BALLET BASICS HANDBOOK

INTRODUCTION

Numerous reasons lead people to participate in dance as dance students, performers, and patrons.
Dance students experience the satisfaction of finally conquering a difficult dance combination.
Performers live for the thrill of stepping out into the bright lights and exciting an eager audience.
Dancepatronsenjoytheexquisiteexpressionofthewellconditionedbodythroughmovement.Itis
thennowonderthatdanceitselfisfoundintherootsofeveryculture,andthatdanceisacelebrated
artformthroughouttheworld.

Thefollowingpagesprovidegeneralinformationaboutballet.Webeginwiththeevolutionofballet,
from the early court dances to the precise performing art that exists today. Next we describe the
study of classical ballet and the intense training that is essential to the development and life of a
professional dancer. We then venture into the studio and describe a typical day in the life of a
dancer. Finally, weconcludewiththeexcitementof production week, whenthe dancers head into
thetheaterandeveryonemakesthefinalpreparationsforperformance.

ClaytonSydnor,BalletAustinIIdancer,19992001
MichelleMartin,AssociateArtisticDirector
PeiSanBrown,CommunityEducationDirector

Cover:BalletAustinsAaraKrumpe,photobyHannahNeal
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HISTORY OF BALLET

Early Court Dances

Humans expressed thoughts and emotions through movement
long before the development of speech. However, for our
purpose,wewillbeginatthepointwheredancewasreliedupon
as a form of entertainment. The origins of ballet can be traced
back to the Renaissance period and the early court dances in
France and Italy. Any celebratory occasion, such as the birth of
an heir or an influential marriage would call for social court
dancing. All ladies and gentlemen of the court learned these
ratherintricatedancesaspartoftheirgroomingforsociety.

Ballet Masters and Choreographers

Aroundthe1400s,asthecourtdancesbecamemoredetailedand
complicated,itbecamenecessarytoformallycodifythesedances
to maintain consistency. Special dance instructors or Ballet
Masters began to appear. These men were highly revered and
considered to be the finest dance teachers. They also served as
dancemakersorchoreographers,creatingdancesthatwereused
throughoutEurope.KingLouisXIVhadaprofoundinfluenceon
the progression of ballet. Not only was he an avid supporter of
dance,hewasalsoabelovedperformer.Infact,KingLouisXIV
iscommonlyreferredtoastheSunKing,anamehereceivedafter
appearingornatelyadornedingoldasApollo,godofthesun,in
LeBalletdelaNuit(TheBalletoftheNight).

King Louis XIV as the Sun God in

Le Ballet de la Nuit

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First Ballet School

In1661,KingLouisXIVestablishedtheworldsfirstballetschool,
the Academie Royale de Danse (Royal Academy of Dance).
PierreBeauchamps,aBalletMasterattheschool,iscreditedwith
developingthefivebasicfootpositionsofballet.Thesepositions
arestillthebasisforallclassicalballetsteps,andareuniversally
understoodeventhoughtheirnamesareintheFrenchlanguage.
Another prominent dancer of this time was JeanBaptiste Lully,
responsible for starting what is today known as the Paris Opera
Ballet.Lullynotonly begandistinguishingprofessionaldancers
from courtiers, he also included women. Previously, ballet was
almostexclusivelyperformedbymales.

Pierre Beauchamps

The Pre-Romantic Period

AsthePreRomanticperiodbeganintheearly1800s,muchofthe
dance vocabulary (codified steps and positions) used today was
already in place and womens skirts had been shortened to
unheardoflengths(justabovetheankle).

The PreRomantic period is most noted as the origin of pointe

work.TheItaliandancerMarieTaglioni,whowaseighteenyears
oldatthetime,isgenerallyconsideredtobethefirstballerinato
danceenpointe,balancingandmovingontheendsofhertoes.

Marie Taglioni in La Gitana

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The Romantic Period

Theperiodfrom18301870is consideredtheRomanticPeriod of
classicalballet.Romanticisnowusedtorefertoaspecificstyleof
movement that was popular during that era. Ballets from this
period utilize a very specific, soft line of the body and arms.
Marie Taglioni performed in the Romantic ballet La Sylphide
(choreographedbyherfather),wearingafittedbodicewithabell
shapeddressapredecessorofthetutuyettocome.Aswomens
pointe work reached new levels, the Romantic period marked a
shiftingenderroles,aswomenstolethespotlight.

Marie Taglioni in La Sylphide

The Russian Classics

Following the Romantic Period, Russian classical ballet took off in
St. Petersburg in the late 1800s with the choreography of Marius
Petipaandhisassociate,LevIvanov.Asthetechnicalabilitiesofthe
dancers increased, Petipa created very challenging, fulllength
classic ballets for them to dance. These classic ballets always
includedapasdedeux(dancefortwo)forthemaleandfemalelead
dancersfollowedbyadifficultsoloforeachoneofthemandacoda
(a short quick finale). Womens costumes became shorter, and the
classical tutu (short, stiff skirt) became popular. This allowed the
dancers to move more easily and also enabled the audience to see
thedancerslegsandfeetastheyexecutedthedifficultsteps.Many
of the ballets choreographed at this time, including Swan Lake, The
SleepingBeauty,andTheNutcrackerarestillperformedtodayandare
someofthemostbelovedballetsofalltime.
Ballet Austins Inga Lujerenko in Swan Lake

