The Metamorphoses of Court Ballet and Louis XIV
The
word ballet comes from the word ballare, which in Latin translates to the
verb “to dance.” Naturally, the earliest originators of ballet were those who
danced in Renaissance Italy. Elaborate performances developed in the Italian
courts from the time of the mid-1400s to the mid-1500s. The occasion took place
in large halls during banquets and balls where the dancers would come out
between courses and put on shows that were closely related to the social dances
of the time.
Later in 1581 in France, the first entertainment to bear any resemblance to a ballet was entitled Ballet Comique de la Reine. In essence, the ballet had derived from the Italian Masquerades and was danced by aristocratic amateurs. Because most of the audience was above, so much of the choreography was detailed, complex steps to appeal to the view. By the mid-1600s however, France adopted the proscenium stage where professional dancers began to perform the ballets, still with very little plot. The emphasis rather was on the dance scenes and the grand ballet that concluded the performance, which was reserved for only the king and courtiers.
Finally, during the reign of Louis the XIV (1643-1715), ballet began to become one of the biggest sensations in the world. Derived from a role he danced in a ballet, King Louis was named the Sun King. He established the Académie Royale de Dance in 1661 in Paris, which inaugurated the reign of the professional. He stopped dancing in 1670 and aimed to re-establish the art of dancing in its perfection; this meant leaving it to the experts. At first all the dancers were men; women’s roles had to be performed by men in masks. Later, during the 18th century, women began to join the ballet. The dance technique of the time was recorded by the French ballet master Raoul Feuillet, which included many steps and positions recognizable in today’s ballet technique. By the mid-18th century, dancers began to discard the customary, elaborate, heavy costumes, and began to dress in ones that were smaller and looser-fitting.
Ballet
also began to progress in other parts of Europe. In England, choreographers like John Weaver, wanted
to achieve a more dramatic expression
in dance. He eliminated words and focused
on trying to convey the message
through movement and pantomime. Back in
France, choreographer, Jean Georges
Noverre experimented with using movement
that was natural and therefore, easily understood. He wanted to make sure that
all the parts of a ballet: dancers, costumes, steps, etc. collaborated to
emphasize the story being told.
At the end of the 18th century, France was superior in both dancers and choreographers. Toe dancing began to develop and France’s services were in much demand at most of the principal European theatres, from London to Moscow.