Are Ballet Terms French or Russian?

Ballet

Ballet is a form of dance that originated in the Italian Renaissance courts of the 15th century and was further developed in France and Russia as a concert dance form. It has since become popular worldwide, with classical ballet companies existing in many countries.

It is known for its grace and precision, with movements that are highly technical and require years of training. The language of ballet is highly codified, with its own set of terms to describe movements, positions, and directions.

This begs the question: Are ballet terms French or Russian? The answer depends on where you are looking. While French is the origin of most ballet terms, Russia has a strong influence on the language as well.

In France during the 18th century, Jean-Georges Noverre (1727-1810) created the first codified system for teaching ballet steps and positions. This system was based on Italian Renaissance court dances but also combined elements from other genres such as Spanish folk dances and English theatrical dances. Many of these terms became part of the French lexicon for describing ballet steps and positions such as “en dehors” (outward), “en dedans” (inward), “grand battement” (big beat), “petit battement” (small beat), “glissade” (slide), etc.

In Russia during the 19th century, Marius Petipa (1818-1910) further developed Noverre’s system by adding his own terminology to describe specific steps and positions as well as creating new ones like “entrechat” (crossed beat), “jeté” (throw), “pirouette en dehors” (outside turn). Petipa also introduced larger scale choreographic elements like divertissements which became part of classical ballet tradition worldwide.

The influence from both countries has made it difficult to pinpoint exactly where certain terms originated from or if they were borrowed from one country to another. However, it is clear that both France and Russia have played a major role in shaping today’s language for describing ballet steps and positions.

Overall, there is no definitive answer to whether or not ballet terms are French or Russian: both countries have had an integral role in developing this beautiful art form making it one of the most beautiful languages in existence!

Conclusion
Are Ballet Terms French or Russian? The answer is both! Both France and Russia have had an integral role in developing this beautiful art form making it one of the most beautiful languages in existence!