Book

The book includes ballet performances retold for children and you can buy it from the Romanian Opera from Bucharest.

Romeo and Juliet Ballet Performanc

“So much time had elapsed since the Montagues and the Capulets had declared war that not even the oldest inhabitants of Verona could remember why that war stated. Rumours say that, whenever the members of the rival families met, even by chance, in the street, they ended up squaring off in duels. They did not even need a reason for quarrel.

At the crack of dawn, when the roosters hardly crowed the beginning of the day, Romeo Montague was wandering along the narrow streets of the small Italian town. People hadn’t even opened their shutters, and no lamp was flickering in the windows, a clear indication of the fact that everybody was enjoying the last peaceful hours of sleep”.

The young man walked apathetically and he didn’t know where he was going either, because his mind was far away, on the girl he loved hopelessly. He wondered when the day would come when his love would be shared. When will the day come when he will receive perfumed treats to open with his heart pounding in his chest?

Still wandering, he passes by an inn. Judging by the music and the noises, the henchmen were still partying. The door slams against the wall and Tybalt Capulet appears. Not one, not two, swords leap from their scabbards and spark in the first rays of morning. Out of nowhere, the friends of both combatants appear. In an instant, the whole city is awakened by the sound of musketry. What a mess!

You can’t do it anymore! It is unacceptable that all the inhabitants should suffer from the rivalries of the two families! The Duke of Verona himself intervenes and threatens the duelists that if they are caught fighting again, they will be severely punished.

All the while, Juliet Capulet slept in her carved walnut bed and Venetian bronze canopy. She had barely turned 15, but the news of her beauty had spread far and wide. She had been promised to be the wife of a young aristocrat named Paris, and the news of the future engagement was to be given at a masked ball.

All the nobles of Verona were invited, except the Montagues, as expected.

Except that, by chance, as happens only in movies and in life, Romeo also appears. He sees Juliet and it seems to him that time stands still. It seemed to him the most beautiful creature he had ever seen. But he doesn’t go unnoticed either and falls head over heels for Juliet who, the night that followed, didn’t rest for a moment with the thought of the green-eyed stranger who hadn’t escaped her gaze at the party.

At night, Romeo sneaks to her balcony and declares his feelings. Hesitant at first, Juliet can’t take it anymore and declares her feelings too.

Today like this, tomorrow like this. Not a night passed without the two meeting. It’s already been a month since the first meeting, and Romeo dares to ask her to be his wife. Taken by surprise, she needs a break to think.

The next day, the decision had been made. Juliet sends him a letter through the governess, in which she agrees to become his wife. As their families would never have accepted such a union, the two are forced to marry secretly, in a monk’s cell.

It’s carnival time, and the streets of Verona are full of young people wearing more and more precious masks. Coincidence causes Romeo to meet Tybalt again and challenge each other to a fight, completely ignoring the duke’s prohibition. But alas, in the scuffle, Romeo’s best friend, Mercutio, is killed. Furious with rage, Romeo avenges his friend and kills Tybalt in turn. He is forced to leave Verona quickly, but not before saying goodbye to his beautiful wife.

On the same day, Julieta is informed by her mother that the wedding date with Paris had been set. The girl bursts into tears and begs her parents not to allow her marriage to a young man she did not love. In vain! The decision had been made.

Juliet does not accept her fate and goes to ask the help of the monk who married her to Romeo. He prepares her a magic potion that will plunge the girl into a deep sleep and make everyone else think she is dead.

When she got home, she drank the potion and passed out immediately. The next morning, the family finds her unconscious and prepares for the funeral.

The news that his beloved Juliet has died, falls like a thunderbolt on Romeo, who had not been able to find out about the girl’s plan. Torn by pain, he sneaks into the crypt where she was laid to see her one last time. He realizes that, without the one who had recently become his wife, his life no longer has meaning and commits suicide. Shortly after, Juliet wakes up from the effect of the potion and discovers Romeo lying dead next to her. He can’t believe his eyes. He can’t believe that the plan that was supposed to bring them together backfired, and more than that, it took Romeo’s life. Overcome with pain, Julieta stabs herself in the chest with her lover’s dagger.

