Ballet Steps Through History

From its advent in the pageantry of the Renaissance period of the 15th century, ballet has become an expression of your soul by dance. During the Renaissance period in Italy, Domenico da Piacenza, a master of the arts, taught nobles and others to perform in the court. These musicians and dancers performed for extravagant events such as weddings. With the introduction of the Ballets de cour, performances showcased dancers with beautiful costumes and voices for song. The art of ballet saw great development in the courts of France in the 16th century, when Catherine de Medici of France married Henry II of Italy. Catherine de Medici helped ballet flourish in France, thus most of the terms have French origin.

In 1581, Le Ballet Comique de la Reine was performed in Paris and told the story of a magical sorceress, Circe, being defeated by King Henry III. This was considered to be the first ballet and was staged by Balthasar de Beaujoyeux. He was an Italian composer, violinist, dancer and choreographer. He worked in the court of Queen Catherine de Medicis.

During the reign of Louis XIV (the Sun King) from 1643 to 1715, ballets of the French court thrived. Italian-french composer, Jean Baptiste Lully, and French choreographer, Pierre Beauchamp, created many of these ballets. Beauchamp is credited for documenting the five basic positions of the feet.

L'Academie Royale de Danse was established in 1661 under Louis XIV. Here professional dancing was born in a room of the Louvre. Initially, dancers were men until 1681 when female dancers performed in Le Triomphe de l'Amour.

Ballet began to evolve, in time. Elegant moves were displayed with toe dancing. The lines of the body could be better seen in tutus as opposed to floor length hoop skirts. This was evident in La Sylphide, a romantic ballet danced in Paris in 1832. La Sylphide is the story of a sylph (fairy) and a Scottish farmer named James on his wedding day.

A famous ballet, Giselle, followed in 1841. Giselle is a peasant girl, who becomes a beautiful sylph known as a Wili that dances in the Rhineland forest. The Wilis have met their fate by dying before becoming wed. After midnight, filled with a grudge, the Wilis descend upon human males who may happen into the forest, never to be seen again.

In the latter part of the 19th century, Marius Petipa, chief choreographer of the Imperial Russian Ballet, contributed to the brilliance of the ballet world with The Sleeping Beauty and Swan Lake (also choreographed with Lev Ivanov of Russia.) The score to these famed story ballets were by Tchaikovsky.

The Sleeping Beauty is a ballet which begins with the celebration of the birth of Princess Aurora. Unfortunate events occur when the King and Queen forget to include the evil fairy Carabosse who in turn casts a spell upon Aurora to die on her sixteenth birthday. The spell was to be invoked after Aurora gets pricked by a pin. The kingdom's fairy of protection, the Lilac Fairy, casts her own spell for Aurora to sleep and awaken 100 years later by the kiss of a Prince. A famed ballet virtuoso of the time, Enrico Cecchetti, danced the parts of Carabosse and the Blue Bird. The Cecchetti method of ballet, named for Enrico Cecchetti, involves strict technical training and the understanding of individual ballet movements to the body as a whole.

Set in medieval Germany, the ballet Swan Lake tells the story of Prince Siegfried and his love for the captivating Odette who is a swan by day, gliding in the lake of tears. From midnight to dawn, she lives in her human form. Odette and her companions have fallen under the spell of the evil sorcerer Von Rothbart. The only way to undo the curse is to marry a prince who is pure of heart. Through deception and storms, Von Rothbart tries to maintain his spell. However, his efforts were in vain, foiled by the true love of Prince Siegfried and the swan Odette.

The Nutcracker premiered in 1892. This famed work itself had a journey. Initially, the ballet was based on the story "The Nutcracker and the Mouse King," by E.T.A. Hoffman and later revised by the French writer Alexander Dumas. Ivan Alexandrovitch Vsevolojsky, director of the Imperial Russian Ballet decided to make Dumas' transformation entitled "The Story of a Hazelnut-cracker" to a ballet. Marius Petipa and Pyotr Tchaikovsky again collaborated.

