The History of Ballet

All throughout my middle school years, whenever we would need to do a project on a sport or create an independent assignment (I was in GATE), I would always write an essay about some form of dance. Be it tap, ballet, jazz, or hip hop, it didn't matter-they all fascinated me. In particular, I found ballet to be quite lovely. From its beginnings in the Renaissance courts of the 15th and 16th centuries to present day, this intricate form of dance and expression has been present throughout history. During the time that it graced the Italian Renaissance courts, ballet also caught the eye of Catherine de' Medici, who was married to King Henry the second of France. It spread like wildfire throughout the French courts after the Queen Consort introduced it to them. Ballet became so popular, in fact, that in the 17th century, King Louis XIV founded the Paris Opera Ballet, the first professional dance company in France. The Russians and the Danish quickly followed suit, opening their own ballet companies in the 18th century. Eventually, ballet spread all over Europe and America, captivating the hearts of millions of people. The 20th century saw great strides in the development of ballet, from the creation of neoclassical ballet by George Balanchine to the introduction of contemporary and post-structural ballet by William Forsythe of Germany. In recent years, the world has seen many famous ballerinas enter and exit from the spotlight, and the opening of prestigious ballet academies worldwide. Ballet is a classic and timeless dance, and hopefully shall continue to touch the hearts of countless people for many years to come.