Abstract This paper examines the history of ballet from 15th century Italy until present day. It then looks at the history of BalletNY, formerly DanceGalaxy and founded in 1997 by former New York City Ballet Principal Ballerina Judith Fugate and international guest artist, Medhi Bahiri.
Paper Outline:
Introduction
Humble Beginnings
The Emergence of Ballet Opera Ballet Liberation Ballerina
Social Change
A Decline In Interest
The New York City Ballet and BalletNY: Full Circle
Bibliography
From the Paper "Judith Fugate is a former principal ballerina with the New York City Ballet. She has danced roles in virtually every ballet in the NYCB repertoire counting Peter Martins and Mikhail Baryshnikov among her many famous partners. In 1997, she left the New York City Ballet Company to purse a career as a freelance Guest Artist and Co-Artistic Director of what is now known as BalletNY. In addition to touring extensively, Fugate has appeared on "Live from Lincoln Center" with Ray Charles in Peter Martin's "A Fool for You", and in the Metropolitan Opera's production of "La Traviata", conducted by Placido Domingo."
Abstract The paper explains the origin of ballet in relation to semiotics and aesthetics. The paper then discusses its appeal to diverse audiences, using the example of Chinese and Chinese overseas culture. The paper includes notes on the theory of aesthetics and how some may appeal across cultures, as opposed to others. The paper presents ideas of ballet as an institution and not just a form of classical dance, explaining that this depends on location.
From the Paper "Marcel Danesi explains that dancing is found in all cultures, sometimes as a 'body art' that can be a form of aesthetic communication. (2004, 61) This form of dance can express emotions, moods, ideas, or it can tell a story. Danesi refers directly to Western classical ballet as his example. This paper tells more of ballet and how it can appeal to people, too, who live beyond Western countries, and those who belong to non-Western cultures. As aesthetic communication, ballet has become part of Chinese culture in particular."
Abstract The paper gives a history of Russian-born Serge Diaghilev and explains how his unconventional ideas of ballet led to the creation of the Ballets Russes in France. The paper lists the people associated with the company and explains the factors that contributed to the success of the Ballets Russes. The author describes the incredible impact that the Ballets Russes had on the world of ballet.
From the Paper "Serge Diaghilev was born of Russian nobility in Perm, Russia, on March 19, 1872. In 1890 his family moved to Saint Petersburg, and at the university there, Diaghilev was supposed to study law, but he soon became enamored with the arts and realized that was where his future lay."
Abstract The writer looks at the National Ballet of China and its history. This article also studies the form and history of dance in China. The writer describes how the objective of the National Ballet of China is to introduce to the Chinese audiences Western classical ballets and contemporary ballet works. The National Ballet also aims to explore the unique and possible fusion of classical ballet and the Chinese culture. The author explains that in 1957, the classic "Swan Lake," was performed on stage and signaled the formal entry of the ballet form into the country. The paper glances at recently produced successes and at how the company experiments with different modern styles.
From the Paper "One of the world's top 10 ballet companies, the National Ballet of China was founded on December 31,1959 (CCTV 2005, Orange County 2005) and has, in the past four decades, consisted of generations of striving and gifted artists. The dance company has turned out outstanding artistic achievements in Western and Chinese classical and contemporary ballet. It had rough and tough times too as when it was under-funded and its members became over-aged. Its only reward was art itself and its artists continued to devote themselves to their career to become the pioneer in China's unique ballet style."
Abstract This paper takes a look at the history of the art of ballet, as well as reviews the different types of the ballet dance and the strenuous demands that ballet makes on the dancer. This paper also covers various dance choreographers and their particular styles of dance.
From the Paper "Classical ballet celebrates the potential harmony of the human body, the utopian ideal of collective endeavor, the possibility of the interchange between masculinity and femininity. Something of this is what has recommended ballet to the communisms of the USSR, Cuba and China. Beneath the aristocratic tat of the settings and the charming but dispensable never-never of the stories, there is an implicitly socialist vision.
