Ballet originated from the old Latin ballo. At first, the word only refers to dancing, or performing dancing in public, and has no meaning of theatrical performance. As a stage art, ballet was conceived in the grand banquets and entertainment activities in Italy during the Renaissance and formed in the French court in the17th century. This kind of court ballet is actually a comprehensive performance of dance, singing, music, recitation and drama with a loose structure under a unified theme. Designed by a professional dance teacher, with the king and nobles as actors and the female role played by men. The performance venue is in the center of the palace hall, and the audience is watching around the hall. Actors wear leather masks to mark different roles, so it is also called masked ballet.
166 1 year, Louis XIV ordered the establishment of the Royal Dance Academy in Paris. 65438+ Li Sailiu Bishop's Palace Theatre began to be used for ballet performances in 1970s. The change of the venue and the audience's viewing angle has caused the change of dance techniques and aesthetics, and the standing posture of the actors has become more and more open, thus formally determining the five basic positions of the feet, which has become the basis for the development of ballet technology. Professional ballerinas came into being and gradually replaced aristocratic amateurs. Professional ballerinas also began to perform on stage, and dance techniques developed rapidly. Ballet performance has gradually changed from a social activity of self-entertainment to a theatrical performance art. Ballet in this period was subordinate to opera, and it was actually a series of dance performances that the court composer J.B. Lurui added to the opera, but the plot seemed irrelevant. It's called ballet or ballet opera at this time. This situation continued until the middle of18th century. Novel,/kloc-a ballet master in the 0/8th century, is the most influential dance innovator in the history of ballet. He put forward the idea of "drama ballet" for the first time in the "Dance and Dance Drama Express" published by 1760, emphasizing that dance is not only a physical skill, but also a tool for drama expression and ideological exchange. Novel theory has promoted the innovation wave of ballet. With the continuous efforts of him and many other actors and directors, ballet has carried out a series of reforms in content, theme, music, dance techniques and clothing. These reforms finally separated ballet from opera and formed an independent drama art.
In the history of ballet development, there are two main aesthetic views that have been at work. One view is that ballet is a kind of "pure dance", and B.de Beaujoyeulx, an Italian dance teacher in the16th century and director of the Queen's comedy "Ballet", thinks that ballet is a "geometric combination of several people dancing together". This view focuses entirely on the formal beauty of ballet, almost completely ignoring the content or plot of ballet, which often leads to the simple pursuit of superb and gorgeous skills. /kloc-before the middle of the 0/8th century, this view was dominant in ballet creation. Another view emphasizes that ballet is a kind of "dramatic dance", and the theory of "plot ballet" in the novel represents this view most intensively. He believes that in a ballet work, dance should show dramatic content, "the plot and dance design should be unified, and the story with clear logic and easy understanding should be the central theme, and solo dance and dance fragments unrelated to the plot should be cancelled." In the dance drama, "not only the dancing skills are dazzling, but also the audience is moved by dramatic performances". The above two main points are still valid today. Many directors devote themselves to creating dramatic or melodramatic ballet works, while some directors are keen on ballet without melodrama and pay attention to formal beauty. The excellent plays in the two works are appreciated by the audience and often staged as reserved plays. Since the 20th century, the influence of various literary thoughts on ballet creation has become more and more obvious, and many works with different styles have appeared.
Choreography is a key figure in creating a ballet work. He conceived a ballet structure or a dance structure according to a literary script (or a story, a poem or a musical work), and then the actors reflected it. Choreographers and actors must master ballet language (or ballet vocabulary)-ballet technical skills, and the ability to express specific content or emotions in ballet language. The director should know what he is good at and what he can't express; On the other hand, actors should be well-trained, able to adapt and creatively reflect the ideas of choreographers. Only with these basic conditions can ballet creation be carried out and completed. The structural forms of ballet are: solo dance, duet, threesome dance, foursome dance, group dance and so on. Classical dance, personality dance (stage folk dance, folk dance), modern dance, etc. According to the above forms, the structure of multi-act ballet (on and off, such as Swan Lake), single-act ballet (such as Fairy) and ballet sketch (such as ballet) developed to a high degree of standardization and stylization in the late19th century, which affected and restricted the development of ballet. In a large number of ballet works created by directors in the 20th century, these norms and procedures have been greatly broken, and new explorations and creations are constantly emerging.
General situation of world ballet development
Banquet ballet
Ballet appeared in Italy in the heyday of the Renaissance in15-16th century, and artists tried their best to imitate the artistic style of ancient Greece. The earliest ballet performance was held at a palace banquet. 1489, orpheus was staged in an Italian town to celebrate the wedding of the Duke of Milan and Princess Idabel of Aragon. The form of performance at that time was completely different from the ballet performance we see today. Each performance is generally related to serving food, such as eating wild boar after the start of simulated hunting performance; The sea god and the river god appeared and began to eat fish. Then, many mythical figures came to the stage to offer many dishes and fruits, and finally the guests took part in a lively and carnival performance. This is a performance form that integrates singing, dancing, recitation and drama performance. It can be said that it is the embryonic form of ballet, and later people call it "banquet ballet".
