Evolution Of Ballet

Charli Miller

Ballet

Ballet has been around for four hundred years. Ballet began to flourish because of men like King Louis XIV or Pierre Beauchamps. The dance originated in Europe during the 17th century. King Louis was very passionate about the dance which is a main reason the dance began to expand. He took lessons from Beauchamps daily and performed in the dances that took place at his court. Pierre Beauchamps invented the fundamental foot positions that are used in ballet. If you were able to take lessons or perform ballet this usually gave you a status of wealth. The dance was only available to those who could afford the costumes, the time, and the lessons. Ballet has been effected by the social changes in the world. The evolution of

“Marie Tanglioni introduced he romantic tutu” which went to the middle of the calf, but by the end of the century it was “shortened to reveal the whole leg” (Ballet). With the invention of the “shoes with blocked toes” it allowed dancers to dance on their toes (Ballet). Costume changes were a big step in the social changes as well. Women in the 19th century usually stayed home while the men worked. They did not have voting rights, most couldn’t work or own businesses, and it was hard to receive an education. The reforms can be seen as a part of the women reformation as a whole. Before women were wearing heavy dresses that limited their dancing because they were so restrictive. Now women are wearing tutus that revealed the whole leg. By the 20th century the tutus began to become more detailed and expensive. With its ten layers this piece of “the costume can easily cost $1,500 to $5,000 (Looseleaf). In the 2001 performance of Swan Lake Leslie Hurry designed a Tutu for $94,800. The amount of the tutu limits who can do ballet. Ballet originated as an upper class dance form because of the costumes, and it will stay in the upper class because of the same reason. The Tutu invention “supported the physicality of ballet” (Looseleaf). It helped expose the dancers’