Ballet Basics

Ballet dancing is a very beautiful but extremely difficult form of dancing, which requires delicate but precise movements across the dance floor. It lays emphasis on foot muscle movements which need to be learned right from the formative years in one's life. Splendid performances exhibiting perfect coordination of the body while dancing on the toes, can actually hypnotize you. In a ballet, dancers usually convey the story through the facial expressions and perfect body movements and they have to be very particular about the poise of the body.

Ballet History

• Ballet was first introduced in the late fifteenth century in Italy.
• The first ballet dance narrating a full story was performed in 1581, in Paris. The name of the show was Le Ballet Comique de la Rein (The Queen's Ballet Comedy).
• The first school for learning ballet dance was opened by Louis XIV in France in 1661. It was named 'Academie Royale de Danse'.
• The well-known five basic positions of ballet dance were discovered in the 1600s by the world famous French ballet instructor and choreographer, Pierre Beauchamp. These positions are followed even today after a little modification.

Ballet Terms

• Ballerina is the outstanding soloist who is given title roles. She is the principle female dancer in the company.
• Ballet dancing is classified into classical ballet, neoclassical ballet and contemporary ballet, according to the basic styles. Abstract ballet is a ballet without a plot or story.
• Italian word ad agio means 'at ease' and in the musical language, adagio, means 'slow'. Adage, Adagio refer to slow movement with emphasis on sustained positions, maintaining the balance.
• Alignment conveys the most important expectation, which can be called the foundation of ballet technique. The body of the dancer must be aligned to perform ballet correctly and safely.
• Barre is the railing that is about waist-high, along the wall of the ballet studio. These are used by beginners for steadying themselves. During the initial lessons, exercises are done with the help of the barre.
• Ballon conveys apparent weightlessness or appearance of being airborne. A dancer is said to have ballon if he/she seems to be in the air constantly with only momentary contact with the floor.

Ballet Positions, Costumes, Shoes

• As beginners, all students learn the five basic positions of the feet.
• Earlier, dance was the most important part of ballet, but today music is more important in all dance forms.
• Each position of the feet is associated with a different arm position and the arm positions may vary according to your location, for example, working at the barre or in center.
• Turnout is one of the most elegant and important movements in ballet. The dancer can enact many different poses with perfect body alignment, grace and emotions.
• Ballet movements require specifically designed costumes with the help of which the dancer enjoys the freedom of movement. A pair of tights and leotards form the basic ballet clothing. The fabric, colors and design used for the costume help to express the characters of the story. A ballet tutu bodice is actually a piece of fabric attached to the waistline which enhances the beauty of the dance and dancer.
• Mostly, canvas ballet shoes are used in all ballet classes. The shoes help maintain a perfect balance when dancing on the toes. They are also known as pointed toe shoes. Leather ballet shoes are expensive but they are long-lasting. The shoes help create the illusion of weightlessness.

Someone has correctly expressed, "Dance is the hidden language of the soul". The enchanting musical compositions, the imperial clothing, the graceful moves, all collectively result in a spellbound ballet performance. Ballet dancing requires coordination of the mind, body and soul. You can learn ballet basics with the help of videos that are available online or the videos can also be helpful in practicing the newly learned steps at home.