When Was Ballet Most Popular?

Ballet

Ballet is a form of artistic dance that originated in the Italian Renaissance courts of the 15th century and developed into a concert dance form in France and Russia. It has since become a highly technical form of dance with its own vocabulary based on French terminology.

Ballet has been influential not only for its entertainment value, but also for its influence on other dance styles such as hip-hop, jazz, and contemporary. It is one of the most popular forms of dance around the world.

The popularity of ballet has waxed and waned over time, but some periods have seen it rise to unprecedented heights. During the Baroque period (17th century), court ballets became popular in France with Louis XIV’s patronage at Versailles.

This period was known as the Golden Age of Ballet, due to its popularity with both royalty and commoners alike. Ballet was also popular in Russia during this time, developing into a distinct national style.

In the 19th century, Romantic ballet emerged as a distinct style within ballet. This period saw some of classical ballet’s greatest works such as Giselle and Swan Lake being created.

Ballet experienced great growth during this period, with many schools being opened across Europe to teach it. It also spread to other parts of the world such as North America.

In the 20th century, classical ballet began to decline due to changes in public tastes and competition from other art forms such as film and modern dance. However, it still maintained some popularity due to renowned works such as The Firebird and The Nutcracker Suite by Russian composer Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky.

The 21st century has seen a resurgence in interest in classical ballet due to new choreographers such as Alexei Ratmansky creating new works that are inspired by traditional ballets but have modern twists. Additionally, television shows like “So You Think You Can Dance” have helped increase awareness of ballet among younger generations.

Conclusion:

Overall, when looking at when ballet was most popular it can be seen that it experienced its peak during the Baroque period (17th century) due to its patronage by Louis XIV at Versailles. However, it remained popular throughout the 19th and 20th centuries due to famous works like Giselle and The Nutcracker Suite before experiencing a resurgence in interest during the 21st century thanks to choreographers creating new works and television programs helping spread awareness about classical ballet.