Atys, later replacing Marie-Thérèse de Subligny as the female lead. In 1708, she performed with Jean Balon in the final scene of Corneille's Les Horaces. The performance, though only of the final scene of the play and entirely in pantomime, is said to have caused the audience to weep. The "pantomime" came from the popular theaters of the time and freely used bold gestures and body language to communicate the narrative to the audience. The goal was to convey a story of meaning using purely movement, without spoken word. Maintaining her interest in the dramatic potential of dance, Prevost created a famous solo in 1714 called "Les Caracteres de la Danse." Choreographed to a suite of dances by composer Jean Ferry Rebel, the "characters" depicted a series of lovers of varying ages and sexes, and Prevost enacted each one to a different piece of music: the bourree, the menuet, the passepied. She taught this solo to her two most accomplished female students: Marie Camargo and Marie Sallé. Camargo was the first to learn the solo for her debut at the Paris Opera. Her growing success incited jealousy in Prevost, and she relegated Camargo to the corps de ballet. One day however, Camargo made an spectacular impromptu improvisation solo for a missing male dancer. The arrival of Marie Salle, and her dramatic recreation of the famous solo into a pas de deux of rich emotional interaction, highlighted the different approaches to dance of the period: technical flash verses dramatic depth.

Jean Balon (1671-1744)

*Was a French dancer and choreographer. The ballet term ballon is sometimes said to be derived from his name, but Robert Greskovic calls this "dubious".[2] Balon danced under the tutelage of the balletmaster Pierre Beauchamp at the Paris Opera. Marie Salléis identified as a student of Balon's

Marie Rambert (1888- 1982)

*Was a Polish-born English dancer and pedagogue who exerted great influence on British ballet, both as a dancer and teacher. *Rambert began her dance training in her schooling early on. Subjects like foreign languages and history seemed to come easy; however she was a restless child and ended up getting bad marks because of her endless movements during class. At one point in her early training her dance instructor stated that 'In her, was the true spirit of dance.'[6] She was unimpressed with the structure and performance of ballet, and was not drawn into dance as a passion until she became enthralled by Isadora Duncan when she attended one of Duncan's performances, and was 'profoundly moved by the beauty of Duncan's dance.

Alexandre Benois

*Was a Russian artist, art critic, historian, preservationist, and founding member of Mir iskusstva (World of Art), an art movement and magazine.[1][3]As a designer for the Ballets Russes under Sergei Diaghilev, Benois exerted what is considered a seminal influence on the modern ballet and stage design

Lev Ivanov (1834-1901)

*Was a Russian ballet dancer and choreographer and later, Second Balletmaster of the Imperial Ballet. As a performer with the Imperial Ballet, he achieved prominence after performing as an understudy in a benefit performance of La Fille Mal Gardée. He is most famous as the choreographer of Acts II and IV of Swan Lake, which include the Dance of the Little Swans, Act II of Cinderella, and The Nutcracker, which he choreographed alongside Marius Petipa.

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (1840-1893)

*Was a Russian composer of the Romantic period. He was the first Russian composer whose music made a lasting impression internationally, which was bolstered by his appearances as a guest conductor in Europe and the United States. He was honored in 1884 by Tsar Alexander III and awarded a lifetime pension.

Anna Pavlova (1881-1931)

*Was a Russian prima ballerina of the late 19th and the early 20th centuries. She was a principal artist of the Imperial Russian Balletand the Ballets Russes of Sergei Diaghilev. Pavlova is most recognized for her creation of the role of The Dying Swan and, with her own company, became the first ballerina to tour around the world, including South America, India and Australia.

Igor Stravinsky

*Was a Russian-born composer, pianist, and conductor. He is widely considered one of the most important and influential composers of the 20th century. *Stravinsky's compositional career was notable for its stylistic diversity. He first achieved international fame with three ballets commissioned by the impresarioSerge Diaghilev and first performed in Paris by Diaghilev's Ballets Russes: The Firebird (1910), Petrushka (1911), and The Rite of Spring (1913). The latter transformed the way in which subsequent composers thought about rhythmic structure and was largely responsible for Stravinsky's enduring reputation as a musical revolutionary who pushed the boundaries of musical design. His "Russian phase", which continued with works such as Renard, L'Histoire du soldat, and Les Noces, was followed in the 1920s by a period in which he turned to neoclassicism. The works from this period tended to make use of traditional musical forms (concerto grosso, fugue, and symphony) and drew from earlier styles, especially those of the 18th century. In the 1950s, Stravinsky adopted serial procedures. His compositions of this period shared traits with examples of his earlier output: rhythmic energy, the construction of extended melodic ideas out of a few two- or three-note cells, and clarity of form and instrumentation.

