In childhood, all girls dream of becoming ballerinas, for most it remains only a dream. But even as adults, we know very little about ballet.
Children's dreams are like ballerinas - light and airy, in beautiful dresses, surrounded by admiration. In small heads with pigtails, ballerinas appear nothing more than airy clouds - beautiful and weightless. Then the girls grow up, the pigtails are cut off, and dreams are replaced by goals.
And today we decided to return to these childhood dreams and learn about ballet what we didn’t know then, and maybe we don’t even suspect now.
1. Only men
Ballet is women's World in which the man is only an honored guest. (George Balanchine)
Today, ballet is considered mainly women's art, the woman in it reigns and rules. And when the ballet had just appeared and until the very end of the 17th century, only men danced in it. For women, this was considered indecent, since their massive dresses with long skirts and tight corsets did not allow noble ladies to move normally, they literally pressed them to the ground.
Mademoiselle de la Fontaine
The first professional ballerina in history is Mademeuazelle de La Fontaine. She performed the main role in the ballet "Triumph of Love". The penetration of women into ballet began with her, and in the 17th century a turning point came and women began to play the main role.
2. Eversion
We have all seen how ballerinas stand: their feet unnaturally turn their toes apart. In ballet, there are actually 5 basic positions of the arms and legs (and they are all reversible). And they came from fencing. After all, only men participated in the ballet, and of noble birth, and fencing was then an obligatory skill of a nobleman.
The positions in ballet and in fencing are very similar, and the eversion of the legs helps to move in any direction from each position. In fact, dancing and wrestling have a lot in common - much more than just body positions.
3. Without words?
The first ballets were not wordless at all. And it wasn't just dancing. More precisely, these dances were part of grandiose performances that could last for 17 hours and included dramatic readings, dialogues, singing, horse performances, battles, and dancing too.
But the first silent ballets appeared only two centuries later. They were called "action ballets" and appeared thanks to innovative choreographers (Noverre, Weaver, Angiolini), who made a whole revolution in artistic costumes. Bulky, restrictive clothing was discarded, as were masks (mandatory for performances). And the dancers got a free plasticity of the body and the opportunity to help the dance with facial expressions. The performances became much more expressive and lively, and the dance could already tell without words.
4. Incomprehensible names
In fact, they are understandable, but to the French. All ballet movements are traditionally named in French, because it was in France that the first Academy of Dance was founded. And all the terms came from the usual French words. For example, grand jet (grand - big, jeté from the verb jeter - to throw, throw) - it turns out, "big throw" is a jump from one foot to another with moving forward, backward or to the side and maximum opening of the legs.
From France, the passion for ballet spread to other countries, but the terms remained in French, such uniformity helped students overcome the language barrier and calmly comprehend the art of dance in any country.
5. Pointe shoes
Now pointe shoes are the hallmark of ballet. However, this was not always the case either. At first, high-heeled shoes (invented by Louis XIV) were used for dancing. The first ballerina to ditch heels in favor of soft shoes was Marie Sallet, who also shortened her skirt and shed the corset shell. Such a flexible and fragile image of a ballerina, with a short skirt and tight-fitting tunic, was considered the height of indecency in the 17th century, but it looked very artistic.
Maria Taglioni in the ballet Sylphide. Lithograph of Chalon and Lane
But, despite these early attempts, the laurels of the first pointe dancer went to Maria Taglioni. And this is justified. Maria was preparing to perform in leading role in the ballet "La Sylphide", which tells about a folklore character, a fairy, the spirit of the air - forever young and light, winged Sylphide. To convey this airiness and weightlessness, Maria came up with the idea of balancing on the very toe of her foot - on pointe (en pointe - in French means “on the toe”, “at the peak”, “on the edge”). In order to do this, Maria's shoemaker created shoes reinforced with a cork on the toe so that all the weight could be transferred to it - and thus pointe shoes appeared.
6. Tutu
Another characteristic feature of ballet is the tutu. And we also owe her appearance to Maria Taglioni. Her sylph outfit - a light sleeveless dress with a bell-shaped skirt - became the basis for a "romantic costume".
