Swan Lake - Romantic Ballet

The history of ballet dates back to the 18th century starting with Baroque dance. Fabritio Caroso da Sermoneta was a famous Italian Renaissance dancing master. He was born around 1526-1535 and died around 1605-1620. His dance manual "Ballarino" was published in 1581, with a subsequent edition, significantly different, Nobiltà de dame, printed in 1600 and again after his death in 1630. In the 19th century there was the pre-romantic, romantic and the classical ballets. Anthony Tudor deserves an honorable mention for his choreography and teaching. Pre-romantic ballet occurred sometime circa ?? up to 1831. The romantic period covered the early to mid 1800's. This era also introduced the calf-length dress. A few of the great Romantic dancers were Marie Taglioni, Fanny Elssler and Carlotta Grisi. The tequnique became more developed, but the role

Dance is found in all cultures. It is considered a way to communicate without talking. During the Renaissance period, ballet was considered a Russian specialty. The highly qualified and sought after dance companies would tour the world performing in front of those who had never experienced ballet before. By exposing ballet to the United States of America, the Russians inspired and sparked a demand for legitimate ballet in America. It took place throughout the 20th century, currently known as the Russo-American Era.

For the history of Russian Classical ballet, it originated in a group of dance academies in Moscow and St Petersburg in the eighteenth century. At first the dancers were from poor backgrounds - usually from orphanages - but the Tsars were particular ballet enthusiasts and so the profile grew. However, in the nineteenth century some of the best French and Italian dancers and teachers went to Russia and ballet developed considerably more than in Western Europe where opera was preferred. It was under this climate that Russian ballet led the way in classical dance with such famous stars as Anna Pavlova, Mikhail Foskine and the legendary Nijinsky, who all trained with the Frenchman Marius Petipa at the St Petersburg Imperial Ballet.

“Balanchine abolished scenery and turned rehearsal clothes into costumes. But even ballets will less severe aesthetics--Western Symphony, with its dancers gussied up like cowboys and showgirls--usually skipped the over-the-top characterizations and fairy-tale plots of classic story ballets, like Swan Lake.” (Tonguette) While these are some significant differences, there are many other differences to be found in other aspects of a ballet.

In Romeo and Juliet, there are many themes. Love, rivalry, arguing with parents, friendship, and fate and destiny. These themes are used today, too. For example, love. Love is the main theme in Romeo and Juliet. Nowadays, love is what most of the stories contain. It can be said that love is the most entertaining theme for the audience. Romeo and Juliet is a master piece and

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.

Set during the time period in France of LOUIS XIV, (Created in Russia) By Marius Pepita (French) Moved to russia in 1847 as a dancer, FIRST ballet for the composer Tchaichovsky, Rose Adagio. Other Classical Ballets by Petipa: Cinderella, Swan Lake, Baydeare, The Nutcracker

After the Romantic-era ballet had died out in Paris and Russia became the new focus. In 1738, the opening of the Imperial Ballet School in St. Petersburg attracted many great dancers and choreographers such as Marie Taglioni. This school was controlled by an aristocrat named Czar. The most well known 19th century choreographer, Marius Petipa, became the ballet master of the entire school, shaping imperial and classical ballet. Ideas such as increased focus on technique, formulaic choreography, mime and gesture, and lengthy ballets can be seen in Petipa 's most famous ballets. These famous ballets include The Sleeping Beauty, The Nutcracker, and Swan Lake. In the 20th century, Sergei Diaghilev introduced a traveling ballet company called Ballet Russes. Starting out in Paris, this company brings together Russian and Western ideas with a spark of modernism. This company brought together revolutionary collaborations between choreographers, dancers, composers, artists, and fashion designers. Through the development of Russian ballet, there has been rejection and embracement as well as changes in structure and choreography.

On the exposed hillsides of the Tsagayan Formation located in Kundur, Russia, a team of paleontologists discovered an almost complete skeleton of a hadrosaurid showing an extensive infection spreading into the shoulders, seemingly stemming from a repaired, but misfigured, fracture in her left front leg. Another piece left behind shows faintly scarred over skin if looked at closely. Surrounding fossils include turtles, protoceratops, and crocodiles. This specimen, discovered to be an Olorotitan, which means giant swan, named so for their longer than normal necks like that of a swan, would be named Odette, from the ballet Swan Lake. This discovery of this sample, proved to have a traumatic lifestyle as a juvenile until their death, allows us

Watching Silja Schandorff’s fully realized performance in Swan Lake teaches much about what it takes to make a swan, and what it takes to dance Peter Martins’ choreography.

Classical Ballet is the epitome of class and sophistication, it is known for its meticulous techniques

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.

The Romantic Era was one of the most artistically influential era in recent history. Artists were fueled by their inner romantic, or creative emotions, rather than the more sinister tormented geniuses of the past. Their works were full of drama, love, death. The performing arts in particular were flourishing. Ballet was truly taking off. The first pointe shoes were introduced in a performance of Le Sylphides, shorter tutus, and partnering were becoming the norm. But in particular, it was the era that brought about one of the most well known ballets of all time, ‘Giselle.’

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.

'It seems to me, my dear friend, that the music of this ballet will be one of my best creations. The subject is so poetic, so grateful for music, that 1 have worked on it with enthusiasm and written it with the warmth and enthusiasm upon which the worth of a composition always depends." - Tchaikovsky, to Nadia von Meck.