Palace ballet
With the intermarriage between Italian aristocrats and French courts, Italian ballet performances were brought to France. 158 1 year, the queen's comedy ballet was staged at Henry III's sister Margaret's wedding. There was no stage at that time, and the audience sat in a two-story corridor with three walls. The king and the dignitaries sat on the altar and performed on the floor of the hall. Director Beauvoir is an Italian employed in France. The content shows how Se Se conquered Apollo, but had to give in to His Majesty the King of France. The performance combines drama, music, dance, recitation and acrobatics. During the period of Louis XIV (1643- 17 15), French ballet reached its peak. Louis XIV himself loved dancing and was well trained. /kloc-When he was 0/5 years old, he participated in the performance of the court ballet Cassandra and played Apollo.
Action ballet
/kloc-The European Enlightenment in the 0/8th century profoundly influenced the development of French ballet. His innovative ideas are manifested in opposing ballet as an ornament for aristocratic pastimes, making ballet express real life like drama, and advocating that ballet should have social content and educational significance. This is the background of the "drama ballet". Novell represents the mainstream of European ballet innovation and embodies the democratic spirit of the Enlightenment. In "Dance and Dance Drama Letters", he put forward his own innovative ideas on ballet. Jean Dobejval, a student in Norvell, created the ballet "Unhelpful Caution", which is still being performed today and has become a repertoire of major contemporary ballet companies.
Romantic ballet
Romantic ballet is a "golden age" in the history of ballet development, which has experienced brilliant stages in dance skills, choreography and performance forms. The emergence of ballet such as Fairy, Giselle, Melar and One Pirate has created a number of ballet talents, such as Perot, Burnville, Tancho and isler. The characteristics of ballet in this period are summarized as follows:
1, changes in content and theme. Extraordinary gods and ghosts have replaced the characters in myths and legends and ancient heroic stories. Reflect a dissatisfaction and disappointment with reality, a pursuit of interests in another world beyond the world, or use death to get rid of disappointment with reality, or use an unrealistic pursuit to replace the desire for life. The representative works include Fairy (1832) and Giselle (184 1). Giselle, a collection of French styles, became the pinnacle of romantic ballet, and then the combination of romanticism and realism gradually appeared.
2. Great progress has been made in dance skills and performances. The tiptoe dance skills have become an important factor for female dancers to perform, and the dance skills of men have been further improved.
3. In the form of performance, gas lamps and curtains were used, and ballet costumes and shoes were reformed, resulting in a poetic and light style.
The golden age of romantic ballet is extremely short. From 1930s to 40s in 19, it stagnated and withered in a little over 10. From the second half of the19th century, the center of European ballet gradually shifted to Russia.
Russian ballet
With the development of society, ballet gradually changed from court entertainment dance to ballet with plots and entered the theater to perform ballet with social life content.
/kloc-In the 9th century, romanticism also had a profound influence on ballet. Ballet has undergone fundamental changes from content to form. Stories reflecting folk myths and legends, fairies, elves and ghosts have become the main theme of ballet creation. The actress became the protagonist, the costume was changed into a short skirt, and tiptoe dancing became the basic element of ballet. This kind of tiptoe technique urges the dancer's body upward, which is suitable for showing a light posture and expressing the feelings of pursuit and yearning.
/kloc-At the end of 0/9th century, Pyotr Il'yich Tchaikovsky's representative works Swan Lake, Sleeping Beauty and Nutcracker were staged in Russia and other countries, and the center of world ballet art shifted from Paris to Petersburg. Pyotr Il'yich Tchaikovsky's music, in particular, has brought rich video content, dramatic motivation and symphony development to ballet music. It is not only a masterpiece of ballet, but also an immortal work of the world music scene.
