Is the 12 Dancing Princesses a Ballet?

Ballet

The classic fairytale of the 12 Dancing Princesses has been adapted into ballet several times. The story follows 12 sisters, who are each given a magical gift by their father – the ability to dance without tiring. Every night, they dance in a secret underground room, hidden from the world.

The story has been adapted into ballets in many countries, including Russia and Denmark. The most well-known version is probably Tchaikovsky’s ‘The Twelve Dancing Princesses’ which was first performed in 1877.

This ballet is based on a Russian fairy tale and tells the story of the twelve princesses and their adventures with a magical prince. However, it does not include all of the aspects of the original fairytale, such as the gift from their father or the secret underground room.

Other notable ballets based on this story include ‘The Twelve Dancing Princesses’ by Danish choreographer August Bournonville (1836) and ‘The Young Prince and The Twelve Dancing Princesses’ by English composer Arthur Sullivan (1896). Both these ballets follow similar storylines to Tchaikovsky’s version but with subtle differences in plot and music.

Conclusion:
So, is ‘The 12 Dancing Princesses’ a ballet? Yes it is!

Based on a popular fairytale, this story has been adapted into ballet several times over the years, most notably by Tchaikovsky, Bournonville and Sullivan. Each version follows similar storylines but with subtle differences in plot and music that make them unique works of art.