Yet classical ballet must of course always come wrapped in the specifics of where and for whom it is performed, what other values and meanings it is attached to, and these are riven with contradictions. In practice, in Britain, classical ballet is, at one and the same time, elitist and popular, and woman-centered, heterosexist and part of gay male culture, universal and distinctly white. It is all of this at once.
It is selective in part because it is expensive. Not only are sets on a grand scale and not only do most of the classics require large casts, but behind all that there are the years of investment in training. "
Abstract Describing ballet as a classical dance form characterized by grace and precision of movement and elaborate formal technique, the writer of this articles presents a history of ballet. The writer looks at the BalletNY company and notes that BalletNY has become a well known and respected dance Company. The writer discusses BalletNY's principal dancers. The writer concludes that the New York City Ballet has done what BalletNY hopes to do, acquire one of the largest, most faithful, intelligent, and enthusiastic audiences in the American theater world.
Outline:
Humble Beginnings
The Emergence of Ballet Opra Ballet Liberation Ballerina
Social Change
A Decline In Interest
The New York City Ballet and BalletNY: Full Circle
Bibliography
From the Paper "Formerly DanceGalaxy, BalletNY was founded in 1997 by former New York City Ballet Principal Ballerina Judith Fugate and International Guest Artist Medhi Bahiri. BalletNY is comprised of accomplished principals and soloists who have danced with leading American and international ballet companies such as New York City Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, Dance Theater of Harlem, and the Joffrey Ballet, among others."
"Judith Fugate is a former principal ballerina with the New York City Ballet. She has danced roles in virtually every ballet in the NYCB repertoire counting Peter Martins and Mikhail Baryshnikov among her many famous partners. In 1997, she left the New York City Ballet Company to purse a career as a freelance Guest Artist and Co-Artistic Director of what is now known as BalletNY."
Abstract This paper gives an overview of the physical, social, emotional, and financial hardships that a professional ballet dancer must endure throughout his or her career.
From the Paper "One of the hallmarks of good ballet dancing is the seemingly effortless grace of the performers. Particularly, the high-level dancers of a ballet company elevate movement to an art in motion, almost in defiance of the laws of gravity, and in direct distain to the limitations of the average human body. For these ?prima ballerinas,? balance, range of motion, and control of muscle, borders on the miraculous?for to see them execute a grand jete (a running, jumping split), or a flawless grand battement (a kind of controlled kick), can conjure nothing short of slack-jawed awe."
Abstract This paper analyzes William Shakespeare's play "Romeo and Juliet" and Prokofiev's ballet version and shows how, because Prokofiev's ballet is quite lengthy and leaves out few elements of Shakespeare's version, the two works provide an unusual opportunity to compare verbal and non-verbal approaches to telling the same story. It examines how Shakespeare's language requires actors to render some very beautiful, intensely lyrical passages in a manner that approximates, without really becoming, natural speech. In comparison, it looks at how in the ballet the heightened emotions between the two protagonists can only be expressed in the music and the movements of their bodies. It shows how they must, in essence, communicate non-verbally what Shakespeare conveyed in some of the most famous speeches he ever wrote.
From the Paper "One of the best scenes for comparison is the most famous in the play, the balcony scene in Act II, scene 2. Here the lovers speak almost freely for the first time. They declare their love and commitment and are reluctant to part even though they must. This is one scene where Prokofiev's score had to accommodate the differences between a ballet and a play -- the challenges of presenting a story nonverbally. In Shakespeare's play Romeo returns to the Capulet house after the party and sees Juliet as she comes out to stand on her balcony. The conversation between the lovers is dangerous and fraught with suspense and it is frustrating, as they express their intense longing to be together and wonder whether they will ever find a way to accomplish this."
