American Ballet Theatre

the financial struggles placed on his family. Robbins decided then to find employment in show business rather than working at the family company. This was the start of his dance and choreographing career. He is now a world renowned choreographer of ballets, theaters, and movies. Robbins aesthetic

Happen. I'm Very Lucky To Be Where I Am... It's Possible,” those are the inspiring words of Misty Copeland. She is a historical dancer who has made an impact in dance history. Being successful in the professional ballet industry is a major challenge, especially when you’re of the African American race. This obstacle did not stop Copeland, being that she accomplished her dream of becoming a prima ballerina. Misty Copeland was born on September 10, 1982, in Kansas City. Her early childhood was living

On April 24, 1903, one of the founders of American modern dance was born to parents who emigrated from Russia. Helen Tamiris, originally Helen Becker, grew up in New York, New York on the Lower East Side. In her lifetime, she danced, choreographed, and helped initiate modern dance. Later in her life, she moved to the “Great White Way,” otherwise known as Broadway, to choreograph many shows.      In 1911, or at the age of eight, Ms. Tamiris began studying dance at the Henry

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. During the Russo-American Era, Russian choreographers, such as

in classical ballets with a professional company, and then “retires” to start a ballet school and mentor young dancers in order to give them training in the arts. She and her students are actively involved in serving children in inner cities and poor areas in America, as well as mission trips and providing children in impoverished nations the opportunity to experience dance themselves. This is my dream as a dancer; to not only experience the gift of dance with a professional ballet company, but

History of Ballet Ballet is a formalized form of dance with its origins in the Italian Renaissance courts of the 15th and 16th centuries. It quickly spread to the French court of Catherine de ' Medici where it was developed even further. In the 17th century at the time of Louis XIV, ballet was codified. The predominance of French in the vocabulary of ballet reflects this history. It also became a form closely associated with the opera. Ballet then spread from the heart of Europe to other nations

evolution of ballet. Blasis, who was born in 1797’s Italy, used his strong mind and understanding of the craft to construct and raise the bar of ballet techniques worldwide. Mitchell, an African American born in 1934’s Harlem, spent his whole career breaking stereotypical barriers on the presence of black people in ballet. Their Ballet Tree Growing up, Carlos Blasis studied in Bordeaux, France under Jean Dauberval (an alias for Jean Bercher). Dauberval, famous for his comedy ballet, studied under

Imperial Ballet School in St. Petersburg, where he first studied dance from the age of nine. He then enrolled in Russia’s Conservatory of Music and studied piano and musical theory, as well as musical theory, composition, harmony and counterpoint. He graduated after three years in 1924. His extensive training made it possible for him to work with composers held in high regard, such as Igor Stravinsky. Balanchine garnered attention for staging a production of the Stravinsky ballet, Le Chant

in the early 15th century. Ballets were performed during wedding celebrations and many other events. In addition to this, only the people of the noble class could attend these “lavish” events were ballets were staged (“A Brief”). Not only was dance important to these events, but also the music. In the 1700s, Opéra-ballet was created. This brand of ballet emphasized singing and dancing, united by a common theme depending on what the production is about (“Ballet”). Ballet became popular over the centuries

Katherine Dunham, an African American dancer from Chicago Illinois had a very successful dance career in American and European theatre in the 20th century. Dunham was a choreographer as well as a dancer. She directed her own dance company for many years before she died May 2006. Dunham was known as the “matriarch and queen mother of black dance” meaning that she was the “head” or “leader” of black dance. Her works and pieces all showed similarity and differences throughout the time in which they