Saturday, July 11, 2009

What is Ballet Dancing?

By Sarah Wilkiamson

Ballet is considered as one of the most amazing dances ever. It has even been considered as an art form which allows the dancer to express his or her emotions freely. Ballet is a particular style of dancing that sets the dancers apart from others because of the focus on grace and poise. Nowadays, there have been innovations when it comes to ballet, it is more than just a dance, it can be mixed in with various art forms such as singing, acting and even miming.

It was back in the mid 1600s that ballet first caught the attention of the French court, and in particular King Louis XVI. Although the Italians can claim ownership for the birth of ballet, the form in which we know it today came from France. The Academie Royale de Musique et de Danse was founded by King Louis XVI and the popularity of ballet can trace its roots back to that period of history. Throughout the world there are many world class ballet schools, Moscow, London and New York have ballet schools that are particular noteworthy, but the origins of this dance form remain embedded in France, as is shown by the fact that the language of ballet terminology is French!

What is a Ballet Dancer?

People may have different opinions when it comes to their definition of a talented ballet dancer. Basically, a talented ballet dancer is someone who possesses fluid grace when it comes to dancing. They should be poised when they dance and graceful when switching from one movement to another. A good ballet dancer is able to reach out the audience and convey her emotions to them. The audience should get clearly what the dancer is trying to say through his or her actions.

The first ballet dancers were men. They dressed as women to perform, but women were not allowed to dance for about 20 years after ballet first started to make its mark in France. Today, most of the ballet dancers are women, and our culture is such that boys are not encouraged into ballet. The common misconception is that ballet is for weaklings - and yet anyone who has attended a ballet training session for male dancers will tell you that ballet is a hard work-out that develops strength far greater than many more "macho" sports! Not only does it develop strength needed for lifting a ballerina during a dance routine, but it also promotes greater flexibility and muscle tone rather than just muscle mass.

Ballet dancing is a great way of keeping fit. The amount of training that is involved ensures that a ballet dancer has a well-toned body. Their healthy lifestyle means that they usually have a good metabolism and have above average stamina. The exercises to develop poise means that they stand, walk and sit correctly which means they look confident and don't develop backache from bad posture.

Ballet is as popular now as it has been over the centuries. With world renowned ballet troupes playing to sell-out theatres, there's little doubt that ballet dancing is more than just a dance craze, it's a form of artistic expression that captures the hearts and imagination of anyone watching.

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