Edgar Degas Blue Dancers Analysis

always been known for the risky and powerful movements which are often why dancers retire from the company. The dancer’s movements were often very intense and emotive, such as the “throws” across the stage in which the dancers would, almost violently, launch themselves across the stage in different forms (leaps, falls and flips to name a few). Another section where the movements were emotive is where the dancers were thrusting their hips in different positions to perhaps show sexuality in “self”.

Describe the appropriate hairstyle and makeup for a classical ballerina and a musical theatre character. Discuss the differences – Thomas Haag

All six dances in the ‘black and white’ ballets are based on sexuality. The male

The main topic of my research paper is comparing and contrasting the difference between Chinese Classical dance and European Classical ballet. The questions I will develop in the paper included as follows.

The classical version is set on a single level stage where the orchestra in not in view. The prima ballerina features the traditional tutu with the stiff material protruding from the waist. She is assisted with a male partner (pas de deux) as she eloquently floats on her toes (pointe) and easily raises her leg while twirling on the other (Pirouette). She is truly the star of the show as the other ballerinas in similar dress, support the story line from the background by performing low splits on the stage creating the sense of dawn into morning. As the ballet continues into twilight, the supporting ballerinas are then paired with male partners assisting them with their pointes and pirouette’s. The lighting of the stage does not seem to change much with a constant blue dimmed light in the background, particular members of the audience can be heard clapping while the majority of the audience does not.

As world has changed over the last century or so, the ballet world has been changing with it. There are many people who have helped shape that change. The changes in style were mainly influenced by George Balanchine. George Balanchine, a Russian choreographer and ballet dancer, also known as the father of American ballet, was the man who was said to have changed the style of ballet forever. Along with these changes in style came changes in visual design elements, inspirational figures, and changes in what the ballets themselves tend to rely on. Many of the features given to ballet in Russia in the 15th and 16th century still remain to this day, but many features have been altered to fit . Let’s take a closer look at what features truly

Whether we look at a romantic ballet like La Sylphide or a classical ballet such as Sleeping Beauty, audiences are constantly mesmerized by the gracefulness and weightlessness of the ballet dancers. They seem to defy the laws of physics, which is greatly possible due to the use of the pointe shoe. However, many masterworks that were created in the Romantic era did not solely rely on the pointe shoe to help convey messages. Instead, the choreography, dancers, scenic elements, subject matter, and music all helped shaped masterworks such as La Sylphide, Napoli, and Giselle. Similarly, in the Classical era, these elements all played a role in shaping famous ballets like La Bayadere, Sleeping Beauty, and Swan Lake. But once we take a closer look at these ballets from the Classical era, we can see how much ballet evolved. Nevertheless, it is important to note that the Romantic era was the stepping stone for this pure art form that we have been able to preserve for more than 160 years.

The male dancer only wore pants and bared his upper body. This simple costume design not only made the people who watch the dance to have a clear vision of the dancer, but also better presented a predicament that the character was experiencing at that time. At the first half of the dance, the dancer would leave at least one part of his body on the bench, and tried hard to reach other parts of his body away. This muscular interplay between the dancer and the bench resonated with the audience to experiencing the same struggle feelings as the character. As the performance developed, the dancer started to leave the bench to fully use the space. The dancer had many different movements comparing with sitting on the bench previously. He started to lie down, roll over, stand on the bench and make a turn use only one foot. The level of the dance was no longer limited in the middle but changing from low to high as well. Having such a change, the dancer is converting a more delight and energetic feeling to the audience, in order to demonstrated that the character was recovered through the

Edgar Degas’ Little Dancer Aged Fourteen is a symbol for all little girls with dreams bigger than themselves. The Little Dancer is a statue of a young girl made from all natural materials, created by the artist Edgar Degas. The Little Dancer has a small head with small features; Degas was not trying to emphasize her face, but her minute features display an expression of hope, almost jovial in a way. The air of her expression conveys the quiet discipline of a dancer and therefore her passion and love for ballet. The legs of the dancer are long compared to her torso, turned out, as a dancers always are. This turnout becomes natural after working strenuously every single day, trying to perfect the dancer’s art; standing parallel feels abnormal.

The third piece, “Danza del trigo” and “Danza final” from the ballet Estancia, by Alberto Ginastera created quite a few pictures in imagination. What started as a soft and

The use of descriptive details on the ballerinas portrays that even ballerinas, who are supposed to be free and graceful, are crushed by

Mrs. Farrell’s book is quite technical when it comes to the lengthy descriptions of the dances she rehearses and performs; from a dancer’s view these varied conclusions of the types of movements she was dancing is quite astonishing. In fact, it adds a whole new level to the imagination that can come alive in a person’s thoughts when they read an expressive book. Although the technical explanations will excited, astound, and reveal how much passion and deep meaning ballet had in Suzanne Farrell’s life, but a reader, who may not be involved in the arts will be unfamiliar with the ballet and musical terms in

Dance critic Théophile Gautier states, “Nothing resembles a dream more than a ballet...” (Anderson 77). The effortless technique of the ballerina paints most ballets as exactly this. Consequently, there is more to a ballet than technique and dancing. Different types of ballets and their structural components separate one ballet from the next. It is important to understand the difference between the two main types of ballets: Romantic Ballet and Classical Ballet. Romantic ballet in the 19th century differs from Classical ballet in the 20th century structurally, technically, and socially. The two dance forms also vary in costumes and narrative. However, with all of those differences, they both use ballet technique for a specific purpose.

French Ballet began in the 17th century. It was a flamboyant entertainment presented in front of the aristocracy and royalty in the courts. French Ballet was also performed when they were celebrating marriages and showing off the wealth and power of the ruler. Besides, Ballet was called “la belle danse”, and it means “the beautiful dance.” In order to help the audience to recognize the characters in the story, dancers usually wore extravagant costumes. Moreover, the idea of different ballet movements was based on the social dance of royal courts, like beautiful arm and upper body movements and floor patterns were included. Also, in the beginning, only men were allowed to dance ballet, and women played the first ballet with parts until 1681.

Degas attended the opera and was fascinated by the ballet dancers. He was allowed backstage by a friend. He studied every movement of the dancers, their body language, each pause and every expression on their faces. In his painting the dancers are seen stretching and adjusting their outfits. His fascination was more towards the rehearsal than the performance on stage. The dancers in his painting are seen playing with their hair and ribbons giving little attention to their master. They look exhausted in the painting. Even though this is the work of an impressionist a little bit of perspective can be seen on observing the floor of the room in the