All of Verona is in mourning. After so many young destinies had been destroyed because of an old enmity, the two families fall, in the end, to peace.

Anna Karenina Ballet Performance

“A little dog was busy playing with an odd boot on the platform. It was tossing it here and there, as if made of rubber, ignoring the travellers who were trembling with cold and waiting for the train that seemed not to arrive. It was not colder than other days, but even the mildest Russian winter brings long weeks of terrible blizzard, snowbanks and frozen rivers, from one bank to another.

As they saw the beautiful Anna Karenina, who came to the railway station waiting for her husband who was away with business, they could not take their eyes from her. Every gesture of hers showed distinction and the winter coat, tailored after the latest fashion from Paris, fit her perfectly. It was impossible to let the young officer Alexei Vronski take no interest in her, so, entranced, he glanced at her over and over again, for very long minutes.”

All the nobles of Verona were invited, except the Montagues, as expected.

At night, Romeo sneaks to her balcony and declares his feelings. Hesitant at first, Juliet can’t take it anymore and declares her feelings too.

When she got home, she drank the potion and passed out immediately. The next morning, the family finds her unconscious and prepares for the funeral.

All of Verona is in mourning. After so many young destinies had been destroyed because of an old enmity, the two families fall, in the end, to peace.

The Sleeping Beauty Ballet Performance

“Once upon a time, there was a King called Florestan. And that King was married to a Queen who was so beautiful that one could look into the sun, but she was even more blinding to the eyes. There was only one sorrow that was shadowing their happiness: they did not have children. However, one day, the queen got with child. Nine months later, she gave birth to the most wonderful being that had ever set foot on the face of the earth: a little girl with red and velvety lips, like rose petals, blue eyes like the morning glory flowers of the summer days, and black silky hair.

At the christening of Aurora – for that was her name – distinguished guests from seven kingdoms were invited. And, for everything in her life to go smoothly, her parents thought of inviting a retinue of fairy godmothers, led by the Lilac Fairy. Only one of them did not receive an invitation, the dark Carabosse. Full of rage because nobody has remembered her, she swore to remain unforgettable in the history of the palace”

Don Quixote Ballet Performance

Long time ago, in Spain, there was a rich province called La Mancha, spreading from the feet of the Toledo Mountains and up to the valleys of the rivers Zancara and Jucar. In one of the old mansions, there lived Don Quixote, a noble man, who was kind of a lunatic, being mocked at even by his own servants very many times. Since the crack of dawn and until late at night, all that he did was to read chivalry novels at the flicker of the last stub of a candlelight. And he read these novels with such grand passion, that he had started believing that he was part of the action. Many times, he used to daydream how he would fight for the honour of the princesses in distress, how he would mercilessly punish injustice, or how he would cross over all kinds of obstacle, like Tristan, the brave. Not only that he believed himself as being a story character, he even fell in love with Dulcinea, a young lady whose ravishing beauty he had read about in books.

Tired of being taken for granted by everyone, he decides to end the dream and prove to everyone that he is worthy of real adventures, not just imagined ones. And since the village he came from could not offer him adequate dangers, he decides to roam the world. He takes the servant Sancho Panza as his squire and sets off.

For three days and three nights he walked without encountering a human scream. With snacks at the end and tired, they arrive at the famous port of Barcelona. They decide to spend the night at Lorenzo’s inn. In front of the inn, great commotion.

It seems that the innkeeper’s daughter, Kitri, had fallen in love with Basil, a fact that drove Lorenzo out of his mind, who would have wanted a brooding son-in-law, not a bitter barber who had no water after drinking! But Kitri no and no! She wept and threatened from the window of the room that if she was not allowed to marry Basil, she would vow to remain an old maid or even become a nun.