Unfolding at the annual Stahlbaum Christmas Eve party, Clara, a German girl, is given the gift of a nutcracker by her godfather Drosselmeyer. Her brother Fritz breaks the nutcracker which is soon repaired. Yet after the party, a worried Clara sneaks down to check on her beloved nutcracker and falls asleep. Magical dreams come to her of the nutcracker, a mouse king, a prince, and lands of snow and sweets.

In modern times, The Nutcracker was staged with the vision of George Balanchine. As a youth in Russia, Balanchine danced for the State Theater of Opera and Ballet. He also had exceptional knowledge of music having studied at Petrograd Conservatory of Music. With this experience and his genius, he became principal choreographer for the Ballet Russe. He later brought his expectations to the United States in 1933 and revolutionized American Ballet. Under Balanchine, The New York City Ballet Company performed The Nutcracker in 1954. The Nutcracker remains a holiday classic.

Throughout the centuries, ballet has become so refined in music, costumes and movements. Exquisite extensions are showcased from the point of the toe shoe to the aura surrounding the dancer. Ballet steps through history as art.

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A Brief History Of Modern Dance

Modern dance is frequently seen as the "arty" and "fashionable" stem of dance, but this is because many people don't really understand why and when modern dance came about. It is now frequently taught along side of performing arts and theatre studies as the expression and power to connect with the audience is a strong and potent possibility for aspiring dancers and actors.

In the early 1900s, dancers were feeling restricted by the formality and restrictions that they felt were being placed on them within the world of ballet.

In ballet, facial expressions and the expression of emotions are portrayed through steps that have been done a thousand times before. Although ballet was, and still is, terribly beautiful, to remain within this world offers no way for a dancer to freely express themselves.

Modern dance is a direct assault against the restrictions of this type of dance. It became more widely known in the early 1900s possibly as a reaction to the turmoil's that the world was facing.

It takes the grace of ballet and adds the freedom of emotion. This is meant to allow the audience to engage with the emotion of the piece with much more ease than the traditional dance.

There are three main women that have been accredited with the success of modern dance as we know it today. These women are:

Mary Wigman. Born in Germany, Mary taught schools during the second world war, renowned for her use of masks and ended her career teaching in the United States.
Ruth St. Denis, who founded one of the first dance departments in an American university. Heavily influenced by spirituality she brought the 'solo' to the forefront of dance.
Most importantly, Isadora Duncan, considered the founder of the modern dance movement. Born in the USA she married a Russian man and worked all over the world. Rejecting traditional dance steps in favor of improvisation, Isadora inspired artists throughout the early 20th century. Uninterested in the commercial use of dance she dedicated herself to educating young girls in the art of dance, founding schools in Germany, Russia and the United States. Killed in a freak accident related to her love of flamboyant, flowing scarves, Isadora Duncan's contribution to modern dance cannot be overestimated.

These women were among the masses of dancers who were tired of being so heavily restricted through the classical dance.

This art form has become increasingly popular as it offers endless possibilities. Modern dance has infiltrated the movies and Broadway most notably from the 1950s. The reason why modern dance has thrived is because of the energy and vitality it can express.

One of the most influential choreographers is Bob Fosse. This is because he incorporated modern dance with energetic Broadway performances such as Cabaret. Winning an Academy Award, a Tony and an Emmy, Bob brought innovative dance and choreography to society at large. His semi-autobiographical movie, All That Jazz has become the standard against which all other serious dance movies are judged.

In just about any musical produced, whether on screen or stage, it is likely to have a solid core of contemporary dance to help get the message and the plot across.

Modern dance is an act of rebellion against ballet, but despite this, much of the form and positioning still resemble that of ballet. Modern dance will continue to develop, unlike ballet, as it is open to a whole world of possibilities.

To personally learn more about this fascinating art form and become a star in your own right, The American Academy is one of the finest drama schools in London.

Featuring tuition in dance, singing and acting right in the heart of London, the cream of England's performing arts schools.

