The Ballet Dance

Ballet came into being in the Italian courts during the fifteenth century where dance performances flourished. Soon after, it spread to France and King Louis XIV, who was passionate about this particular form of dance, founded the Royal Dance Academy to promote the dance of ballet. This is considered to be one of the reasons French vocabulary is used in ballet.

However, after the eighteen hundreds, the popularity of ballet declined in France. Although this was also the case in France, it was still popular in countries such as Russia, Denmark and Italy. Fortunately, during the 1st world war, a Russian ballet company brought the art of ballet back to the western countries of Europe, where it once again flourished. Developments in ballet meant that many variations of this dance were developed, namely classical ballet, contemporary ballet, neoclassical ballet and romantic ballet.

Classical ballet has all the elements of the techniques of traditional ballet. In classical ballet there is a position that is incorporated in every practice and this is called 'pliƩ'. Neoclassical ballet however is not as rigid as classical ballet. Tempos are faster and complicated positions are performed. It is a mix of classical and contemporary ballet. One of the pioneers of this is said to be George Balanchine. In contemporary ballet, techniques and positions are inspired by modern dance and classical ballet. It focuses on utilizing abdominal strength as well as foot movements. Dancing without shoes is the norm for contemporary ballet.

Ballet skills are very hard to master and a lot of practice is required to be put in before one can dance with the grace and skill that is required of this beautiful dance form. Movements are extremely precise and coordinated and a sense of balance is also essential. These can all be acquired, but time and effort needs to be put in for this to be translated into the performances that bring the story to alive. Choreography is also extremely important to bring the attention to the dancers' skills. It is also critical in relating the movements to the music played. With perfect choreography, dancers appear to be walking on air with their perfect coordination and sense of balance. Without this balance, all the twisting and turning that is required cannot be perfected.

The world famous female and male professional dancers often start their learning and training process when they are quite young; some as young as 4 years old! Since joints and muscles need to develop at a constant and stable pace to accommodate the techniques, starting young is quite important. When they start at a young age, children enjoy their basic training and this makes it easy to learn the techniques that are required. Once younger children enjoy the practice, then it becomes easier for them to continue to practice so that they can master the skills that are needed. It is not easy to become a professional dancer as dedication, passion, grace and skills are crucial aspects of ballet. However, once these are perfected, these dancers float across the stage and mesmerize the audiences with their performances.

For accessories such as ballerina shoes, come see what we have to offer.


Original article

No comments: