Ballet History

The Romantic Era

Pre-Romantic PeriodEarly 19th Century

• In the early 1800s much of the codified steps that are still used today were already in place.

• The tutus that the women began to wear were shorted to what was unheard of lengths (just above the ankle).

• The invention of the pointe work was developed at this time.

• Marie Taglioni, an Italian dancer, is known to be the first dancer to perform en pointe. She was eighteen years old at the time.

Romantic Ballet19th Century

• The Romantic Movement of the 19th Century brought forth classical ballets such as Giselle and La Sylphide.

• These ballets were often concerned with the supernatural world of spirits and magic and often showed women as passive and fragile.

• While most ballets were created by men there was a significant decline in male performers in the period.

• The female ballerina became the star and men took on more of a character role making it an unacceptable career for men.

Romantic Ballet19th Century

• During this time pointe work became the norm for the ballerina to give the female lightness and an ethereal quality.

• The costumes of this time were the romantic tutu, a calf-length, full skirt made of tulle.

• Marie Taglioni continued to become one of the great ballerinas of the Romantic Era along with Fanny Elssler, Carlotta Grisi and Fanny Cerrito.

Romantic Ballet19th Century

• Taglioni and Elssler held a great rivlery even though they had very different styles.

• Elssler was known to be fiery, exotic and sexy while Taglioni was great at creating uneathly, spiritual characters.

• In 1845 the four ballerinas took the stage together to perform the Pas de Quatre, choreographed by Jules Perrot.

• The performance was an immediate success but only ran for six performances.

Romantic Ballet19th Century

• In the second half of the 19th Century we begin to see a decline of Ballet in Paris.

• Male dancing was being neglected and few ballets of note were being created with the exception of Coppelia.

• With the decline of the male dancer the male lead of Coppelia had to be performed by a woman.

Names to Remember