/kloc-In the second half of the 0/9th century, European romantic ballet declined, and the mission of reviving ballet fell on Russia's shoulders historically. Since the 1940s, foreign dancers have often visited Russia. The performances and directing activities of Tarioni's father and daughter Perot and San Leon, especially the teaching activities of Bournon Ville students Johnson (in St. Petersburg) and Brass (in Moscow), have taught the Russian dance community the essence of the two major French and Italian dance schools, and gradually formed a new school-Russian dance school. Matipa and Ivanov played a decisive role in the construction of the play. /kloc-At the end of 0/9th century, Pyotr Il'yich Tchaikovsky's representative works Swan Lake, Sleeping Beauty and Nutcracker were staged in Russia and other countries, and the center of world ballet art shifted from Paris to Petersburg. Pyotr Il'yich Tchaikovsky's music, in particular, has brought rich video content, dramatic motivation and symphony development to ballet music. It is not only a masterpiece of ballet, but also an immortal work of the world music scene. The innovation of dance drama music has been realized, making music the basis for shaping images and narrating events in dance drama, inspiring and enriching the symphonic dance thought of choreographer and director of dance drama. The second act of Swan Lake reached the peak of dance poetry and was regarded as a model of symphonic dance. Later, Glazunov wrote Remunda (1898) and Four Seasons (1900), which inherited the romantic ballet tradition and embodied the Russian realistic tradition.
At the beginning of the 20th century, Russian ballet has occupied a dominant position in the world ballet, with its own repertoire, performance style and teaching system, and a number of choreographers and performers have emerged. Since then, a group of young people in Russian ballet circles have asked for innovation and exploration of new performance means and development paths. Gorschi and Fujin are their leaders. Foucault's innovative ideas can't be realized in the Imperial Theatre. His major works are rehearsed and performed for Dia Gilev Ballet abroad. Diaghilev organized the Russian performance season for three consecutive years from 1909, and in 19 13, he established a permanent troupe based in Monte Carlo, "Diaghilev ballets russes", which toured all over Europe and America, with great influence, sending the classical traditional repertoire preserved in Russia back to Europe and promoting the revival of European ballet. After the dissolution of the troupe, its members were scattered in Europe and America, including French Lifar, British Devalva, American balanchine and Fujin, which made important contributions to the revival or creation of ballet in various countries.
Contemporary ballet
/kloc-at the end of 0/929, Lifa became the permanent choreographer and main dancer of the ballet of Paris Opera House. Until 1958 left, he actually carried out a reform, such as abolishing the centuries-old sponsor's right to chat with dancers backstage before the ballet performance. There is also an opening ceremony every week. 1932 When Giselle returned, Lifa played Albert. He is a clever man. Notre Dame was adapted and directed by roland petit according to the music of Yale University, and it was a brilliant success. Firebird, written and directed by Maurice Behar in 1970, is the most unique work. The ballet of Paris Opera House includes Giselle, Gabriel and Sylvia.
British ballet is mainly attributed to the lifelong management of three great women: Mrs. Adelina Janet, who served as the chief ballet dancer in the Royal Theatre for many years; Madame Ninat de Vallova's immortal work is the Royal Ballet; Mrs Mary Lambert is the founder of the ballet company named after her. There are also festival ballet and Scottish ballet.
There is no national ballet in America. Balanchine and Lincoln Kirstein met once at 1933 and were invited to preside over the American Dance School. 1948 was transformed into New York City Ballet, with balanchine as artistic director and main choreographer, and Jerome Robbins as assistant artistic consultant. Formed a typical American dance style. Another important ballet company is the American Ballet Theatre, which started its activities on 1940. Fu Fujin, Ma Xin and Anthony Tudor. Arthur Mitchell's Harlem Dance Theatre Joffrey Ballet is the first black classical ballet company.
The Royal Danish Ballet is an outstanding inheritor of Danish national tradition. The ballet created by Bournonville a hundred years ago is still performed in Copenhagen in a pure style. In Danish ballet, traditional consciousness has always been strong. From 65438 to 0932, harald Randall was appointed ballet director of the Royal Theatre. Until 1952, he arranged etudes for France and Britain, which was a brilliant display of ballet skills.
The influential Russian directors in the early 20th century were Gorschi, Puni and Foucault. Anna pavlova perfectly embodies Foucault's thought, and a swan died in 1905.
In Russia, after the October Revolution, Gorschi insisted on the expressive force of drama, making his dancers live in the role of Stani Slavski, and the ballet originally produced in the court did not die out. 1927, Red Poppy was performed in Moscow, which was the first heroic modern dance drama in Russia, symbolizing the victory of the classical school, indicating the principles to be followed, and the classical ballet won a new reputation. Semeonova and ulanova made their debut. The newly created dance drama pays attention to the drama structure, makes more use of folk dances, and enriches the vocabulary of the director. Russian ballet began to revive.
From 158 1, France has staged the Queen's Comedy Ballet for more than 400 years. Ballet has spread all over the world, and is recognized as an important part of human cultural heritage, becoming a worldwide art. Many countries on five continents have established their own professional ballet schools and ballet performance groups. In today's world, ballet art is developing vigorously, and different schools such as classical ballet and modern ballet, dramatic ballet and symphonic ballet compete with each other, and a large number of talents and repertoires emerge. Many countries have gradually formed their own styles and characteristics, and new explorations and creations have also appeared in the artistic expression of ballet.