But as things turned out, on the same day, Camacho, a haughty and rather awkward rich man, also pulls up to the inn, for whom, as expected, Kitri falls for him. She immediately asks Lorenzo for permission to marry her. The innkeeper needs that much! He is one step away from getting his hands on a handsome fortune. Ugh, if only he could get his way with his rebellious daughter!… He takes her kindly and promises her the moon and the stars, just to accept Camacho as her husband. But Kitri not only doesn’t want to join her destiny with the money-laden temptress, she also mocks him.

No matter how beautiful she was, she had also fallen for Don Quixote, who is convinced that Dulcinea exists in reality if you travel enough kilometers from the place of origin.

But, shy as we know him, the noble knight chose not to confess his feelings and only to protect her in case of danger.

Meanwhile, Lorenzo sets up all the details for Kitri’s forced wedding to Camacho. Except that the girl, feeling trapped by the door, in despair, flees into the world with Basil.

Lorenzo and Camacho are on their way immediately! They are joined by Don Quixote, who doesn’t quite know whose side he should be on.

The two lovers receive shelter in the tent of some gypsies, where they are greeted with hospitality, and even a dance performance is offered in their honor.

Here Don Quixote is lucky. He finds Kitri first and, this time, he is determined to impress her with an act of bravery and thus win her heart. But the old noble again falls victim to his own fantasies. Through the twilight mist, he sees a windmill which he mistakes for a giant. He immediately begins to fight with her. Unfortunately, however, in his embarrassing struggles, the vain knight is caught by one of the arms of the mill and thrown there!

Kitri and Basil learn that the innkeeper and the rich man have tracked them down, so they also flee the tent and take refuge in an inn. In vain, however, because they are discovered shortly after, and Kitri is forced to take Camacho as her husband. But Basil devises a ruse. He pretends to kill himself out of love and falls flat on the ground. Grief-stricken, Kitri begs Don Quixote to persuade her father to grant Basil one last wish. What did he desire so ardently “on his deathbed”? The blessing of taking Kitri to wife, of course!

Lorenzo hesitates a bit, but, firmly convinced that the barber will die in a few moments anyway, accepts. As if by a miracle, Basil rises from the ground and now nothing can stand in the way of his happiness with Kitri.

Filled with a grudge, Camacho takes his insole vowing revenge.

At the wedding of the two, an important guest is Don Quixote himself, the one who helped them see their dream with their own eyes. After spending three days and three nights, the knight decides that it is time to go in search of new adventures where, perhaps, he will also meet the beautiful Dulcinea.

Baiadera ballet performance

The few candles that barely flickered in the temple drew mysterious shadows on the walls. Baiadera Nikia, the most beautiful and elegant of the dancers, came hastily to light the sacred fire. Behind one of the columns appeared the warrior Solor who secretly loved her. The two swore eternal love.

But, from somewhere in the darkness, they were being followed by the Great Brahman, who, in turn, hoped for Nikia’s heart.

The chief of the place, Rajahul, appreciated Solor for his deeds of bravery and, although he was not of noble rank, he considered him worthy to give his daughter, Gazmatti, as his wife. Although honored by the proposal, Solor hesitated. Gazmatti was incredibly beautiful, but she couldn’t get over the love she had for the bayadera.

Furious, the Rajah threatens Solor: either he accepts the marriage or he will be killed. The warrior is then forced to give up his beloved Nikia and prepares for the wedding ceremony that was to take place the next day.

Although his father’s plan had borne fruit, Gazmatti has no peace. She knows that as long as the baiadera is alive, she will not have Solor’s love, even if he will be her husband. So he devises a ruse. He asks for Nikia to be brought to him, under the pretext that he wants her to dance at his wedding. Nikia, who had no idea who was going to be the bridegroom, happily accepted the Rajah’s daughter’s invitation. But, when Gazmatti shows him the portrait of the one he will marry, he feels sick. He can’t believe that the one who a few days ago had sworn eternal faith to him was going to marry someone else! To make her better, Gazmatti offers her a bargain: he will offer her a chest full of jewels, on the condition that Nikia leaves the palace. But Nikia doesn’t even want to hear it. She will not sell her love. What’s more, she will dance at her lover Solor’s wedding.