Pablo Picasso

*Was a Spanish painter, sculptor, printmaker, ceramicist and theatre designer who spent most of his adult life in France. Regarded as one of the most influential artists of the 20th century, he is known for co-founding the Cubist movement, the invention of constructed sculpture,[5][6] the co-invention of collage, and for the wide variety of styles that he helped develop and explore. Among his most famous works are the proto-CubistLes Demoiselles d'Avignon (1907), and Guernica (1937), a dramatic portrayal of the bombing of Guernicaby German and Italian airforces during the Spanish Civil War.

Arthur Mitchell (1934-2018)

*Was an American ballet dancer, choreographer, and founder and director of ballet companies. In 1955, he was the first African-American dancer with the New York City Ballet, where he was promoted to principal dancer the following year and danced in major roles until 1966. He then founded ballet companies in Spoleto, Washington, D.C., and Brazil. In 1969, he founded a training school and the first African-American classical ballet company, Dance Theatre of Harlem. Among other awards, Mitchell was recognized as a MacArthur Fellow, inducted into the National Museum of Dance's Mr. & Mrs. Cornelius Vanderbilt Whitney Hall of Fame, and received the United States National Medal of Art sand a Fletcher Foundation fellowship.

Gerald Arpino (1923- 2008)

*Was an American dancer and choreographer. He was co-founder of the Joffrey Ballet and succeeded Robert Joffrey as its artistic director in 1988.

Robert Joffrey (1930-1988)

*Was an American dancer, teacher, producer, choreographer, and co-founder of the Joffrey Ballet, known for his highly imaginative modern ballets. He was born Anver Bey Abdullah Jaffa Khan in Seattle, Washington to a Pashtunfather from Afghanistan and a mother from Italy. *Joffrey began his dance training at nine years old in Seattle as a remedy for asthma under instructor Mary Anne Wells. He later studied ballet and modern dance in New York Cityand made his debut in 1949 with the French choreographer Roland Petitand his Ballet de l'Opéra National de Paris. From 1950 to 1955, he taught at the New York High School for the Performing Arts, where he staged his earliest ballets. He founded the Joffrey Ballet School in New York City in 1953, where it remains as a separate organization from The Joffrey Academy of Dance in Chicago, which is the official school of the Joffrey Ballet Company

Margot Fonteyn (1919-1991)

*Was an English ballerina. She spent her entire career as a dancer with the Royal Ballet(formerly the Sadler's Wells Theatre Company), eventually being appointed prima ballerina assoluta of the company by Queen Elizabeth II. Beginning ballet lessons at the age of four, she studied in England and China, where her father was transferred for his work. Her training in Shanghai was with George Goncharov, contributing to her continuing interest in Russian ballet. Returning to London at the age of 14, she was invited to join the Vic-Wells Ballet School by Ninette de Valois. She succeeded Alicia Markova as prima ballerina of the company in 1935. The Vic-Wells choreographer, Sir Frederick Ashton, wrote numerous parts for Fonteyn and her partner, Robert Helpmann, with whom she danced from the 1930s to the 1940s. *In 1946, the company, now renamed the Sadler's Wells Ballet, moved into the Royal Opera House at Covent Garden where Fonteyn's most frequent partner throughout the next decade was Michael Somes. Her performance in Tchaikovsky's The Sleeping Beauty became a distinguishing role for both Fonteyn and the company, but she was also well known for the ballets created by Ashton, including Symphonic Variations, Cinderella, Daphnis and Chloe, Ondine and Sylvia. In 1949, she led the company in a tour of the United States and became an international celebrity. Before and after the Second World War, Fonteyn performed in televised broadcasts of ballet performances in Britain and in the early 1950s appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show,consequently increasing the popularity of dance in the United States. In 1955, she married the Panamanian politician Roberto Arias and appeared in a live colour production of The Sleeping Beauty aired on NBC. Three years later, she and Somes danced for the BBC television adaptation of The Nutcracker. Thanks to her international acclaim and many guest artist requests, the Royal Ballet allowed Fonteyn to become a freelance dancer in 1959. *In 1961, when Fonteyn was considering retirement, Rudolf Nureyev defected from the Kirov Ballet while dancing in Paris. Fonteyn, though reluctant to partner with him because of their 19-year age difference, danced with him in his début with the Royal Ballet in Giselle on 21 February 1962. The duo immediately became an international sensation, each dancer pushing the other to their best performances. They were most noted for their classical performances in works such as Le Corsaire Pas de Deux, Les Sylphides, La Bayadère, Swan Lake, and Raymonda, in which Nureyev sometimes adapted choreographies specifically to showcase their talents. The pair premièred Ashton's Marguerite and Armand, which had been choreographed specifically for them and were noted for their performance in the title roles of Sir Kenneth MacMillan's Romeo and Juliet. The following year, Fonteyn's husband was shot during an assassination attempt and became a quadriplegic, requiring constant care for the remainder of his life. *In 1972, Fonteyn went into semi-retirement, although she continued to dance periodically until the end of the decade. In 1979, she was fêted by the Royal Ballet and officially pronounced the prima ballerina assoluta of the company. She retired to Panama, where she spent her time writing books, raising cattle, and caring for her husband. She died from ovarian cancer exactly 29 years after her premiere with Nureyev in Giselle.

