BALLET

Ballet -bal·let- (b-l, bl)

1. A classical dance form characterized by grace and precision of movement and by elaborate formal gestures, steps, and poses.

2. A theatrical presentation of group or solo dancing to a musical accompaniment, usually with costume and scenic effects, conveying a story or theme.

3. A musical composition written or used for this dance form.

4. A company or group that performs ballet.

Ballet as we know and recognize it in the 21st century had its beginnings in the extravagant entertainments of Italy’s royal courts during the Renaissance.

• In Italy and France,dancing masters taught royalty and choreographed entertainments for the courts

• Italian intermezii(late 1400) were interludes between acts of plays that combined dance,music, and drama

• In the 1500 and a1600s, dancing masters began recording their choreography

Ballet performances blend choreographed movement with music and décor, and are performed by dancers trained primarily in classical ballet technique.

Ballet technique includes the following characteristics:

• 5 positions of the feet,using “turnout”• Use of pointed feet,with emphasis on the

feet• Toe shoes for women• Codified positions of arms and legs• Lightness, or pull away from gravity• Movements emphasiziong balance and

elevation

Ballet uses French terminology such as

Plié (bend of the knees)

Pirouette (turn on one foot)

Grand jeté (leap)

GREAT BALLET DANCERS

This is a list of the most famous dancers, who remained in history

over time.

Anna Pavlova (1881–1931)

Enrico Cecchetti (1850 -1928)

George Balanchine(1904 –1983)

Mikhail Baryshnikov(born January 27, 1948)

Vaslav Nijinsky (1890-1950)

Melissa Hayden (1923–2006)

Alexandra Danilova (1903–1997)

Great Romanian Dancers

This is a list of the most famous Romanian dancers of the moment.

Alina Cojocaru ( May 27,1981)

Dragos Mihalcea December 17, 1977

Anna Liceica

Even if it was not appreciated at the real value at first, over time the ballet has become one of the most

popular arts among the Romanian public who is

interested in culture.

The Romanian Opera House

The history of ballet does not end here. It will undergo further transformations, responsive to all the external influences of our day, and international exchanges, ever more numerous and more effective, will shape it in the imagine of our modern world.

Without rejecting the rich legacy of the past, ballet will open up wider horizons, and vision,technique and artisty will combine to give us yet more young and original works.