💃History of Dance Unit 4 – 18th and 19th Century Dance

Key Dance Forms and Styles

• Baroque dance characterized by elaborate, formal movements and intricate footwork (minuet, gavotte, sarabande)
• Contredanse gained popularity as a lively, social dance performed in square or longways formations
  • Incorporated elements of English country dance and French court dance
  • Evolved into the quadrille and cotillion in the early 19th century
• Waltz emerged as a scandalous partner dance in the late 18th century due to its close embrace and turning figures
  • Became more acceptable and widespread in the 19th century
  • Variations included the Viennese waltz and the slower, more graceful Boston waltz
• Romantic ballet developed in the early 19th century emphasizing storytelling, emotion, and technical virtuosity
  • Featured ethereal, supernatural themes and the rise of the ballerina as a star performer (Marie Taglioni, Fanny Elssler)
• Character dance incorporated national and folk dance elements into ballet performances
• Polka, a lively Bohemian folk dance, became a ballroom sensation in the 1840s
• Cancan, a high-energy French dance featuring high kicks and petticoats, gained notoriety in Parisian music halls

Famous Dancers and Choreographers

• Marie Camargo, an 18th-century French ballerina, pioneered shorter skirts and more athletic technique
• Jean-Georges Noverre, an influential ballet master, advocated for ballet d'action and the integration of dance, music, and drama
• Auguste Vestris, a renowned French dancer and teacher, known for his virtuosity and technical precision
• Marie Taglioni, an Italian ballerina, celebrated for her ethereal grace and pointe work in Romantic ballets like La Sylphide
• Fanny Elssler, an Austrian ballerina, known for her dynamic style and character dance performances
• Jules Perrot, a French dancer and choreographer, created iconic Romantic ballets such as Giselle and Pas de Quatre
• Arthur Saint-Léon, a French dancer and choreographer, known for his technical innovations and use of national dance styles
• Marius Petipa, a French-Russian ballet master, choreographed classic ballets like The Nutcracker and Swan Lake

Social and Cultural Context

• Dance reflected the social hierarchy and etiquette of the 18th and 19th centuries
  • Court dances like the minuet demonstrated elegance, refinement, and social status
  • Public balls and assemblies allowed for socializing and courtship within prescribed norms
• The French Revolution and Napoleonic Wars influenced dance styles and cultural exchange
  • Contredanses and quadrilles gained popularity as symbols of egalitarianism and social unity
• Industrialization and urbanization led to the growth of public dance halls and entertainment venues
  • Working-class dance culture flourished in guinguettes and dance gardens
• Romantic movement in art and literature shaped the aesthetic and themes of ballet performances
  • Exotic settings, supernatural creatures, and idealized love stories became popular
• Nationalism and exoticism influenced the incorporation of folk and character dances into ballet
• Victorian era values of propriety and restraint impacted social dance etiquette and the acceptance of certain dance styles

Music and Accompaniment

• Baroque dance music featured intricate, often contrapuntal compositions for string and wind instruments
  • Composers like Jean-Baptiste Lully and Georg Frideric Handel created dance suites and operas
• Contredanses and quadrilles were accompanied by lively, square-phrased tunes played by small ensembles
  • Popular instruments included violins, flutes, and later, pianos
• Waltz music introduced a new, flowing triple meter and more expressive melodies
  • Composers like Johann Strauss I and II became famous for their waltz compositions
• Romantic ballet music emphasized emotional depth, leitmotifs, and programmatic elements
  • Composers collaborated closely with choreographers to create cohesive narratives (Adolphe Adam, Léo Delibes)
• Polka and other social dance music featured bright, energetic rhythms and simple, catchy melodies
  • Brass bands and popular ensembles played at public dance halls and outdoor venues
• Opera and operetta excerpts often served as accompaniment for ballet divertissements and character dances

Costume and Staging

• 18th-century dance costumes reflected the elaborate, formal fashions of the time
  • Dancers wore heeled shoes, wigs, and restrictive clothing that limited movement
• Romantic ballet introduced lighter, more flowing fabrics and shortened skirts for increased freedom of movement
  • Pointe shoes and the illusion of weightlessness became central to the ballerina's aesthetic
  • Diaphanous tutus, flowers, and ethereal accessories emphasized the otherworldly qualities of Romantic heroines
• Character dance costumes drew inspiration from national and regional dress, often with exaggerated or stereotypical elements
• Gaslight and limelight allowed for more dramatic lighting effects and the creation of atmospheric scenes on stage
  • Dioramas, painted backdrops, and elaborate set pieces enhanced the visual spectacle of ballet productions
• Social dance attire followed the fashions of the day, with some modifications for ease of movement
  • Women's ball gowns featured fuller skirts and off-the-shoulder necklines
  • Men's tailcoats and trousers allowed for greater leg mobility in dances like the waltz and polka

Technical Developments

• Turnout, the outward rotation of the legs from the hips, became a fundamental aspect of ballet technique
  • Enabled greater range of motion and more complex footwork
• Pointe work, dancing on the tips of the toes, revolutionized the ballerina's role and aesthetic
  • Reinforced shoes and specialized training allowed for longer, more sustained pointe sequences
• Codification of ballet vocabulary and positions by masters like Carlo Blasis and August Bournonville
  • Established a universal language and training system for ballet technique
• Virtuosic leaps, turns, and elevations showcased the increasing athletic abilities of male dancers
  • Expanded the technical demands and spectacle of ballet performances
• Advancements in stage technology, such as gas lighting and fly systems, enhanced the visual effects and storytelling possibilities
• Notated dance systems, like Feuillet notation and Stepanov notation, allowed for the preservation and transmission of choreography

Legacy and Influence

• Romantic ballet's emphasis on storytelling, emotion, and technical virtuosity laid the foundation for classical ballet
  • Iconic works like Giselle and La Sylphide continue to be performed and adapted
• The waltz's popularity in the 19th century paved the way for the development of modern ballroom dance
  • Influenced the rise of other partnered dances like the foxtrot and tango in the early 20th century
• Nationalist movements in the late 19th and early 20th centuries led to the growth of national ballet companies and styles
  • Russian ballet, Danish ballet, and Italian ballet built upon the traditions established in the Romantic era
• Choreographic innovations of the 18th and 19th centuries inspired future generations of dance creators
  • Petipa's ballets served as a foundation for Balanchine's neoclassical works and the development of 20th-century ballet
• Social dance trends of the era, such as the polka and quadrille, influenced the evolution of folk and popular dance forms
• The cultural exchange and globalization of dance styles in the 18th and 19th centuries set the stage for the diverse, interconnected dance world of today

Fun Facts and Trivia

• The term "ballet" comes from the Italian word "ballare," which means "to dance"
• King Louis XIV of France, an accomplished dancer himself, founded the Académie Royale de Danse in 1661
• Marie Antoinette, the last Queen of France, was a skilled dancer and performed in ballets at the royal court
• The waltz was initially condemned by some religious leaders and moral authorities as being too scandalous and intimate
• Fanny Elssler, a famous Romantic ballerina, caused a sensation in America with her performances of the Spanish-inspired "Cachucha" dance
• The famous Romantic ballet "La Sylphide" featured the first use of the long, white tutu that became iconic of the era
• Gaslights, which were used to illuminate stages in the 19th century, were known to cause fires and explosions in theaters
• The polka craze of the 1840s led to the creation of polka-themed clothing, accessories, and even food items
• Some male dancers in the 18th and early 19th centuries wore padded calves to enhance their leg appearance in tights
• The famous Russian ballerina Anna Pavlova's feet were so highly arched that she had to wear custom-made pointe shoes with hard leather soles