Ballet productions from the 18th century still draw a mass audience. Around the globe beautiful theatres host sell out Ballet productions, from West to East. Europe continues to export unique productions abroad and Ballet is a gift which keeps on giving, a distinctly European gift to the world.
The origins of ballet in Europe is both fascinating and remarkable. Italy and France were instrumental in laying the foundations. 15th century Italian renaissance courts and weddings lay witness to the first ballet. Funded by wealthy aristocrats, the word “ballet” and “ball” derive from the Italian word “Ballare” meaning “to dance.” Stories recounted by spoken word with inspiration from Roman, Greek mythology, nature and far away lands.
The marriage of Catherine De Medici to King Henry II of France introduced ballet to the upper echelons of French nobility. The 16th and 17th century ʼBallet De Courʼ meaning literally “court ballet” showcased dance, music and poetry – a significant step in the history of ballet. During the reign of Louis XIV or the Sun King as he was known, the pomp, spectacle, grandeur and terminology followed – the King even performed in many shows himself as a dancer. By the late 16th century festivals of the dance were now on stage rather than courts. During the next century Ballet emerged as a profession for aspiring dancers, shows became grander and larger in scale as spectacles thrilled audiences. In 1669, the Paris Opera Ballet company was born, to this day the company still perform.
The Royal Danish Ballet School is considered one of the oldest. Officially founded in 1771 utilising French and Italian prodigies to train native dancers. At the turn of the 18th century and following a revolution in France, costumes changed – slippers were now flat, step forward “on demi-pointe.” Men and women started to dance together too. Ballet rapidly spread to the East and by the mid-late 18th Century, Russia had become a leading player – the first premiere of Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake in 1877 at the Bolshoi Theatre cemented it’s position and the premier of Sleeping beauty followed soon after in 1890.
Another company steeped in history and responsible for producing some of the most talented dancers on earth is the National Opera of Ukraine. It started with a small troupe of dancers before significant expansion in the 1890s saw enough members to host large scale productions. From 1930s onwards, a significant global expansion occurred in UK, USA, Canada and Australia, now defined as neoclassical ballet with contemporary and narrative stories being portrayed at theatres across the world.
Charles Garnier created the opera house in Paris at the request of Napoleon during the 18th Century. With Apollo sitting on top representing poetry and music and bronzed faces of Beethoven and Mozart, there is no venue better to have welcomed the millions of guests through the doors of this historic building on the 9th arrondissement. Throughout its history this masterpiece, a symbol of Parisian culture and French history now hosts the seasonal Ballet productions.
The inauguration of La Scala in 1778 provided Milanese nobility with the pomp and luxury that the fashion capital of Italy craved and deserved. Destroyed by fire following a show, under the instruction of Archduke Franz Ferdinand the theatre commenced a rebuild. Located in the heart of Milan on the site of a former Church, the theatre is a globally renowned magnet for Ballet and Opera.
In 1943 the theatre was heavily bombed and had to rise from the ashes once more. The modern day capacity is now 2000 and home to the La Scala Theatre Ballet, the classical and world famous ballet company.
Home to the Royal Ballet, one of the most renowned ballet companies on the planet. The company enriches audiences by presenting classical 19th Ballet. Originally called the Covent Garden opera company dating back to 1946. The history of the cultural behemoth actually goes back almost three centuries.
Ballet was the cornerstone which reopened the theatre to the viewing public with The Sleeping Beauty bringing the beautiful theatre back to life after a period of decline following world war 2.
Founded in 1961 and housed in the Stopera building which comprises of both City Hall and the Dutch National Opera and Ballet beside the picturesque Amstel River. The Dutch National Ballet was a merger between the Amsterdam Ballet and Nederlands Ballet bringing with it a new dawn of ballet in the Netherlands including the many famous dancers and productions. Located directly next to the Stopera is the Joods Verzetsmonument unveiled in 1988, a poignant monument to the Jewish victims of World War 2.
For around 100 plus students each year who manage to gain entry into one of the world’s top schools for ballet, a wonderful future awaits. The school has King Louis XIV to thank for its conception. Students can expect to be taught the art from a rich history stretching back some 300 years.
The prestigious school traces its roots back to 1926. This institution of classical ballet was created with the purpose of developing talent and those with serious potential. Located in Covent Garden it consistently produces the best dancers in the world.
The Belgian school located in Woluwe-Saint-Pierre is admired around the world for the training of dancers in contemporary and classical ballet. The school prides itself on shaping potential talent into fully fledged professional dancers.
Amsterdam University of the arts is home to the Dutch National Ballet Academy, the globally respected institution in Amsterdam. The school recently relocated to a beautiful new building in OverAmstel meaning all pupils can be taught in one location.
