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Recommended: History of dance
What is ballet? Why do it? Ballet is a type of dance. Dance is a type of art that generally involves the movement of the body. There are several types of dances, such as modern, which is a mixture of smooth movements but also sharp movements. Jazz is mostly composed of sharp actions and varying the heights of the dancer. Ballet is a form of dance characterized by conventional steps, classy poses, and graceful movements including leaps and spins. It originated in the courts of the Italian Renaissance and later developed in Russia and France. By looking at ballet’s sophisticated artistic movements, its level of training, and its spiritual aspect, you can see why this classic dance is so treasured by many.
Ballet is a category of art where dancers use their bodies to charmingly tell a story. It has been around for centuries. The first recorded performance was in the 1400s, during the Renaissance. Ballet unites aspects of painting, poetry, dancing, and music. It may convey a story or a comedy, express a mood, or simply reflect the music. It may paint a picture of sadness or joy. The story of the Nutcracker, Cinderella and many alike are made alive on the stage with the movement of these ballerinas. In the Nutcracker, snowflake dancers flit, float, and fly in the winter flurry. Cinderella and her prince waltz gracefully in the ballroom. These are just some illustrations of dancers using their bodies to elegantly communicate their imaginative expression of the story.
In addition to being used as an artistic demonstration, ballet can also be used as a sport. There is a saying among ballerinas, “Ballet. Like sport, only harder.” Why harder? you might think. It is undertaken mostly by girly girls. It is demanding because...
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... questions that apply to the theme of the month. The teachers really help the dancers mature in their relationship with God. Instead of focusing on the worldly aspects of dancing, Christian dance schools teach the dancers that their ability to dance is a gift from God, and dance can be used as an act of worship.
By looking at the artistic, the sporty, and the spiritual aspects of ballet, hopefully you have gained more understanding of why ballerinas dance, and why the art of ballet is prized by many. Some dance just for artistic reason. Some do it for exercise. Some dance for worship. A small minority of us try to strive for all three. We dance because it is a gift from God, and we can use our body and dance to honor Him. It is also a great activity to keep us in shape. Dance is such an amazing art and a great sport, so why not take a class near your home soon?
Ballet has been an art form since the late fifteenth century, but society did not truly see the impact of ballet until the nineteenth century. Modern day thinkers possess the idea that ballet began with tutus and pointe shoes, but it wasn’t until the nineteenth century that this opinion was observed. Ballet has come a long way. It has survived the turmoil of many wars and has changed itself by accepting new ideas and impressing the audience with its unique stylistic views.
Ballet traces back to the 15-century Italian renaissance court; Ballet is known as the mother of all dance due to its influence on any style of dance no matter how small. In the 15th century ballet was a form of entertainment for the Italian Renaissance court. These performances took place in balls and banquets. (“Ballet”) Ballet one of its first performances included aristocratic amateurs with poetry and song alongside the production. (“Ballet”) During the 15th century, France also became influence with ballet. (“A Brief History of Ballet - Illustrated by Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre.”) The influenced of ballet in France was because of Catherine de Medici in 1533. (“Ballet”) She married the French King Henry II which allowed from French and
Ballet is an athletic art form that utilizes muscle control, flexibility, and physical strength. It requires extreme discipline from the dancers and takes an extreme amount of mental concentration. This discipline causes dancers to have success throughout life and specifically in academic studies. There are many ways that dance can affect the success of a person’s life; however, there are two in specific that make dancers generally more successful. To begin, ballet causes dancers to be self-motivated workers; dancers cannot rely on others to push them to be better, but must have the drive within themselves.
For most dancers, ballet is not just a hobby but a career that requires years of training. Ballet dancers often began training at a very young age as it takes years to mould the body into the unnatural shapes suitable for ballet (Rinaldi, Hanley & D’Amboise, 2010, p. 16). Eight to ten is said to be the best age for girls to start ballet training; boys may begin a bit later (Funk & Wagnalls New World Encyclopedia, 2015). Ballet dancers train in order to compete in major events such as the Youth America Grand Prix, the New York International Ballet Competition, the Prix De Lausanne and the International Ballet Competitions; but they also train with the purpose of joining a professional ballet company (Diana, 2010).
Nobles and royalty created ballet in the 1400s as a means to showcase the grandeur of their courts (Bailey 16). Today, the performance art has evolved into countless techniques and styles, drawing millions of audience members all around the world. This enduring transformation from noble spectacle to professional craftsmanship was spearheaded by the leaders and influential voices of the dance world: artistic directors. Presently, artistic directors are multitalented individuals who can teach, choreograph, and run a business; although traditional schooling is not required, rigorous multifaceted education is necessary and can prepare an individual for a difficult but rewarding future.
Classical ballet is a traditional and a formal style that required a vigorous technique such as pointe work and turnout of the legs. Ballet can be combined with other types of music and movement like hip hop, jazz, tap and more. I believe that ballet is an elegant and flowing dance that can be combined with music and body movements. One of my favorite ballet dancer is Misty Copeland. She learned ballet very quickly when she stared, one technique that takes long time to learn is pointe, which is to support all the body weight in your feet, and Copeland learned to do it in just of three months.
