What Was Ballet Originally Used For?

Ballet

Ballet is a form of performance dance that originated in the Italian Renaissance courts of the 15th century and has been around ever since. It is renowned for its grace, precision and athleticism, and is one of the most popular forms of dance today.

But what was ballet originally used for?

Ballet began as a form of entertainment in the aristocratic courts of Italy in the late Middle Ages. During this time, it was used to express religious themes, with courtiers performing intricate steps to sacred music.

This style spread throughout Europe and eventually became the basis for all classical ballet today. As it became more popular, choreographers began to add more elaborate steps and styles to their performances, making it an art form in its own right.

In the 18th century, ballet transitioned from being purely entertainment into a legitimate art form. This was largely due to reforms by King Louis XIV who wanted to create a standardized style of dance that could be performed across Europe.

He established the Académie Royale de Danse (Royal Academy of Dance) which codified many of the techniques and steps seen in modern ballet. From this point on, ballet flourished as an art form across Europe with some famous ballets such as Giselle being performed at venues such as The Paris Opera House.

In the 19th century, Russian composers such as Tchaikovsky began writing iconic scores for ballets such as Swan Lake which further propelled its popularity throughout Europe and beyond. This period also saw some groundbreaking innovations added to ballet such as pointe work (dancing on one’s toes), character dances (using mime to tell stories) and pas de deux (dancing together by two people).

Today, ballet is still performed all around the world with companies such as The Royal Ballet in London or The Bolshoi Ballet in Moscow staging some incredible productions each year. It has also become increasingly popular with younger generations with contemporary styles like hip-hop ballet becoming more mainstream.

Conclusion:

Ballet was originally used as a form of entertainment in aristocratic courts during the late Middle Ages. Over time it developed into an art form thanks to reforms by King Louis XIV who wanted to create a standardized style across Europe.

By the 19th century it had become increasingly popular due to iconic scores written by Russian composers such as Tchaikovsky and innovations like pointe work being added. Today, it is still performed around the world but has also become popular among younger generations thanks to contemporary styles like hip-hop ballet.