| THE DANCES - Ballet | ||
Ballet is a form of dancing performed for theatre audiences. Like other dance forms, ballet may tell a story, express a mood, or simply reflect the music. But a ballet dancer's technique (way of performing) and special skills differ greatly from those of other dancers. Ballet dancers perform many movements that are unnatural for the body. But when these movements are well executed, they look natural. Ballet dancers seem to ignore the law of gravity as they float through the air in long, slow leaps. They keep perfect balance while they spin. During certain steps, their feet move so rapidly that the eye can hardly follow the movements. The women often dance on the tips of their toes, and the men lift them high overhead In 1891, the legendary choreographer Marius Petipa commissioned Tchaikovsky to write the music for the Nutcracker Ballet - one of the most famous ballet productions. In 1892, the first showing of the Nutcracker took place at the Mariinsky Theatre of Russia, home of the Kirov Ballet. The Nutcracker made its way to Western Europe in the 1930’s and to America by 1940, performed by Ballet Russe. When choreographers select music that has already
been written, they think first about what appeals to them. There
is no rule for selecting the music. Most people would agree that
the lovely, melodic music of Franz Schubert is danceable. They
might also agree that the harsh, jagged sounds and rhythms of
Arnold Schoenberg's music are not danceable. But choreographer
Antony Tudor composed one of his greatest ballets, Pillar of Fire
(1942), to the music of a work by Schoenberg. |
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