Ballet quick facts
- The term ballet comes from the French and was borrowed into English around 1630s. The French word in turn has its origin in Italian balletto, a diminutive of ballo (dance) which comes from Latin ballo, ballare, meaning "to dance", which in turn comes from the Greek "βαλλίζω" (ballizo), "to dance, to jump about".
- A Male dancer lifts over 1½ tonnes worth of ballerinas during performances.
- Classical ballet is best known for its unique features and techniques, such as pointe work, turn-out of the legs, and high extensions; its graceful, flowing, precise movements; and its ethereal qualities.
- A 3 hour ballet performance is roughly equivalent to two 90-minute soccer games back to back.
- Ballet originated in the Italian Renaissance courts of the 15th century.
- This genre of dance is very hard to master and requires much practice.
- Most ballerinas wear out 2-3 pairs of pointe shoes per week
- In the 20th century ballet has continued to develop and has had a strong influence on broader concert dance.
- A tutu is a skirt worn as a costume in a ballet performance.
- One tutu costs up to 2,000 dollars to make
- Classical ballet is the most methodical of the ballet styles; it adheres to traditional ballet technique.
- Neoclassical ballet is a ballet style that uses traditional ballet vocabulary but is less rigid than the classical ballet. For example, dancers often dance at more extreme tempos and perform more technical feats.
- Contemporary ballet is a form of dance influenced by both classical ballet and modern dance.