This paper discusses Edgar Degas, an impressionist artist whose artwork revealed a concern for the psychology of movement, expression, harmony of line and continuity of curves that distinguished him from all the other impressionist painters.
Abstract This paper explains that, although Deges was connected with the impressionists, he never was fascinated like others were by the influence of natural light and thus did most of his work inside his studio only. The paper continues that his paintings depicted ballet, horse racing, the theater and circuses, which gave the idea that his work stemmed from the humanistic experience. The author points out that Degas? favorite subjects were scenes from the world of entertainment, the daily life of women, ballet dancers, horse races and young ballerinas.
From the Paper "Degas was captivated and influenced by a study of Japanese prints of which style appeared to be in his later work. He drew on the Japanese idea of asymmetrical design as an object to set the subject to the side of a painting. For example, one of his paintings made in 1865, depicted a Woman with Chrysanthemums (exhibited at Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York City) where the female subject is pushed into one side by a bouquet of flowers."
Abstract This paper looks at ballet as the form of dance. The paper presents the major argument that ballet is used to create ideas of cultural superiority. The paper considers that at the same time this cultural superiority is used to make other cultures look inferior.
From the Paper "Art forms are filled with signs, messages, symbols and a whole range of other semiotic features. In Messages and Meanings II Marcel Danesi defines art as, "Disciplined expressive activity that provides the people who produce it and the community that observes it with a range of experiences that might be aesthetic, emotional, intellectual, or a combination of these (Danesi 2004: 332)." Many activities within human societies could be considered art. Singing, music, sculpting, drawing or painting, writing and acting are all activities preformed by societies that are considered art. Each piece of artistic work is filled with symbols, signs and meanings."
Abstract This paper discusses various mediums of dance. It looks at jazz, ballet and studio dancing and discusses the discipline, rhythm and music used in each form of dance. The paper also discusses professional dancing and describes the training that is necessary, salaries that dancers can expect and the challenges of professional dancing life, such as expenses and injuries.
Table of Contents:
Jazz
Ballet Studio Dancers And Dance Teams
Professional Dancers
From the Paper "The average salary that a dancer earns is $21,000. That means 50% of all dancers earned less, down to $14,570 and 50% earned more, up to $34,660. Dancers on tour earn additional allowances for room and board and overtime. Dancing is considered a part time job and is irregular. Supplementing income may be made by working as guest artists with other dance companies, teaching dance or taking a part-time job in unrelated fields. The dancer signs a contract to work. Union contracts govern those who perform in public, such as major opera ballet, classical ballet or modern dance corps. These belong to the AFL-CIO and those who appear on live or videotaped TV programs belong to the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists. Those in films and on TV belong to the Screen Actors Guild and those in musicals are members of Actors' Equity Association. Through the unions minimum salaries, hours, benefits and other conditions are specified before the dancer signs the contract (Munger 5)."
Abstract This paper discusses some of the composer Aaron Copland's well-known compositions and analyzes his contribution to modern classical music. It includes an autobiographical account of Copland's life growing up in New York. It details his music and gives examples of his famous ballets and scores. It also describes his main influences in the music world. Finally, it details his great contribution with works such as: "Rodeo", and "Fanfare for the Common Man" making him one of the most loved American composers of all time.
From the Paper "Popular jazz and be-bop music heavily influenced his early works. As he matured, he began to compose strictly in the modern classical style, and most of his work falls under this style. His music most often celebrated the unique American character that he found so appealing. His ballets and scores included ?Rodeo,? ?Appalachian Spring,? ?A Lincoln Portrait,? ?Theme for the Common Man,? and ?Billy the Kid.? He also wrote numerous piano concertos, smaller pieces, and two sets of ?Old American Songs,? which were arrangements of traditional folk tunes "that became so popular in their piano and orchestral versions as to eclipse the original melodies on which they were based" (Hampson). At the height of his popularity and career in 1944, Copland's score for "Appalachian Spring" won the Pulitzer Prize for music. Yet, he continued to write for thirty years after this apex of his work. "
Abstract The following paper discusses August Bournonville's family life, the way in which he got to be the principal for the Copenhagen Royal Theatre, as well as their ballet-master and dance teacher. It examines the way in which Bournonville took a very contrasting humanistic approach to dance ? he tended to focus on the beauty found in the ordinary things.
