Ballet is a type of performance dance that originated during the Italian Renaissance in the fifteenth century and later developed into a concert dance form in France and Russia. It is a highly technical form of dance with its own vocabulary and has become influential globally, defining the foundational techniques used in many other dance genres and cultures. Ballet is a theatrical dance that features highly formalized steps and movements, using body movements, music, and stage scenery to speak emotions, a story, an atmosphere, or a theme. It can tell a story or express a thought, concept, or emotion. Ballets are choreographed and performed by trained ballet dancers, and traditional classical ballets are usually performed with classical music accompaniment and use elaborate costumes and staging, whereas modern ballets are often performed in simple costumes and without elaborate sets or scenery. There are two main types of ballet:
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Story ballets: These ballets tell a story and contain narrative action, characters, a beginning, and an end. Famous story ballets from the 19th century include The Nutcracker and The Sleeping Beauty.
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Plotless ballets: These ballets have no storyline and instead use the movement of the body and theatrical elements to interpret music, create an image, or express or provoke emotion. Choreographer George Balanchine was a prolific creator of plotless ballets.
Ballet has evolved in distinct ways in various schools around the world, incorporating their own cultures. Ballet can be magical, exciting, provoking, or disturbing, and it is an art form that can be learned at any age and anywhere.