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A Brief History of the Commedia Dell'Arte

Commedia Dell'Arte is loosely translated as comedy through art. The term originated in Italy sometime in the 1500s. Performers of the time did not have many of the luxuries of today's performers, and masks were used to display various character faces. This actual term was made to distinguish what today would be known as "improv" from learned comedy.

This form of performing is noted throughout history. As it does today, much of the comedy of the time was used to poke fun at local governments or a situation that was occurring at the time. During local fairs or festivals, these performers would often be paid by the local town to keep attendees entertained in the streets. In most cases, these performances took place on makeshift stages.

One of the common props for performers of this time was the masks they used to take on the personality of the character which they were playing. These masks were similar to the more elaborate masquerade masks that people have as collectibles today. Of course, more common versions of them are still used for Mardi Gras and masquerade parties.

Some of the more famous troupes that performed during the origination of the art were the Accessi, Confidenti, and Gelosi. While these troupes were revered and citizens would flock to see them perform upon their arrival, not everyone in town, more specifically the clergy, were always happy to see them. The very nature of a traveling group of entertainers brought the fear of disease and other bad behavior to mind. During this time, the term vagabond was originally coined, a term that obviously holds a negative connotation.

While some of the performances and themes were controversial, there is little doubt in the influence this form of entertainment had on history. Some of the most famous artworks of the time are centered on depicting these troupes perform their shows. In addition to artwork, these early performances made quite an impact on the future of theater. Even William Shakespeare shows influences of Commedia Dell'Arte in some of his plays.

Performers have been around since ancient times, but the Commedia Dell'Arte is often given credit for the actual serious beginnings of public performances. While the methods have obviously changed, some of these early influences remain true today. In fact, some of the traditions of these "street performers" are kept alive today at various festivals and shows around the world.

The Commedia Dell'Arte relied on fancy masquerade masks to hide the faces of the performers and relay the "comic mood" to the audience. Today, we use masquerade masks as a party prop, but its roots are distinguished and noted throughout history. For more information on these types of masks, visit PartyOasis.com today!

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History of HMV Hammersmith Apollo

HMV Hammersmith Apollo is a major live entertainment venue in Hammersmith West London and is one of the UK's largest and best-preserved original theatres which attracts thousands of visitors' every year. The venue dates back to 1932 when it first opened on 28th March. At that time is was named Gaumont Palace cinema and seated 3,500 people. It was designed in the Art Deco style by architect Robert Cromie. It wasn't until 1962 that it was renamed Hammersmith Odeon with the HMV bit added in 2009.

The theatre has a large 35 foot deep stage, and is an excellent fan shaped auditorium which offers remarkable intimacy and excellent sightlines from all parts of the theatre. It houses twenty dressing rooms, a Compton4Manual/15 Ranks theatre organ and a restaurant located on the balcony area.

Over the years all of the top musical stars have performed there. In 1964 and early 1965 the Beatles played 38 shows over 21 nights. Other musicians that performed at the venue in the sixties are The Rolling Stones, Bob Marley, Johnny Cash, Tony Bennett and Louis Armstrong. The 70's saw Bruce Springsteen, Queen, Ziggy Stardust, David Bowie perform and Kiss made their first UK appearance as the venue in 1976. The 80's saw Blondie play one of her most famous shows. Most of the top musicians at the time played there including Culture Club, Tears for Fears, Marillion, Elton John, Public Enemy, Depeche Mode and Duran Duran to name just a few.

It is not just musicians that play there, by the 90's the venue played host to a number of stage productions including Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat which was a runaway success. American magicians and comedians Penn and Teller performed live there in 2010 as did Billy Connolly.

The venue has changed hands many times over the years and went through many name changes. Back in 2006 the owners of the venue were encouraged by Hammersmith & Fulham Council and the Cinema Theatre Association to reinstate the original Compton organ. The organ had been in storage since the 1990's but was sorely missed, so having it reinstated gives the theatre back its authenticity.