Now there are two types of packs. “Romantic” (I also call it “Chopin”) looks like this: flowing fabric, fluffy skirt knee-length or lower, sometimes air sleeves are added to the image - such a costume gives the image of a ballerina lightness and airiness.
But with the development of ballet technique, even greater freedom of movement of the legs was needed, and the tutu was shortened and compacted. Such a tutu is a bit like a saucer, its standard radius is about 50 cm and ballets are danced in it, which are considered classical today.
There is another version of the ballerina's clothes. It's called "chiton". The outfit in which they dance the part of Juliet is the most striking example.
Ballet is a type of performing art. This is a performance, the content of which is embodied not in words, but in musical and choreographic images. Some interesting facts from the world of ballet will be useful and interesting not only for balletomanes.
1. Ballet was born in Italy in the 15th century, the very word ballo is Italian, meaning dance. However, it was fully developed in France. Louis XIV, King of France, was a serious dancer, in Paris he opened the first European dance academy in 1661.
2. Suits ballet dancers- their calling card, and the costume designers have to invest a lot of effort to create and maintain the original look of the costumes. To sew a tutu, you need to buy about 16 meters of tulle, and spend 2 days of work on it. 
3. Ballet shoes are called pointe shoes. In these shoes, ballerinas dance, leaning on the tips of their toes. These shoes are made by special craftsmen only according to the individual sizes of each artist. During the year, the ballerina changes more than 300 pairs of pointe shoes. 
4. Despite the fragility of ballerinas, whose average weight is no more than 51 kilograms, a man dancing in ballet lifts at least a ton for each performance, because in one performance he raises and lowers the ballerina about 200 times.
5. The work of ballet dancers is difficult, they experience very serious workloads. This is evidenced by the fact that professional ballerinas and ballet dancers sick 4 times more often than ordinary people.
6. Many people doubt some ballet terminology. So, a ballet dancer is called a ballerina, and the male equivalent of this word is the concept of "soloist / ballet dancer" or "dancer" and nothing else.
7. Ballerinas are very superstitious, for example, they believe that you need to enter the dressing room only with your left foot.
8. Another sign - to cross the road of a ballerina going on stage is a bad sign for her.
9. The sharpest form of ballet humiliation is a broom wrapped in newspaper. He gets on stage instead of a bouquet. You'll wait for a broom in the newspaper - the behind-the-scenes saying appeared from here.
10. In the second half of the 18th century, ballet troupes consisted exclusively of men.
It is in Russia that ballet reaches its true flowering, becoming one of the hallmarks of the country and Russian art.
So, 22 curious facts about Russian ballet
1. The first ballet troupe of national importance appeared in Russia in the first half of the 18th century. It was the imperial ballet of St. Petersburg. At the same time, the concept of performances began to change - from mythological and dramatic plots to romantic tales. The plot had an impact on the dance technique - the ballerinas went up on pointe shoes to further emphasize the external lightness and ephemeral nature of the dance as opposed to reality.
2. Russian diplomats and merchants, when they were abroad, visited theaters and willingly went to ballet performances - there they did not have to make out foreign speech with difficulty. And the ballet of that time was the brainchild of not only the choreographer, but also theatrical mechanics. Fantastic characters rode outlandish chariots, the scenery changed with incomprehensible speed, some heroes fell through the ground, others flew from heaven. How can you not get excited! It was the chariots that became almost the main participants in the first Russian "Ballet of Orpheus and Eurydice" - the first ballet performance in Russia, held on Shrovetide on February 17, 1672 at the court of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich in Preobrazhensky. True, there is a version that this performance was shown on February 8, 1675.
Before the start of the performance, an actor portraying Orpheus came on stage and sang German couplets, translated to the tsar by a translator, in which the beautiful properties of the soul of Alexei Mikhailovich were extolled. At this time, on both sides of Orpheus, there were two pyramids decorated with banners and illuminated with multi-colored lights, which, after the song of Orpheus, began to dance.
