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This was a song-and-dance that was performed by the music from a flute during the Greek era. This dance came about because authorities were trying to contain the wild dances of the followers of Dionysus.
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This offensive and defensive styled dance resembled the acts of soldiers such as leaping attacks, guarding and side to side movement.
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Both men and women dance together in circular and spiral patterns while singing.
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This dance was lews and involved rotations of the buttock and abdomen; however, it survived into the Roman era.
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During the Roman era pantomime introduced a story line from mythology and involved singers and musicians.
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Ductia- adored by wealthy,
Stantipes- This dance was complex to help keep the dancers from retreating to vulgar matters.
Estampie- This dance was performed in couples which around 1400 turned into the Basse Danse.
This dance was graceful with low, and slow moving steps.
Round/Carol- These group dances would involve circular patterns and there was a call and response from musicians to spectators. The carol today survives through holiday songs. -
This style involved bizarre movements while performers would wear masks. This danced represented the possible battles between Christians and Moors. Also, it was believed that bells attacked to the costumes worn by the performers would banish evil spirits.
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The term “ballet” derives from Italian origin. It comes from the verb ballare, which means “to dance”.
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Still used today, the barre was developed from tightly stretched ropes or backs of chairs for the purpose of training young dancers to achieve more intricate and complex movements.
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This was one of the earliest attempts towards a choreographed ballet. There was no stage and it took place on the hall floors, while audience members surrounded from all four sides. Even though this Ballet was called “comique”, it was a drama that included, dance, recitations and songs. The two biggest contributors to this was the king’s mother Catherine de Medici and one of her valets Balthasar de Beaujoyeulx, who staged the performance.
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Written by Thoinot Arbeau, this manual was created to have standards for proper etiquette and manners, for masters to teach to their pupils.
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These ballets contained roles for a variety of characters and could be as simple or as complex as needed. They were sequences of serious or fantastical scenes connected by a general theme.
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He was the mentor of Louis XIV and considered one of the foremost dancing masters of the era. Pierre Beauchamps also stressed the fundamentals of ballet through the five feet positions.
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Performances that were made for halls for viewers to watch from above had complex geometrical floor patterns incorporated into each work. Shapes that were created had symbolic meanings. Triangles represented justice, three circles conjoined equaled truth known, a square in a square mean virtuous design, and three circles within another indicates perfect truth.
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1643-1715 Louis XIV/Ballet de la Felicite- Ballet de la Felicite was a performance in honor of Louis XIV. Dance was a huge part of Louis’s life and he was considered the “Sun King”, as he was portrayed as Apollo himself.
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He was a performer and a composer. He collaborated with Louis XIV and created many elegant ballet scores during the court era, and was primarily respected for this.
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Founded by Louis XIV, the Academie survives today as the Paris Opera. The Academie allowed dancers to perform on stage and is considered the oldest ballet company. The Academie has allowed the progression of professional dance, especially for the first prima ballerina Mlle de La Fontaine.
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The Opera Ballet was similar to the ballet a entrée and consisted of individual scenes connected together to produce a common thing. This ballet was also accompanied by singing, dancing and stage effects. Also, during this time there were three styles of dance. The noble form was that of the highest and most noble of forms. The Demi-caractere was a form that required technically trained dancers to perform livelier. Lastly, the comique form was a comic role.
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Prevost was a dancer and primarily a choreographer. Both men and women during this time were achieving stardom. Two of her pupils, Marie Camargo and rival Marie Salle, also contributed to this era. Carmago, full of gusto and precision was known for her technical ability and shortening her skirt to show off her technique. Salle, quite and reserved, was recognized for her ability to move audiences with her precision of emotion and would wear costumes that fit the allegory.
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Ballet d’ was about the art as a whole, with developed drama and unity of the performers.
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Jean Georges Noverre was a dance master of Lyons. He believed that the ballet should be a unity work with all aspects working together. He did not believe that technical abilities were important and that everything involved should be cohesive. Jean Georges Noverre was another contributor to costume reform. He had ideas about “light and flowing draperies” and ideas to remove the ballet heel for more of a soft slipper.
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This element was huge for ballet during this time. This professionalized dance by separating audience member from performer. This also allowed certain qualities to be stressed on stage, choreographic choices and emphasis.