The most recent changes to the venue was when it was bought by MAMA Group which is a UK based entertainment company who own a number of other venues across the country. In 2009 MAMA group entered into a joint venue with HMV which is where is gets is name today of HMV Hammersmith Apollo.

Today it is one of the most popular entertainment venues in the capital and still attracts stars from around the world.

If your planning on visiting the theatre why not try one of the budget Hotels Near Hammersmith Apollo. Kensington West is a great Budget London Hotel in a great location.

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The Five Longest Running West End Shows in History

Rarely will you meet a person who does not know the significance of the west end in London, or, for that matter, a person who would say no to tickets to one of the dozens of shows that are running there on any one night. It might be more difficult to find someone who can name the five longest running west end shows in history, though they are sure to give a good stab at it.

While might seem impressive that Billy Elliot the musical has already entered its sixth year on stage, following its opening in 2005, and the current jersey boys theatre extravaganza, telling the history of Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons, opened in 2006, these modern hits come nowhere near the tenures of the west end reliables.

The Mousetrap

This is the longest running show in the west end by far and, in fact, is the longest running show in the world. Since its opening night on November 25, 1952, the mousetrap has clocked up more than 24,000 performances over 58 years. It is strange, given that the identity of the killer in this quintessential murderer mystery has been revealed in countless reviews and newspaper articles.

Written by Agatha Christie, the author herself revealed in her autobiography that she had given the show eight months on the west end. However, its continuing success is mostly down to the excellence in its plot and production, and perhaps the charm of a time in British history that is now long gone.

Les Miserables

Based on the 1862 classic novel written by Victor Hugo, Les Miserables is one of the most famous musicals in history. Originally produced in Paris, it arrived in the west end in 1985 and has since been a constant presence on the theatre listings, with more than 10,000 performances already under its belt. Surprisingly, the first reviews of this show were largely critical, prompting some to believe that its run would be short. However, the public took to it, ensuring that its initial booking of three months was extended.

The Phantom of the Opera

Having opened in the west end in 1986, it is now one of the best known musicals by Andrew Lloyd Webber. It too is based on a classic French novel of the same name, which was written by Gaston Leroux in 1910. For many, it is the quintessential romance story, with the phantom a disfigured musical genius obsessing over a beautiful soprano, who shows him compassion despite the ordeal he puts her through. The show has won the hearts of millions of people around the world, with a quarter of a century spent in the west end so far.

Blood Brothers

Recognised as one of the great contemporary social commentaries, this musical hit the west end in 1983 after success in Liverpool. Its initial run lasted only for six months, but it returned to London in 1988 at the Albery Theatre where it has already run for more than 22 years. The plot centres around the separation of twins and their respective lives at opposite ends of the social spectrum, one amongst the upper crust and the other being working class but unemployed. Their love for the same girl brings them together with tragic consequences.

Cats

Another Andrew Lloyd Webber creation, Cats is one of the most talked about musicals. However, it is the only one of the list of five to have closed in the west end, with its final performance occurring on May 11, 2002, precisely 21 years after its opening night in 1981. So far, it has been produced in 20 languages and was an equally notable phenomenon on Broadway between 1982 and 2000, with more than 6,000 performances in New York. Its final show in London was broadcast on a giant screen in Covent Garden to fans not able to acquire a ticket to the final show.

The full list of great west end shows is significantly longer, and the new generation of classics are surely on their way to securing equally impressive runs. Amongst the favourites is Billy Elliot the musical, which is based on the successful 2000 Oscar nominated movie of the same name. It is already an award winner on stage and looks set for its own place in history.

Because of the love for music, romance and drama that the public has, there is no reason to think not, even if it is a US import, such as the popular jersey boys, theatre goers will continue to flock to the west end.

Kathryn Dawson writes articles about west end shows, one of the things you have to see when you are in London. London is often home to many award winning and popular shows such as Billy Elliot the musical, The Lion King, Phantom of the Opera as well as jersey boys theatre, and popular shows mean that good seats are often unavailable. London Tickets use Albemarle of London for all purchases so it means you can buy tickets for your favourite shows easily and safely.

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