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Evolution Of Ballet Essay

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The Evolution of Ballet
Ballet is one of the first branches of artistic dance that originated several centuries ago. Since its introduction, ballet has been influenced by many cultures and performers; moreover, because of cultural and individual influences, ballet technique has been modified by different periods and styles, such as the Renaissance period, the Romantic period and classic, as well as contemporary styles. While dance has existed since almost the beginning human life, ballet was not introduced until the fourteenth century in France. Ballet has spread to countries all around the world and each country has contributed to ballet’s development. Today, ballet continues to be a thriving performance art enjoyed by many.
In the fourteenth century, during the Renaissance, Italian and French court dancers performed dances of celebration to entertain the king. It was customary for those …show more content…

Women dancers were rapidly stealing the spotlight and men began to solely serve as lifters and partners for the women. In the Romantic period, women shortened the lengths of their skirts to be above their ankles, which at the time, was scandalous (Sydnor, Clayton, and Michelle Martin 4). It was during this period that Marie Taglioni became the first ballerina to dance en pointe - on her toes. Marie was rejected by a Persian dance teacher because of her looks. As a result, Marie’s father, Filippo Taglioni, who came from a dancing family, became her instructor (Sanderson, Lisa-Anne). Filippo was the choreographer of La Sylphide, a famous classic ballet of the Romantic period, which was made to feature Marie (Marie Taglioni: The Instant Ballerina). The romantic period of ballet was defined by its light and airy dance style, along with soft, floating costumes to emphasize the dancer’s body and movements (Sydnor, Clayton, and Michelle Martin 5). This period was mostly remembered for the advancements in women’s roles as

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