The next day, a sumptuous party is given at the palace. Important guests take part in the union of the Rajah’s daughter with the warrior Solor. The tables barely hold up under the weight of the choicest dishes prepared by skilled chefs. Everyone rejoices and worships a cup in honor of the bride and groom. Everyone, except the beautiful bayadera who felt her soul torn by pain. However, she had prepared a special dance.

There is silence. Baiadera walks slowly towards the center of the ballroom. She carries a basket of flowers with her. The dance begins. So graceful is she in her movements, that all conversation ceases and all eyes turn to her.

Those who knew the story of love ended too soon, could realize that Nikia’s dance was nothing more than a declaration of love for her beloved Solor. A last declaration of love, because a poisonous snake comes out of the flower basket and bites her to death.

Soon the Great Brahman offers her a medicine that will save her from death, on the condition that she takes him for a man. But Nikia would rather die than marry a man she doesn’t love.

In a few minutes, the venom took effect, and the baiadera was out of breath.

Consumed by remorse, Solor did not have a happy marriage with Gazmatti. Every day he had visions with Nikia. This time, the baiadera pretended to dance in front of him and handed him a scarf. Solor grabs it, pulls it, and the palace collapses on him, bringing him to the world of shadows, next to his beloved bayadera.

Cinderella ballet show

Once upon a time there was a very rich man. And this man’s wife happened to die. And only his daughter remained in the world, a beautiful girl with a soul as pure as a tear. But it wasn’t even a year after his wife’s death that the man married a woman who, in turn, had two daughters. All three of them, as ugly as they were, were as much clothes. They did not swallow their half-sister and peace! In fact, one day, they decided to put her to work:

Those who want to eat must work, they said in one voice, then they sent the poor girl to the kitchen, to work from dawn to dusk.

All day she carried water, washed clothes, scrubbed the floors, cooked food or took care of the animals in the yard. He could not even rest at night, because the mistress had not even given him a bed to sleep in. He slept in the ashes near the hearth, to keep them as warm as possible until morning. For this reason, her ragged and shabby dress was sometimes dirty, a fact for which she was mockingly nicknamed: “Cinderella”.

But there was no time for her to hold a grudge against her sisters and her mother. On the contrary, she sewed their clothes, combed their hair and braided their hair as she knew best, and even tried to reconcile them whenever they quarreled.

And behold, one day, the king gave a great ball, to which Cinderella’s family was invited. The sisters were dying to attend, especially since the king had a prince who was rumored to be looking for a bride, and each of them already dreamed of being installed at the royal court.

On the day in question, as usual, Cinderella combed their hair, arranged them, sewed pearl necklaces and brocade dresses with lace. She wanted so much to go too, but there was no way to persuade them. She was left crying alone at home again. It broke your heart to see her so hopeless. Even the mice hidden in the caves took pity on her and came to tame her.

But suddenly, out of nowhere, a wonderful fairy appeared, in a sparkling dress, set with sapphires and rubies, with a crystal diadem and an enchanted wand with a star on the top.

Cinderella could not believe her eyes. She had never seen such beauty in her life. The fairy managed to calm her down and promised to help her get to the ball. As soon as you say fish, he transforms the pot-bellied melon next to the house into a golden carriage, the few mice into strong stallions, a grasshopper that was preparing to take flight from the window of the house into a visitor, and he gave the girl a fine and airy dress, made of the finest lace, beaten with pearls and sewn with gold thread. In place of her tattered slippers, Cinderella received a pair of cloister shoes, which molded perfectly to her delicate little feet. In an instant, the ragged girl from before became unrecognizable and ready to go to the ball. But the fairy advised her to be careful: the spell lasts only until midnight, at which time all things will be restored to what they were, so at 12 at night, whatever it is, she should leave the palace.

