#Ballethistory

[havlasha]

Prima Ballerina Assolutas

I was reading Maya Plisetskaya’s autobiography (great read!) and it got me thinking. I still find it sad that the phrase “Assoluta” has sort of been laid to rest. Originally designated to Pierina Legnani by Marius Petipa to describe, who he felt, was “The leading dancer in all of Europe”. Although, it was never a refined system and a good chunk of the few designated Primas with the title are disputed/unofficial. Petipa himself formally objected to Kschessinska being awarded the title (one of many petty feuds between the prima and the ballet master. Honestly 1800s Mariinsky troupe drama is so entertaining I could go on all day about it) But it adds a level of prestige, in a world of so many companies both national & regional. It’s certainly a shame that certain dancers never got the honour awarded to them, despite being the greatest heralded (and in demand) dancers of their eras (think Sylvie Guillem, Ulyana Lopatkina, Darcey Bussel). The only still dancing assoluta left is Alessandra Ferri and she is slowly fading out, especially with her new role at the Weiner Staatsoper. 

As far as current Primas with the potential for the title, I really think Zakharova could have easily been awarded one by now. It’s a shame that her long-standing controversial political associations have likely hindered any potential for that sort of honour internationally. Just for her sheer presence in the dance world I can’t think of another dancer who holds such a grip on what is considered a “prima”. In talent terms, Osipova should be up there too for her contributions to the world of flying. 

Anyway: here’s some photos of the currently recognised Prima Ballerina Assolutas:

Pierina Lagnani - Italian - Mariinsky Ballet

Mathilda Kschessinska - Russian - Mariinsky Ballet

Alicia Markova - British - ENB/ The Royal Ballet

Attilia Redice - Italian - Rome Opera Ballet 

Galina Ulanova - Russian - Bolshoi Ballet

Alicia Alonso - Cuban - Cuban National Ballet (Unofficial)

Maya Plisetskaya - Russian - Bolshoi Ballet

Eva Evdokimova - Bulgarian/American - Royal Danish Ballet (also unofficial/sanctioned - appointed by the Mariinsky)

Margot Fonteyn - British - Royal Ballet

Yvette Chauviré - French - Paris Opera Ballet

Anneli Alhanko - Swedish - Royal Swedish Ballet (appointed by the Bolshoi)

Phyllis Spira - South African - Royal Ballet/CAPAB Ballet

Alessandra Ferri - Italian - Royal Ballet/ABT/La Scala

[levieri]

[dauwdrupje]

Portrait of ballet dancer and choreographer Vaslav Nijinsky (1889-1950). Nijinsky's unique dancing style and charm notably contributed to the rise to fame of dancing company Les Ballets Russes. Nijinsky, who was also the lover of Les Ballets Russes founder and impresario Sergei Diaghilev, was a genius choreographer and was responsible for some of the most groundbreaking ballets of the 20th century - including the shocking Le Sacre du Printemps in 1913. As Diaghilev grew more and more controlling and obsessive towards Nijinsky, the latter escaped from his attention by rushing into a not very successful marriage with a colleague ballerina. On hearing the news, Diaghilev immediately dismissed Nijinsky from Les Ballets Russes. Nijinsky's mental health grew quite instable in the following years, which finally led to a diagnosis with schizophrenia in 1919. #vaslavnijinsky #nijinsky #vaslav #dancer #ballet #lesballetsrusses #sergeidiaghilev #diaghilev #ballethistory #portrait #lesacreduprintemps #queerdancer #choreographer https://www.instagram.com/p/Ch4PnMzNdMm/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[danzadance]

Datos sobre la primera presentación de #Giselle en la Ópera de Paris; y sobre algunos otros ballets románticos. #ballet #danza #dance #ballett #balletto #balletromantico #bailarina #parisoperaballet #ballethistory #danzadanceorg https://www.instagram.com/p/CKyohJpgwpN/?igshid=f8ampcmehm1r

[michalkrcmar]

29.12.2009 Swan lake in Prague State opera with @nikolamarova.ballet Beautiful memories... beginning of my career in Prague with one of the best ballerinas in history of @czechnationalballet Feeling very thankful for everything!!! #czechnationalballet #statnioperapraha #statniopera #nikolamarova #michalkrcmar #nikolamarovaballet #michalkrcmarofficial #michalkrcmardancer #michalkrcmardanza #swanlake #labutijezero #blackswan #balletphoto #ballethistory #beautifulballerina #primoballerino #dancers #beautiful (at Státní opera Praha) https://www.instagram.com/p/B6pe0AlgpAm/?igshid=1jgh7kpmcwd6v

[pallas-on-air]

#dancehistory #itsfuntolearn #neoclassicalballet #variations #mtv #breakdancemovies #ballethistory #diaghilev #moderndance #qanda #thedancespotx #pallasdance (at The Dance Spot) https://www.instagram.com/p/BzMU3GQAnkK/?igshid=2qtbciun7vis

[filosofprotesty-blog]

#Semizorova Nina Lvivna - Ukrainian ballerina, ballet pedagogue. Honored Artist of the USSR (1977), People's Artist of the RSFSR (1985). ▫️▫️▫️▫️▫️ On photos As Nikia in La Bayadere. Photo by Alexei Brazhnikov. ▫️▫️▫️▫️▫️ As The Mistress of the Copper Mountain in The Stone Flower. ▫️▫️▫️▫️▫️ As Lady Macbeth in Macbeth. Victor Barykin as Macbeth. Photo from the Bolshoi Theatre museum. ▫️▫️▫️▫️▫️ Portrait photo of Nina Semizorova ▫️▫️▫️▫️▫️ #visitingterpsichore #terpsi_vintage #ballet #balletvintage #ballethistory #dancehistory #balletua #danceua #classicalmusic #classical #classicaldance #classicaldancer #pedagogue #nationalopera #bolshoi (Kyiv, Ukraine)

[harrowingp]

Dance With Me• #ballethistory #victoriaandalbert #costume #london #ballet (at Victoria and Albert Museum)

[hei-hei-22]

Can Women Catch a Break?