After the death of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich theatrical performances ceased for a long time - until the beloved sister of Tsar Peter Alekseevich Natalya became interested in dramaturgy, and Peter himself decided to build a theater in Moscow - where it is now Historical Museum. In 1702, the tsar hired the Dutchman Jacob Kokkiy and his two sons in the Moscow theater. But things did not work out - the Dutch did not know how to teach dance art and only complained that there were no suitable performers.
3. From the 1st half of the 18th century. ballet in Russia began to be inculcated by choreographers and dance teachers from Italy and France. Possessing its rich dance folklore, Russia turned out to be very fertile ground for the development ballet theater. Comprehending the science taught by foreigners, the Russians, in turn, introduced their own intonations into the foreign dance.
4. Based on the decree of Peter I, ballroom dancing becomes the main part of court etiquette.
In 1731, the Land Gentry Corps was opened in St. Petersburg, which was destined to become the cradle of Russian ballet. Since the graduates of the corps in the future had to occupy high government positions and needed knowledge of secular manners, the study fine arts, including ballroom dance, a significant place was allotted in the body. In 1734, the French dancer, choreographer, Jean-Baptiste Lande, who is considered the founder of the Russian ballet art. Also, the Italian opera composer Francesco Araya was invited to St. Petersburg in 1735, and Antonio Rinaldi (Fossano) became the choreographer since 1736.
5. In specially equipped rooms Winter Palace Jean Baptiste Lande started teaching 12 Russian boys and girls. Pupils were recruited from children simple origin. Education at the school was free, the pupils were fully supported.
6. Further development ballet in Russia received in the reign of Elizabeth Petrovna. Among the cadets of the Land Corps, Nikita Beketov was especially successful in dancing, who later became Elizabeth's favorite. He enjoyed the special favor of the Empress, who herself dressed the young man, who performed excellently in female roles.
7. In 1742, the first ballet troupe was created from the students of the Lande school, and in 1743, fees began to be paid to its participants. The annual budget of the troupe, excluding the orchestra, was 33,810 rubles.
8. During the reign of Catherine II, ballet in Russia gained even greater popularity and was further developed. On the occasion of her coronation in the Moscow Palace, a magnificent ballet "Joyful Return to the Arcadian Shepherds and Shepherds of the Goddess of Spring" was given, in which the noblest nobles participated.
It is known that the heir to the throne, Pavel Petrovich, often danced in ballet performances in the court theater.
Also in her era, a tradition of serf ballets appeared in Russia, when landowners started troupes made up of serfs.
9. At the beginning of the reign of Paul I, ballet was still in vogue. The troupe cost 24,110 rubles a year. Since 1794, productions of the first Russian by nationality ballet master Ivan Valberkh began. Interestingly, under Paul I, special rules for ballet were issued - it was ordered that there should not be a single man on the stage during the performance, the roles of men were danced by Evgenia Kolosova and Nastasya Berilova.
10. During the reign of Alexander I, Russian ballet continued its development, reaching new heights. Russian ballet owes its success at this time, first of all, to the invited French choreographer Carl Didelot, who arrived in Russia in 1801. Derzhavin, Pushkin and Griboyedov sang the ballets of the French genius. He continued to work under Nicholas I, who loved ballet and tried not to miss performances.
11. In the reign of Alexander II in Russian ballet, the promotion of domestic talents begins. A number of talented Russian dancers and dancers graced the ballet stage. During this period of development of Russian ballet, dances take precedence over plasticity and facial expressions. And in the reign Alexander III ballets were given more often - twice a week - on Wednesdays and Sundays.
12. By the 20th century, the authority of Russian ballet had grown so much that Western performers began to take Russian names for themselves! So, the British Patrick Healy-Kay, Alice Marks and Hilda Munnings remained in the history of art as Anton Dolin, Alicia Markova, Lydia Sokolova.