I don not remember everything I am taught, but when it comes to the ballet and the classics like Swan Lake, The Nutcracker and Notre Dame de Paris, I enjoy watching every minute of the performance. Truly To enjoy the ballet or even an opera, there has to be an enjoyment of classical music. The two go hand in hand. I can close my eyes, listen to the music, and see myself dancing. It's a feeling of floating above and watching the performance as if I am the best dancer. To understand and appreciate the ballet, there has to be some sense of the history behind it all. To have a perfect ballet there needs to be; a good choreographer, a story line, the perfect music that flows with the story line and last of all the dancer who can interpret the theme. There is so much more than can be learned by reading the history of the ballet and the dancers who make it all come alive, even in a dream. Ballet can give a sense of peace, even if it's for only a few hours.
The most beautiful aspect of classical ballet is the dancer. Almost always on Pointe, she appears to be gliding gracefully almost too. perfect to be human. This gives the piece an unnatural'magical' feel. which is why it is so pleasant to watch.
Many people around the world are aware or familiar with the dance style of ballet but may not know that there are different styles of ballet from different countries. The most common ballet style out there are the Italian, French, Russian, and American ballet. However, the most stricts ballet style that is out there is the Russian Ballet which is one of the older ballet dance styles that came around the same time as the French ballet came out. In the 1800’s Russian Ballet incorporated native elements from folk dancing as nobles sponsored dance companies of serfs. European ballet critics agreed that the Russian dance had a positive influence on West European ballet” (Curtis).
Dance, more specifically ballet, began as early as the 1400s, developing through many parts of the world including France, Italy, Russia, and America. This physical art began for the King and traveled through centuries to transform into the modernistic version America and around the world sustains. To find out how this transformation occurred many people must be mentioned such as King Louis XIV, Rudolf Nureyev, Natalia Makarova, Anna Pavlova, Sergei Diaghilev, Mikhail Baryshnikov, and George Balanchine. To convert from the beginning of ballet to where it is in America now, one must consider style, purpose, and use to find out why it is the way it is now.
Many young girls grow up taking ballet class, but there is a lot more to ballet than just little girls running around in tutus. Many people think that ballet is boring or isn’t their thing but there are many roles that go into putting on a ballet. A lot of work goes into doing a ballet. There are many famous ballets that without the story, the ballet wouldn’t be as interesting. There were many influential dancers and choreographers in ballet. There are many basic steps that frame the technique of ballet. Ballet is very physically and mentally demanding. Ballet is an art that many people misunderstand, but there is so much more to ballet.
Ballet is a beautiful and romantic type of performance art. It originated in the Italian court systems in the 15th century (Jonas). Since its origination, ballet has undergone many changes and gained worldwide recognition. Filled with elaborate costumes, cheering audiences, lights, weightless movements and beauty; ballet is admired by many. On the magical stage ballerinas can become whoever they wan to be, and perform in a world of fantasy. For these reasons, children, especially little girls, all over the world dream of becoming ballerinas when they grow up. However, becoming a professional ballerina is an extremely difficult accomplishment, in which few will achieve (Kelso 1). The world of ballet may seem to be filled with glitz and glamor but, behind the curtain there is an entirely different story. There are extreme demands and pressures put on these young dancers to be very thin and nearly perfect. Some of which include body and weight demands, competition, and social pressures. These constant pressures can lead to a negative body-image and even debilitating eating disorders (Price and Pettijohn).
There is a mysterious concept behind the art of ballet. Ballet is often said to represent the beauty and artistic values of multiple generations. Shows displayed in the land of Paris, depicted a sense of wealth but later evolving into the story telling of several movements. In the year 1877, painter Edgar Degas combined his rebellious views with the traditional techniques in order to create one of my favorite paintings; the Ballet at the Paris Opera. Through this combination, Degas was able to depict a sense of balance in his artwork. During Degas ruin on the Paris art scene, he captured ballet as a romantic sense and tone. Because of Degas’s unorthodox ways, his techniques appear to seem after the time of the post-romantic era. This famous painting allows room for inspiration. Primarily through Degas’s use of smudging, body positioning, and transparent color use “Ballet at the Paris Opera” conveys Degas’s realistic interpretation of dance as a legitimate artistic form of art.
Ballet is a classical form of dance that stems from the 15th century. Ballet is considered the basis of all dance forms, like jazz, contemporary, lyrical, and even hip hop. Ballet, now is such a demanding art form that requires physical, and mental, strength and flexibility. Ballet is not always what it used to be. It has gone through multiple paradigm shifts and changes since the very beginning of its existence. Although ballet started around six centuries ago, these shifts can still be seen today.
Ballet is one of the most popular types of dance. It is known for its grace and elegance. Ballet is a very disciplined style of dance and may take many years to develop the proper technique. Ballet is the foundation for many other types of dance.