Overjoyed, Cinderella thanked the fairy with all her heart, then left for the ball with great pomp. Arriving there, she also saw her pizmases sisters, who looked at her with envy, elbowing each other and wondering who that unspeakably beautiful young woman could be, with her chosen dress and shining shoes. She was so well-dressed that it was impossible to recognize her.

The prince, as soon as he saw her, fell in love on the spot. All evening he danced only with her, to the displeasure of all the invited girls, who secretly hoped for the prince’s heart. At midnight, as agreed with the fairy, Cinderella ran away. In a hurry, on the stairs, he lost one of his keys. The prince found it and kept it like a jewel, swearing to himself that he would find the young woman who had stolen his heart.

The next day, the stepsisters only talked about how handsome he was at the ball, even lying that the prince never left their eyes.

And they didn’t have time to finish stringing lies, because the princely procession knocked at their door. It seems that the prince had set off at dawn in search of Cinderella, asking all the girls in the kingdom to try on the precious slipper. The sisters flocked to try it on. In vain, because the soles were a few sizes bigger and they wouldn’t have fit even if they had given up the toes and heels.

Desperate, the prince started to leave, but he also saw Cinderella wandering around the house. Despite the protests of the sisters, she decided on the spot that she would also put on the shoes. Marvel! It was perfect for him! The girl then shyly confessed that she was the one who left the palace in a hurry on the night of the ball. Happy that he had found her again, the prince asked her to be his wife.

They lived happily ever after.

Giselle ballet performance

But, from somewhere in the darkness, they were being followed by the Great Brahman, who, in turn, hoped for Nikia’s heart.

Soon the Great Brahman offers her a medicine that will save her from death, on the condition that she takes him for a man. But Nikia would rather die than marry a man she doesn’t love.

In a few minutes, the venom took effect, and the baiadera was out of breath.

Nutcracker ballet show

Little Fritz sat down on his knees on the couch by the window and wiped the fogged glass with the palm of his hand. He still couldn’t see anything outside. He purses his lips and blows hot air, knowing that this will melt the last petals of the ice flowers. He closed one eye and with the other looked like through an ocean through the freshly cleared piece of glass. It seemed so cold outside that even the stones in the pavement had frozen under the pressed steps of the passers-by. It was the evening of Eve and everyone was hurrying to finish the last preparations, to be in time for the party that took place every year in the Stahlbaum house, his parents’ house. He couldn’t wait any longer. He knew that soon he would receive the wonderful gifts he had asked for from Santa in the letter stamped and posted two weeks before

It’s a long way to Lapland and the letter must arrive on time, Clara, his sister a few years older, had told him.

“Clara is very clever! He knows them all,” whispered Fritz to himself, then turned admiringly to the Christmas tree, as if he had seen it for the first time. It is decorated with polished globes, red apples polished like candy, shiny tinsel and thousands of sparkling stars.

The living room smells of cinnamon, baked apple and warm cake. Above the fireplace, three bulging felt socks are waiting to be filled with gifts. Ding-dong! The guests have arrived! Cheerful and noisy children rush into the house.

Late as always, uncle Drosselmeyer also appears, loaded with more and more tempting gifts. The uncle has a habit of building the toys he gives as gifts, and for this evening he has prepared something really special: four mechanical dolls that leave everyone speechless. The children rush to share them among themselves.

Clara would have liked a doll too, but she didn’t have time. Now she sits bloated in a corner. Uncle Drosselmeyer sees her and tries to console her by giving her a nutcracker in the shape of a soldier in a shiny parade costume. Clara’s face lights up. He likes the little soldier so much that he forgot about the dolls, the other children caught their eyes.

Although Fritz, who had gotten his hands on one of his uncle’s famous dolls, seems a bit bored with his gift. Much more interesting would be Clara’s gift. As if he wanted it too. But he already has a doll. Would Clara agree to trade?