13. The man who made a brand out of Russian ballet is Sergei Diaghilev. The most surprising thing is that Sergei Diaghilev was initially dismissive of ballet, considering it entertainment for the masses. But, having become interested in a large state subsidy, he decided to bring ballet to Paris. His "Russian Seasons" conquered the whole world. The Russian Ballet toured Europe, the USA and South America, achieving more and more success, becoming a real brand.
fourteen. " Swan Lake” and “The Nutcracker” by Tchaikovsky, as well as “Romeo and Juliet” by Prokofiev are in the top 5 best ballets in the world.
15. It is noteworthy that the premiere of the ballet "Swan Lake" at the legendary Bolshoi Theater on March 4, 1877 was rather coldly received by both the audience and critics. Both the former and the latter found Tchaikovsky's music too boring and difficult to perceive. Decades will pass before the ingenious work of Tchaikovsky becomes a visiting card Bolshoi Theater worldwide.
16. A few more interesting facts are connected with Swan Lake:
During the August putsch in 1991, all television channels in the country showed it. Why "Swan Lake" and not "The Nutcracker", for example, is difficult to say, but the fact remains - on long years Tchaikovsky's creation has become for many citizens a symbol of the expectation of something alarming and significant.
Any resident of Russia, young and old, will recognize one of the parts of the work - even those people who do not know at all about such concepts as ballet, Swan Lake, theater tickets, etc. Of course, this is the legendary Dance of the Little Swans, for which there are a huge number of parodies - in particular, one of them is shown in the 15th issue of the cartoon "Just you wait!".
Among the "ballet" there are famous saying"the tenth swan in the fifth row." It denotes a dancer who has not succeeded in his career, and constantly plays secondary roles - something like an extras actor.
17. Despite the huge number of famous Russian ballerinas, the most famous and promoted names in Russian ballet are Maya Plisetskaya and Anna Pavlova. 
Of course, we should not forget about other ballerinas: Tamara Karsavina, Galina Ulanova, Matilda Kshesinskaya, Ekaterina Maksimova, Uliana Lopatkina ... But the biggest names in Russian ballet are behind the first two ballerinas.
18. For men in Russian ballet, the biggest names are Mikhail Baryshnikov and Nikolai Tsiskaridze.
19. Prokofiev's music for the ballet "Romeo and Juliet" at first seemed so incomprehensible and complex to everyone that the general meeting of the orchestra and ballet troupe, which took place two weeks before the expected premiere, unanimously decided to cancel the performance - in order to avoid a complete failure ...
At the same time, following one local wit, the whole theater repeated the same catchphrase: - There is no sadder story in the world than Prokofiev's music in ballet ...
20. The outstanding Soviet ballerina Olga Lepeshinskaya broke her leg during a performance. The crack was so strong that even the audience in the hall could hear it. But the ballerina heroically brought the scene to the end. How she managed to do this with a triple fracture, neither the doctors nor the ballerina herself could understand. 
Olga Lepeshinskaya, Walpurgis Night. Bacchante. Photo from the Bolshoi Theater Museum.
21. One of the sharpest types of ballet humiliation is a broom wrapped in newspaper. It is thrown onto the stage instead of a bouquet. Hence the behind-the-scenes saying “wait for a broom in the newspaper!”
22. The work of ballet dancers is difficult, they experience very serious workloads. This is evidenced by the fact that professional ballerinas and ballet dancers get sick 4 times more often than ordinary people.
I do not quite understand people who reject everything Western, especially when it comes to art. It is no secret that Russia lagged behind the developing Western world in many areas. Much that we have today is nothing but successfully adopted experience Western countries. It seemed to be almost everything, not counting, of course, everything folk, original, which was historically formed exclusively in Russia.
Paradoxically, the Russian people, adopting the experience of their Western neighbors, skillfully adapted for themselves, adding their own vision. And in the end, the "Western product" in the Russian view was much more interesting and "tastier". One of the most striking examples is the Russian Ballet, the most respected ballet in the world. Reference. And this is despite the fact that it was not born in Russia.