Anthony Tudor (1908 - 1987)

*Was an English ballet choreographer, teacher and dancer. Major works: *Adam and Eve (1932) *Atalanta of the East (1933) *Britannia Triumphans (1953) *Cereus * (1971) *A Choreographer Comments * (1960) *Concerning Oracles (1966) *Constanza's Lament (1932) *Continuo * (1971) *Cross Garter'd (1931) *Dance Studies (less Orthodox) * (1961) *Dark Elegies * (1937) *The Day Before Spring (1945) *The Dear Departed (1949) *The Decent of Hebe (1935) *Dim Lustre * (1943) *The Divine Horsemen * (1969) *Echoing of Trumpets * (1963) *Elizabethan Dances (1953) *Fandango * (1963) *Exercise Piece * (1953) *Gala Performance * (1938) *Galant Assembly (1937) *La Gloire (1952) *Goya Pastoral (1940) *Hail and Farewell (1959) *Judgment of Paris * (1938) *Knight Errant (1968) *Lady of Camellias (1951) *Leaves are Fading * (1975) T*he Legend of Dick Whittington (1934) *La Leyenda de Jose (1958) *Lilac Garden (Jardin Aux Lilas) * (1936) *Little Improvisations * (1953) *Lysistrata (1932) *Les Mains Gauches * (1951) *Mr. Roll's *Quadrilles (1932) *Nimbus (1950) *Offenbach in the Underworld *(1954) *Paramour (1934) *Pas de Trois * (1956) *Passamezzi (1962) *Pavane pour une Infante Defunte (1933) *Pillar of Fire * (1942) *The Planets * (1934) *The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet * (1943) *Ronde du Printemps (1951) *Seven Intimate Dances (1938) *Shadow of the Wind (1948) *Shadowplay * (1967) *Soiree Musicale * (1938) *Suite of Airs (1937) *Sunflowers * (1971) *The Tiller in the Fields (1978) *Time Table (1941) *Trio con Brio * (1952) *Undertow * (1945)

Carlo Blasis (1795-1878)

*Was an Italian dancer, choreographer and dance theoretician born in Naples. He is well known for his very rigorous dance classes, sometimes lasting four hours long. Blasis insisted that his students learn theories and definitions of dance steps. He trained all of Enrico Cecchetti's teachers and it is thought that Blasis's influence in his training is what led Cecchetti to create the Cecchetti method of ballet.

Arthur Saint-Leon (1812- 1870)

*Was the Maître de Ballet of St. Petersburg Imperial Ballet from 1859 until 1869 and is famous for creating the choreography of the ballet Coppélia. Main Choreographies: *1843 La Vivandière (mus. Cesare Pugni) *1847 La Fille de marbre (mus. Cesare Pugni, after Alma, ou la Fille de feu by Jules Perrot) *1849 Le Violon du Diable (mus. Cesare Pugni). Here, Saint-Léon performed both as dancer and violinist. *1850 Stella (mus. Cesare Pugni) *1860 Graziella ou La Querelle amoureuse (mus. Cesare Pugni) *1861 La Perle de Seville (mus. Cesare Pugni) *1864 Fiametta (mus. Ludwig Minkus) *1864 The Little Humpbacked Horse (mus. Cesare Pugni) *1866 Le Poisson doré (mus. Ludwig Minkus) *1866 La Source (mus. Ludwig Minkus and Léo Delibes) *1869 Le Lys (mus. Ludwig Minkus) Here, Minkus re-used much of the music he wrote for La Source. *1870 Coppélia (mus. L. Delibes)

Louis Veron

*in Paris was a French Opera manager and publisher.

