Cinderella ballet is one of the most beloved and recognizable ballets of all time. It is an enchanting story about a young girl who overcomes great odds to find true love.
The original choreography for this timeless tale was created by the Russian master choreographer, Marius Petipa.
Marius Petipa was born in Marseille, France in 1818 and began his ballet career as a child at the Paris Opera Ballet School. He eventually moved to St. Petersburg, Russia and became the premier dancer and choreographer at the Imperial Ballet School.
He was highly respected in Russia and often referred to as “The Father of Classical Ballet.”
Petipa is best known for his work on the classic ballets such as Swan Lake, Giselle, Don Quixote, Raymonda, and La Bayadère. He adapted many popular fairy tales into ballets including Cinderella. He created this version in 1893 with music by Sergei Prokofiev and it has been performed countless times since then with many variations.
Petipa’s version of Cinderella is a three-act ballet that follows the classic fairy tale closely with some additional characters added for interest such as two stepsisters and two page boys. All of his ballets were very technically difficult due to his use of intricate footwork combinations and difficult lifts.
Marius Petipa’s version of Cinderella remains one of his most beloved works to this day. His choreography has been studied extensively by dancers all over the world who continue to draw inspiration from his work.
Conclusion:
Marius Petipa is credited as the original choreographer for Cinderella Ballet which he created in 1893 with music by Sergei Prokofiev.
His version follows closely to the classic fairy tale but adds some additional characters for interest such as two stepsisters and two page boys. His work has been studied extensively by dancers around the world who continue to draw inspiration from it even today.