AT modern world professional ballet is the highest level of choreography (from the Greek choreia - dance and grapho - I write), in which dance art rises to the level of musical stage performance.
Today it is not always easy to figure out exactly where ballet in its purest form originated. Therefore, it is easiest to refer to more or less reliable sources.
All I understood is that enterprising fashionistas - the French are adopting " the new kind dance” among art-obsessed Italians; before them, ballet allegedly existed in ancient greece and Rome ... In Russia, it was demonstrated much later and "brought" it from France.
It is in Russia that ballet reaches its true flowering, becoming one of the hallmarks of the country and Russian art.
So, 22 curious facts about Russian ballet
1. The first ballet troupe of national importance appeared in Russia in the first half of the 18th century. It was the imperial ballet of St. Petersburg. At the same time, the concept of performances began to change - from mythological and dramatic plots to romantic tales. The plot had an impact on the dance technique - the ballerinas went up on pointe shoes to further emphasize the external lightness and ephemeral nature of the dance as opposed to reality.
2. Russian diplomats and merchants, when they were abroad, visited theaters and willingly went to ballet performances - there they did not have to deal with foreign speech with difficulty. And the ballet of that time was the brainchild of not only the choreographer, but also theatrical mechanics. Fantastic characters rode outlandish chariots, the scenery changed with incomprehensible speed, some heroes fell through the ground, others flew from heaven. How can you not get excited! It was the chariots that became almost the main participants in the first Russian "Ballet of Orpheus and Eurydice" - the first ballet performance in Russia, held on Shrovetide on February 17, 1672 at the court of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich in Preobrazhensky. True, there is a version that this performance was shown on February 8, 1675.
Before the start of the performance, an actor portraying Orpheus came on stage and sang German couplets, translated to the tsar by a translator, in which the beautiful properties of the soul of Alexei Mikhailovich were extolled. At this time, on both sides of Orpheus, there were two pyramids decorated with banners and illuminated with multi-colored lights, which, after the song of Orpheus, began to dance.
After the death of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich, theatrical performances ceased for a long time - until the beloved sister of Tsar Peter Alekseevich Natalya became interested in dramaturgy, and Peter himself decided to build a theater in Moscow - where the Historical Museum is now. In 1702, the tsar hired the Dutchman Jacob Kokkiy and his two sons in the Moscow theater. But things did not work out - the Dutch did not know how to teach dance art and only complained that there were no suitable performers.
3. From the 1st half of the 18th century. ballet in Russia began to be inculcated by choreographers and dance teachers from Italy and France. Possessing its rich dance folklore, Russia turned out to be a very fertile ground for the development of the ballet theater. Comprehending the science taught by foreigners, the Russians, in turn, introduced their own intonations into the foreign dance.
4. Based on the decree of Peter I, ballroom dancing became the main part of court etiquette.
In 1731, the Land Gentry Corps was opened in St. Petersburg, which was destined to become the cradle of Russian ballet. Since the graduates of the corps in the future had to hold high government positions and needed knowledge of secular manners, a significant place was given to the study of fine arts, including ballroom dancing, in the corps. In 1734, the French dancer, choreographer, Jean-Baptiste Lande, who is considered the founder of Russian ballet art, was enlisted as a teacher. Also, the Italian opera composer Francesco Araya was invited to St. Petersburg in 1735, and Antonio Rinaldi (Fossano) became the choreographer since 1736.
5. In specially equipped rooms of the Winter Palace, Jean-Baptiste Lande began training 12 Russian boys and girls. Pupils were recruited from children of simple origin. Education at the school was free, the pupils were fully supported.
6. Ballet in Russia was further developed during the reign of Elizabeth Petrovna. Among the cadets of the Land Corps, Nikita Beketov was especially successful in dancing, who later became Elizabeth's favorite. He enjoyed the special favor of the Empress, who herself dressed the young man, who performed excellently in female roles.
7. In 1742, the first ballet troupe was created from the students of the Lande school, and in 1743, fees began to be paid to its participants. The annual budget of the troupe, excluding the orchestra, was 33,810 rubles.