This week we dove more into the history of ballet. One of the big discussions we had in class was over the difference in training between men and women. Men are trained to be jumpers, they are trained to jump high and do multiple turns in the air while doing so. Why are women not taught the same techniques in jumping still to this day? I have noticed, depending on the teacher you may be learning the jumps and doing the same tempo as the men, but they still have more push put on them to get higher and do better in a way I would describe as these “masculine” movements. Along with this, we moved into classical ballet and how there “has” to be a male on stage with the female dancer to be her supporter. The audiences wanted to see the females on stage, which they were. They were on stage, dancing on pointe, and utilizing big movements and eye catching costumes. But the men were still there, on stage, to support the females because god forbid a women do something on her own right? 

[instapicsil1]

If we wore this (originally owned by Misty Copeland), we would look on pointe. #BalletPuns When she’s not rocking tutus as the prima ballerina from the American Ballet Theatre, Copeland mentors aspiring ballerinas from underrepresented communities. With support from foundations and businesses, the American Ballet Theatre created Project Plié in an effort to diversify ballet companies. #AmericanHistory #WomensHistory #philanthropy #AmericanGiving #GivingTuesday #DanceHistory #Ballet #BalletHistory #Giving https://ift.tt/2zxD4AL

[danzadance]

Tamara Karsavina https://www.elisabettatesta.it/tamara-karsavina-il-fascino-di-un-mito-2/ #ballet #danza #bailarina #dancer #ballerina #dance #vintagephotography #ballethistory #ballett #balletto #balletinspiration #balletdancer #danzaclassica #danzaclasica #danzadanceorg https://www.instagram.com/p/CLkMwDggmHa/?igshid=hlkmulcm8pba

[dancewithmarynyc]

Respect the past, look to the future. #ballet #balletrusse #ballethistory #poster #past #future #respect #balletrusses (at Seiskaya Ballet Academy)

[balletid]

Guess which Indonesian ballet dancer is this? Photographed in 1962 #balletindonesia #ballethistory

[filosofprotesty-blog]

Сцена з балету «Спляча красуня» П. Чайковського. Т. Білецька – Аврора, В. Яременко – Дезіре, Т. Боровик – Фея Бузку. ▫️▫️▫️▫️▫️ Scene from the ballet "Sleeping Beauty" by Pyotr Tchaikovsky. T. Biletska - Aurora V. Yaremenko - Desire T. Borovyk - Lilac Fairy. #visitingterpsichore #ballet #balletdancer #ballett #balletshoes #ballethistory (Kyiv, Ukraine)

[hei-hei-22]

Yeeting through ballet history

Ballet wasn’t always the form that we have come to love today. And it was always looked at the same way either. We also have learned how there are four different ballet categories, the focus of this week being romanticism. And as always it seems, men were the controllers of ballet as they were in everything. But when pointe shoes started being utilized by women, the first one being Marie Taglioni, that is when women started to take over the stage, but even then it was in a misogynic way. Women, on pointe, were seen as light, delicate, needed saved, etc. And as always, the men were saving the “damsel in distress.” They still ran the show in every other aspect even though the women were doing most of the work. One of the most popular romantic ballets that still is known today is Giselle. Her movements are all very soft and light, and she dies, as do many of the leads in ballets. Why do women have to be soft, delicate, and light to be seen as “wanted” in these ballets, and why is there the concept of dying to find your “one true love?”

Ballet is my favorite technique, so learning the history behind the style has been really interesting. It’s really neat seeing how far ballet has come, especially when comparing now ballet like contemporary/modern ballet to court (baroque) ballet. How women went from not being as involved to being the main stage and on pointe. Along with the difference in the technique such as turn out. This make me wonder where ballet will go next. 

Weird fact, people ate pointe shoes of their favorite dancers? I don’t even want to know more on that, nastay. 

[instapicsil1]

☀️Here comes the sun!☀️ Today’s summer solstice, the longest day of sunlight in the Northern Hemisphere, has us thinking about where the sun appears in our collection. ☀️ May Ishimoto designed this ballet costume to represent the morning sun. Ishimoto began making ballet costumes for her young daughter, Mary. When one of Mary’s teachers joined the National Ballet of Washington, D.C. he brought Ishimoto on as their costume designer. She would go on to work for the New York City Ballet and the American Ballet Theatre as well. ☀️ Can’t get enough of the summer solstice? Join us for Solstice Saturday on June 23. We’ll be open late with fun activities, a speakeasy, and a “secret room” with rarely-seen objects from the collection. #☀️ #WomensHistory #CostumeHistory #AmericanHistory #DanceHistory #Solstice #SummerSolstice #Ballet #BalletHistory #DanceHistory #AmericaNowSI #SolsticeSaturday https://ift.tt/2MbpZRD