He stops thinking and rushes to the nutcracker. He snatches it from his hands and pulls until he breaks a leg. The little girl is sad, but Drosselmeyer was not only a maker, he was also a doll doctor, so he fixes her toy by tying it with a handkerchief. He promises Clara that he will be cured by morning. Happy, she cradles the little soldier, then places him in the doll’s house.

It is late and the children’s bedtime has long passed. The guests leave one by one, and Clara and Fritz are sent to their rooms.

But Clara is restless. He wants to make sure the burglar is okay. When everyone has fallen asleep, the little girl goes down to the living room, step by step, to see how her toy is doing. The clock strikes 0 o’clock and, in the stillness of the night, you can hear the mice squealing. Clara gets scared and wants to run back to bed, but the rodents won’t let her. As if by magic, the little girl gets smaller and smaller, until she is the size of a mouse. Out of nowhere, a whole army of terrifying mice appears to threaten her. But the nutcracker comes to life and forms himself an army of toys and comes to save the little girl from the clutches of mice. But, alas! The Mouse King corners the Burglar and is about to end his days! Frightened, the little girl grabs a slipper and throws it right at the mouse’s head. The burglar recovers and thus manages to emerge victorious from the confrontation.

But what to see? As happens only in fairy tales, the Nutcracker turns into a charming prince. They invite Clara on a fairy tale journey through a fir forest where the snowflakes give them an enchanting show.

But this is not all. The prince has a wonderful surprise for Clara: a stop in the land of sweets. They are greeted by the Fondant Fairy and Clara still can’t believe what her eyes see: cream as white as the snow outside, sugar flowers, vanilla ice cream, strawberry foam and thousands and thousands of goodies. Impressed by the two’s pranks with the Mouse King, the Fondant Fairy throws a party in their honor. After the Spanish chocolate dance follows the Arabic coffee dance, then the Chinese tea dance, the Russian dance, that of the pipers, Mother Ginger and her children, all culminating in the sumptuous waltz of flowers.

Clara looks around mesmerized and can’t believe it. He confesses to the prince that he would like this affair to never end. He gruffly replies that the adventure never ends for those who know where to look for it.

The next day, Clara wakes up under the Christmas tree, holding the much-loved Burglar to her chest.

Ballet performance Swan Lake 2

Once upon a time there was an incredibly beautiful princess named Odette. One summer day, she took her entire suite and went out to pick flowers in the meadow near the palace. But lurking in the shadows was Rothbart, the evil spirit who couldn’t wait to get his hands on her. The princess gathered a bouquet of bluebells and poppies placed it in her lap and tied it with one of the azure ribbons from her hat. Out of nowhere, Rothbart appears in a cloud of smoke and, with a mere glance, turns the girls into swans. The curse will not be untied unless a prince swears his love to one of the swans. It is said that the girls’ parents cried so bitterly that their tears formed a lake.

The subjects of the neighboring kingdom were no longer busy with the preparations for Prince Siegfried’s coming of age. The empress informs him that the time has almost come for the wedding, for which princesses from all corners of the world will be invited to the party. Each of these secretly dreamed of being chosen, but the prince did not like any of them, and he was dying to marry for love.

When the party is over, Siegfried retreats to solitude, admiring a flock of swans on the lake. But wonder! At midnight, the swans regain their human form and begin to dance. The prince is charmed by their grace and, in particular, by Odette’s beauty. He falls in love on the spot, swears his allegiance to her and invites her to the palace the next day to introduce her as his fiancée. But Rothbart had eavesdropped and hatched a plan.

Great joy in the kingdom because of the prince’s announcement. The emperor orders a fairy-tale party to be held so that his only son can show himself to the whole world as the chosen one of his heart. A young woman who looks a lot like Odette, dressed in black, appears in the ballroom. But she was Rothbart’s daughter, and if you looked closely, you could see a devilish glint in her eyes. Siegfried presents her as his chosen one.

