George Balanchine is widely considered to be one of the greatest choreographers of all time. He was a master of neoclassical ballet, and his work was highly influential in the development of 20th century ballet. His style is often referred to as Balanchine Ballet.
Balanchine’s style is characterized by its precision, athleticism and technical virtuosity. He experimented with a range of different styles and techniques, but ultimately settled on a style which he called “neoclassicism”. This style combined the classical ballet technique with modern elements such as jazz and classical music. Balanchine believed that this combination allowed dancers to express themselves more freely and naturally than was possible with traditional ballet technique.
In Balanchine’s choreography, the dancers are often required to perform complex steps at an incredibly fast pace.
This requires immense skill, strength and stamina from the performers. However, Balanchine also encouraged the dancers to express their own individual personalities and emotions through their movements. This allowed them to create unique interpretations of his choreography which added an extra layer of depth and interest to his works.
The sets and costumes used in Balanchine’s ballets were also integral parts of his creative process. He often used minimalistic sets in order to focus attention on the movement itself rather than on any visual distractions. Similarly, he preferred muted colors for costumes rather than flashy designs or bright colors which might distract from the movement on stage.
Throughout his career, Balanchine continued to innovate and push boundaries with his works. His ballets are still revered today for their beauty, complexity, and ingenuity. What sets Balanchine apart from other great choreographers is the way he combined classical technique with modern elements in order to create something truly unique and captivating for audiences around the world.
Conclusion: What makes Balanchine Ballet so different from other forms of ballet is its combination of precision, athleticism, technical virtuosity, minimalistic sets and costumes all combined with modern elements such as jazz music that allows dancers to express themselves more freely than traditional ballet technique permits.