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Ballet

History of dancing


Ballet emerged in the late fifteenth-century Renaissance court culture of Italy as a dance interpretation of fencing, and further developed in the French court from the time of Louis XIV in the 17th century. This is reflected in the largely French vocabulary of ballet. Despite the great reforms of Noverre in the eighteenth century, ballet went into decline in France after 1830, though it was continued in Denmark, Italy, and Russia. It was reintroduced to western Europe on the eve of the First World War by a Russian company: the Ballets Russes of Sergei Diaghilev, who came to be influential around the world. Diaghilev's company came to be a destination for many of the Russian trained dancers fleeing the famine and unrest that followed the Bolshevik revolution. These dancers brought many of the choreographic and stylistic innovations that had been flourishing under the czars back to their place of origin.

In the 20th century ballet has continued to develop and has had a strong influence on broader concert dance. For example, in the United States, choreographer George Balanchine developed what is now known as neoclassical ballet. Subsequent developments now include contemporary ballet and post-structural ballet, seen in the work of William Forsythe in Germany.

Ballet is a formalized type of performative dance, started in sixteenth- and seventeenth-century French courts, and which was further developed in England, Italy, and Russia as a concert dance form. The early ballet dancers were not as highly skilled as they are now. It has since become a highly technical form of dance with its own vocabulary. It is mainly performed with the accompaniment of classical music. It has been influential as a form of dance globally and is taught in ballet schools around the world, which use their own cultures and societies to inform the art. Ballet dance works (ballets) are choreographed, and also include mime, acting, and are set to music (usually orchestral but occasionally vocal). Later developments include expressionist ballet, and elements of Modern dance.

breakdance

Breakdancing History

Breakdancing started in the very late 60's and exploded in the 70's and 80's amongst large populations of city living youth. It originated in New York predominantly amongst members of the African American community. To trace the dance to other dances which it may have originated from is near impossible, but a few speculators point to the "Lindy Hop" and also the "Charleston" as possible predecessors. However, over the years breakdancing has borrowed freely from all types of dances and martial arts. You only need to watch a breakdancer for a few moments before you start to see resemblances of kung fu moves within the dance arsenal of a Bboy or Bgirl.

Today you can see breakdancing making its way into the mainstream. Popular artists are introducing the breakdancing elements into their hip hop and pop videos and more and more dance schools are offering it as a dance option since the dance has been further popularized by and assortment of Hollywood movies.