From the Paper ?His third daughter, Mathilde, was a teacher; his fourth daughter, Therese was a homemaker, and his son Edmond was a doctor with a successful practice in both Sweden and Denmark. Wilhelmine was the Bournonville's adopted daughter, who seemed to perhaps ease his guilt about his daughter whom he had abandoned so many years earlier in France. It is important to interject that Bournonville did keep in correspondence with the adoptive parents of his first-born daughter, and he even corresponded with her after she was on her own. He never revealed to her that he was her father, but he aided her economically at any chance that he had.?
Abstract The paper describes kinesthesiology as a branch of physics dedicated to the physics involved in movement. It shows that several scientists of note contributed to this field including Aristotle, who applied geometry to the acts of walking, running and jumping. The paper describes that as a dancer moves across the stage force is transferred from one element to another. This paper explores the body mechanics involved in all phases of the ballet leap, called the jete?.
Table of contents
Introduction
Phases of the Jete?
Analysis of the Muscles Involved
Analysis of the Injuries Prone to the Movement
From the Paper "The landing phase of the leap is by far the most dangerous. If the body is not positioned properly to absorb the impact, injuries could be extensive, particularly if they cause a fall. Every part of the body is at risk in a fall situation. Injuries could be more severe involving broken bones, especially in the ankle and foot of the leading leg. If a fall is involved bruising could result."
Abstract This paper shows how music has been combined with drama and dance throughout history and across cultures. The writers takes Tchaikovsky's western-influenced ballets and compares them to the very dissimilar traditional Japanese Kabuki music. Some similarities are drawn that show how different cultures appreciate and embody the inherent drama in music. The paper includes backgrounds of Tchaikovsky, Japanese Kabuki in an historical setting, as well as full descriptions of the music. The last paragraph compares/contrasts the two, while drawing overarching conclusions about the universality of music.
From the Paper "Since its birth, music has never been segregated out as "pure music" as the modern term now implies, with no implications attached to the sounds themselves. More often than not, there is always some sort of abstract connection made to the music, whether it is an evocation of a program, a tool for communication, a symbol of power, or a means of connecting with the spirit or the supernatural. Often, music will be used to tell a story, because of its ability to create atmosphere, manipulate moods, and even imitate concrete sounds. This ability leads to the creation of music in many categories?namely music with drama, and programmatic music. Drama and music have been combined since ancient times, in the form of accompaniment or incidental music to theatrical works, or as in Western Europe, operas and ballets. Wagner himself termed his operas "music dramas", but his was definitely not the first, nor the last great marriage of the two arts. For instance, since before the seventeenth century in Japan, an art combining music, acting and dance called Kabuki has flourished. Kabuki stems from other Japanese forms called Noh and Bunraku, but whereas these two forms combine music and drama of sorts, Kabuki is by far the most lavish, and is a combination of these other two forms. Besides exhibiting far greater orchestral forces, there is also a strong emphasis on the dance. Likewise, across the continent at about the same time an art of schooled dance began in the courts in France, culminating to what we now know as ballet. Ballet itself was often found in segments of operas, and in the eighteenth and nineteenth century it became fashionable to create full-length story ballets, consisting of purely music and dancers telling a story. A prime example of the apotheosis of the ballet genre would be Tchaikovsky's popular ballets, Swan Lake, The Sleeping Beauty, and The Nutcracker. Thus, the idea of music supporting dramatic action can be evidenced in both Japanese Kabuki, and Tchaikovsky's ballets, although both display as many striking differences as similarities."