Odette watches the whole scene from the palace window and becomes sad. Her fate was sealed forever. Overcome by pain, the young woman commits suicide by throwing herself into the lake. Siegried bitterly regrets the mistake, realizes that life without Odette’s sweet has no meaning and ends his days in the same way.

Music: P. I. Tchaikovsky

Choreography: Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov

Libretto: Vladimir Berghicev and V. Ghelzer

Premiere: 1895, Balsoi Theater, Moscow

What you didn’t know about “Swan Lake”

It is Tchaikovsky’s first ballet.

The libretto was written after a German legend and was constantly rewritten, so there are several endings.

The first performances were not at all successful, on the one hand, because of Julius Reisigner’s mediocre choreography, and on the other hand, because the audience was not yet ready for the symphonic style of ballet music.

History of Ballet 2

Dear children,

Floating on the wings of imagination, a journey awaits you in ballet steps among the most beautiful and famous shows. You will meet charming characters, stories that will hold your soul in your mouth and the composers who made the simple into a real phenomenon around the world.

We hope to make you curious not only to go see the performances, but maybe even take it upon yourself, under the guidance of a teacher, to at least learn the basic steps, if not become professional dancers, cheered on the open stage.

Whether you’ve seen pieces of ballet on TV, or gone to performances or even taken a few classes, you’ve probably wondered how and where it came about and who were the most important people who shaped its history.

What is ballet?

Ballet is a graceful form of dance that can tell a story, express the feelings of a character or reflect a piece of music. Even if the dancers perform extremely difficult movements, the best of them do it with a lot of naturalness and lightness, so that they leave us with the feeling that they are floating. Certain ballet steps are so fast that the audience sometimes has difficulty following their movements.

In addition to flexibility, a good ballerina needs discipline and a lot of training. He must be able to do it in such a way that raising one leg above the head seems a completely natural gesture. They must also have rhythm and understand music. Sometimes it takes years of training to perfectly execute certain movements.

If you want to become a professional dancer, the best age to start ballet is between 8 and 10 years old and you have to train six times a week. If you want to do ballet just to improve your flexibility or because you just love it, you can start with just two lessons a week.

How did ballet come about?

The history of ballet begins 500 years ago, in Italy, during the Renaissance. In those days, the Italian nobles entertained their important guests with poetry, music, mime or dance contests. When Catherine de’ Medici married Henry II and became Queen of France, ballet entered the French court.

Over time, the ballet became so popular that even the famous King Louis XIV – nicknamed the Sun King – danced in several performances. He founded the Royal Academy of Ballet. Gradually, professional ballet dancers were hired at the French court.

At that time, women were not allowed to dance in ballet performances. Female roles were also performed by disguised men. Maria Camargo was among the first women to do ballet. At first, the dancers wore masks, brocade costumes and high heels. However, she considered that the clothes worn by women made it difficult to move, so she shortened her skirts and wore flat-soled shoes to be able to perform the jumps.

At the end of the 1700s, the world of dance went through a series of changes due in particular to the choreographer Jean-Georges Noverre. He was of the opinion that dance should be more than just movements pleasing to the eye, and should tell a story. He taught the dancers to use their mime and facial expressions.

The romantic era of ballet began in 1832 with the staging of the performance “La Sylphide”. Women began to play important roles and dance on the spikes in shoes called poentes. The number of steps increased, and the movements became more expressive. Even the topics covered have been changed. Thus, instead of stories about heroes and myths, stories about fairies and folk legends were used.

In the middle of the 19th century, ballet was very popular in Russia. A lot of French choreographers and dancers, including Marius Petipa, went there to work. He is considered the creator of classical ballet.

The modern era of ballet began in 1900, when the Russian Sergei Diaghilev moved to Paris. In 1911 he formed his own ballet company.

In the 20th century, ballet conquered the whole world, and nowadays almost every country has its own ballet school.

***

We hope that we have made you curious to learn more about the fascinating world of ballet. We leave you in the company of amazing stories and wish you a pleasant reading!

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