Ballet is one of the most fascinating, gracious and interesting forms of performance dance. It is very popular in countries like Russia, Italy and France. Today, it is generally considered an art form and is classified into several major types including contemporary ballet, neoclassical ballet as well as classical ballet. Aside from these interesting details, it is also good to know about its other important aspects including who invented ballet.
The Invention of Ballet
Who invented ballet? Based on historical accounts, the Italians invented ballet as part of the Italian Renaissance some time in the 15th century. Later on, it blossomed in Russia and France, where the dance was made into the form of concert dance. Likewise, the popularity of this dance form made its way to the United States. Its biggest boost came in the 17th century. At that time, it became part of the French court, which happened during the reign of Louis XIV. By 1850, this interesting dance form has already reached countries like Russia and Denmark.
Additional Facts and Other Interesting Details
After its popularity reached its peak in Europe, ballet made its way to various parts of the globe. Some of the most notable ballet groups in history include the American Ballet Theater, the Imperial Ballet of the Russian Empire as well as the Royal Danish Ballet.
This dance form originally started in Italy. It was then a form of court pageantry, which was part of lavish celebrations. Dancers and musicians worked with one another to give the audience elaborate entertainment. Thanks to the French ballet de cour, this art form got another major boost. During this time, certain interesting aspects such as costumer, décor and music were combined with social dances.
Domenico da Piacenza became one of the first masters of this dance art form. His most notable students include Guglielmo Ebreo and Antonio Cornazzano. In the 17th century, it became a beautiful art form in France, which was mainly focused on performance. In the 18th century, there was a major advancement in the technical standards of this beautiful dance form. By this time, it has taken a more serious and definitely dramatic form of art. The three formal techniques of ballet were comique, demi-caractere and serieux.
The world of ballet in the 19th century was marked by social change. Slowly, it faded away from the usual aristocratic sensibilities that dominated the earlier periods. At this point, highly talented ballerinas like Fanny Elssler, Marie Taglioni and Genevieve Gosselin introduced new techniques. Dance choreographer George Balanchine played a major role in the progress and introduction of neoclassical ballet.