St. Petersburg - Kirov

*is a major Russianmachine-building manufacturing plantin St. Petersburg, Russia. It was established in 1789, then moved to its present site in 1801 as a foundry for cannonballs. The Kirov Plant is sometimes confused with another Leningrad heavy weapons manufactory,

Fokine's 5 suggestions to directors

1. The ballet should be staged in conformity with the epic represented. 2. The dance pantomime and gesture should be of a kind that best fits the style of the period. 3. The ballet must be uninterrupted- a complete artistic creation and not a series of separate numbers. 4. The action must not be interrupted with applause and its acknowledgment by the artists. 5. The music should not consist of waltzes, polkas, and final gallops-but must express the story of the ballet and primarily its emotional content.

Catherine de Medici's court: The Plague

Black Death: *Coming out of the East *The bubonic plague-- Ran rampant throughout Europe 1348, It killed over 25 million people within days of their first symptoms!, 25-50% of Europe's population, Spreads by fleas from rats to humans.

Catherine de Medici's court: The Renaissance

Early Renaissance 1310-1450 AD: *Began in Florence in the 1400s and shifted to Rome. *Donatello & Verrocchio lead the way for Leonardo da Vinci, Raphael, and Michelangelo. *Outside of Italy the Renaissance spread slowly. *A focus on humanism and secular ideals--spurred on by the raising merchant class. The Renaissance: *A rich period for science, inventions and the arts (including the performing arts). *1440 the printing press *The Compass *Gunpowder *The 5th century brought the Copernican Revolution supported by Galileo.

Context of Louis the XIV Court-Innovations of the Court Ballet: Codification of steps

Emphasizes seven basic movements in dance: Plier (to bend), Étendre (to stretch), Relever (to rise), Glisser (to slide or glide), Sauter (to jump), Élancer (to dart), Tourner (to turn). Used by the Italian and Royal (English) Ballets.

Grossland

Grossland is one of the most famous dances by choreographer Maguy Marin.

Context of Louis the XIV Court: Louis development of political power use of dance as tool

He was known as "The Sun King" because of a ballet role he performed at the age of 14, where he represented the rising sun. ... Louis XIV formed the Academie Royale de Danse in 1661 for the creation, refinement and standardization of the new style of dance. *Used dances as a political statement with wars and events.

Context of Louis the XIV Court: Age of Enlightenment

Known as the "Age of Enlightenment", the 18th century in France enlightened the intellectual world in Europe with its new philosophical ideas. This movement came from some great thinkers under Louis XV "the Beloved" (1715-1774) and Louis XVI (1754-1793): Montesquieu, Voltaire, Diderot and the Encyclopaedists, J.J. Rousseau and Buffon. Louis XV became involved in the Polish War of Succession, while Louis XVI died on the guillotine, a victim, in part, of the rationalist thinking of the Age of Enlightenment which criticized the social and religious hierarchies of the period immediately before the French Revolution.

Louis XIV (1638-1715)

Known as the "Sun King" because he was the center of the French "solar system." One of the longest reigning monarchs in Europe (72 years). The quintessential absolute ruler.

Context of Louis the XIV Court: Baroque/Rococo

Things to look for in Baroque AA: *Images are direct and dramatic. *Draws the viewer into participate in the scene. *Extravagant settings. *Ornamentation. *Dramatic use of color. *Strong contrast of light and dark areas. *Overlapping figures and elements. *Sense of motion: spiraling. *Common themes--Grandiose visions, Ecstasies and conversions, Martyrdom and death, Intense light. Baroque Music: *"Baroque music is that in which the harmony is confused, and loaded with modulations and dissonances."-Jean Jacques Rousseau 1768. *Baroco- was a philosophical term to describe an elaborate and unnecessarily complicated academic argument.

The Ballets Russes

a ballet company established in 1909 by the Russian impresario Serge Diaghilev. Infamous for Rites of Spring.

Rudolf Nureyev (1938-1993)

was a Soviet ballet dancer and choreographer. Nureyev is regarded by some as the greatest male ballet dancer of his generation.[1][2][3][4] Nureyev was born on a Trans-Siberian train near Irkutsk, Siberia, Soviet Union to a Bashkir-Tatarfamily. He began his early career with the company that in the Soviet era was called the Kirov Ballet (now called by its original name, the Mariinsky Ballet) in Leningrad. He defected from the Soviet Union to the West in 1961, despite KGB efforts to stop him.[5] This was the first defection of a Soviet artist during the Cold War, and it created an international sensation. He went on to dance with The Royal Ballet in London and from 1983 to 1989 served as director of the Paris Opera Ballet. In addition to his technical prowess, Rudolf Nureyev was an accomplished choreographer serving as the chief choreographer of the Paris Opera Ballet. He produced his own interpretations of numerous classical works, including Swan Lake, Giselle, and La Bayadère.