Of course, we should not forget about other ballerinas: Tamara Karsavina, Galina Ulanova, Matilda Kshesinskaya, Ekaterina Maksimova, Uliana Lopatkina ... But the biggest names in Russian ballet are behind the first two ballerinas.
18. For men in Russian ballet, the biggest names are Mikhail Baryshnikov and Nikolai Tsiskaridze.
19. Prokofiev's music for the ballet "Romeo and Juliet" at first seemed so incomprehensible and complex to everyone that the general meeting of the orchestra and ballet troupe, which took place two weeks before the expected premiere, unanimously decided to cancel the performance - in order to avoid a complete failure ...
At the same time, following one local wit, the entire theater repeated the same catchphrase: “There is no sadder story in the world than Prokofiev’s music in ballet ...
20. The outstanding Soviet ballerina Olga Lepeshinskaya broke her leg during a performance. The crack was so strong that even the audience in the hall could hear it. But the ballerina heroically brought the scene to the end. How she managed to do this with a triple fracture, neither the doctors nor the ballerina herself could understand.
Olga Lepeshinskaya, Walpurgis Night. Bacchante. Photo from the Bolshoi Theater Museum. 21. One of the sharpest types of ballet humiliation is a broom wrapped in newspaper. It is thrown onto the stage instead of a bouquet. Hence the behind-the-scenes saying “wait for a broom in the newspaper!”
22. The work of ballet dancers is difficult, they experience very serious loads. This is evidenced by the fact that professional ballerinas and ballet dancers get sick 4 times more often than ordinary people.
Ballet originated in the 15th century in Italy, and the very word "ballo", meaning "dance", is Italian. However, more fully developed in France, the King Louis XIV, a former passionate dancer, opened the first European Dance Academy in Paris in 1661.
The beginning of the ballet era in France and throughout the world should be considered October 15, 1581, when a spectacle was presented at the French court, which is considered to be the first ballet - "The Comedy Ballet of the Queen" (or "Cerce"), staged by an Italian violinist, "the chief intendant of music » Baltasarini de Belgioso.
Initially, the movements in ballet were based on court dances and did not require physical training. But the first performer to stand on her toes was the Italian Maria Taglioni, who also toured in Russia.
By the 20th century, the authority of Russian ballet had grown so much that Western performers began to take Russian names for themselves! So, the British Patrick Healy-Kay, Alice Marks and Hilda Munnings remained in the history of art as Anton Dolin, Alicia Markova, Lydia Sokolova.
Beloved of Sergei Yesenin Isadora Duncan died tragically in Nice, strangling herself with her own scarf, which fell into the axle of the wheel of the car in which she took a walk. It was alleged that her last words before getting into the car were: “Goodbye, friends! I'm going to glory"
To sew a tutu, you will need about 13-16 meters of tulle and 2 days of work.
A ballerina changes over 300 pairs of ballet shoes per year
The weight of an average ballerina is about 51kg
Professional ballerinas get sick four times more often than ordinary people.
Outstanding ballerina Olga Lepeshinskaya broke her leg during a performance. The crack was so strong that even the audience in the hall could hear it. But the ballerina heroically brought the scene to the end. How she managed to do this with a triple fracture, neither the doctors nor the artist herself could understand.
One of the sharpest types of ballet humiliation is a broom wrapped in newspaper. It is thrown onto the stage instead of a bouquet. Hence the behind-the-scenes saying “wait for a broom in the newspaper!”
In the second half of the 18th century, ballet troupes consisted exclusively of men.
A man dancing in ballet is lifted for each performance at least a ton, that is, he lifts a ballerina about 200 times.
In 2001, Saparmurat Turkmenbashi abolished ballet in Turkmenistan. "I don't understand ballet," he remarked. - Why is he me? … You can’t instill a love for ballet in Turkmens if they don’t have it in their blood.” By his order, the opera and ballet theater in Ashgabat was demolished. Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, who replaced him, left ballet banned.