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The Ballet Russes

Ballet Russes Vaslav Nijinsky in

In 1909, an impresario (a person who produces ballets, operas, and

concerts)namedSergeiDiaghilevcreatedtheBalletsRussesinParis.
This influential company had both strong Russian and French
influencesandwasresponsibleforintroducingsuchchoreographers
such as Vaslav Nijinsky, Enrico Checchetti, and Georgi
Balanchivadze(orGeorgeBalanchine,whoeventuallyputAmerican
balletinthespotlight).Thisensembleofdancerstraveledthroughout
Europebringingwiththeminnovativenewchoreographyaswellas
costumesandscenerydesignedbymasterartists.

Le Spectre de la Rose

Ballet in Europe

Sir Frederick Ashton, Dame Margot Fonteyn,

In 1926, the Royal Ballet opened in England, with Sir Frederick

Ashton as the choreographer. This was home to one of the most
famous ballerinas of all time, Dame Margot Fonteyn. Ashton and
Fonteyns great contributions to dance in England were recognized
by Queen Elizabeth II with the titles of honor from the British
Empire.

and Robert Helpmann

Dame Margot Fonteyn and Rudolf Nureyev in

Sir Frederick Ashtons Sleeping Beauty

In 1934, the former Mariinsky Ballet in St. Petersburg, Russia, was

renamedtheKirovBallet.TheKirovBalletisstillrecognizedasone
oftheworldsgreatestballetcompanies,andhasproducedsomeof
the worlds most influential dancers and choreographers, including
Mikhail Fokine, Anna Pavlova, Vaslav Nijinsky, Tamara Karsavina,
NataliaMakarova,RudolfNureyev,andMikhailBaryshnikov.

After graduating from the Kirov Academy and dancing with the
Kirov Ballet for several years, Rudolf Nureyev began a legendary
partnershipwithDameMargotFonteyn.

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Ballet in America
BalletinAmericabeganinNewYorkCitywiththeformationofthe
BalletTheatre(presentlytheAmericanBalletTheatre)in1940andthe
BalletSociety(presentlytheNewYorkCityBallet)in1946.

George Balanchine, Agnes de Mille, Jerome Robbins, Twyla Tharp,

and Antony Tudor choreographed many great works for American
Ballet Theatre, whose repertoire included a mix of classical and
contemporary (more modern) ballets. Notable dancers of ABT
include Alicia Alonso, Mikhail Baryshnikov, Eric Bruhn, Fernando
Bujones, Cynthia Gregory, Melissa Hayden, Susan Jaffe, Gelsey
Kirkland, Natalia Makarova, Dame Alicia Markova, Kevin
McKenzie, andRudolphNureyev.ThecompanysArtistic Directors
included Lucia Chase and Oliver Smith (1940 1980), Baryshnikov
(19801990)andMcKenzie(1992present).

Simultaneously, the partnership of Lincoln Kirstein and Balanchine

was revolutionizing ballet with innovative choreography and less
restrictive rehearsal costumes for the New York City Ballet.
Balanchine and Jerome Robbins choreographed the bulk of NYCBs
repertoire, which includes a diverse range of pieces including
classical,neoclassical,andworksbasedonmusicalnumbers.Notable
dancers of NYCB include Merrill Ashley, Mikhail Baryshnikov,
Jacque dAmboise, Suzanne Farrell, Melissa Hayden, Allegra Kent,
Gelsey Kirkland, Tanaquil LeClerq, Peter Martins, Patricia McBride,
ArthurMitchell,MariaTallchief,andEdwardVillella.Thecompanys
artistic directors included Balanchine (1946 1983), Jerome Robbins
(19831990),andPeterMartins(1983present).

Ballet Austin and Ballet Austin II in George Balanchines Serenade

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Contemporary Dance
Whatiscalledcontemporarydanceactuallyincludesawiderangeofdancestyles.Mostprofessional
contemporary dance companies base their dance techniques in ballet or modern technique, or a
combination of the two, and their repertoires are usually reflective of this diversity. Contemporary
danceallowschoreographersanddancersanevenwiderrangeofmovementvocabularyforcreating
andperformingwork.

Ballet Austins Ashley Lynn, Edward Carr, Allisyn Paino, and Paul Michael Bloodgood in Liminal Glam

Ballet Austins Ashley Lynn, Frank Shott, and Allisyn Paino in Kai

Ballet Austin company dancers in One/The Bodys Grace

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TRAINING TO BE A DANCER

When to start

Students in one of Ballet Austins Creative Movement classes

It is generally agreed that ballet training should begin

around the age of nine, allowing females to build basic
technical skills before beginning pointe work around age
twelve. Many young dancers begin well before this age,
participatinginCreativeMovementandPreBalletclasses.
These classes are fun and creative, offering the young
students an opportunity to move to music and to tell
stories with their bodies. The students also begin to learn
about balance, isolation of different body parts, posture,
rhythm, and discipline. It is an entirely different case for
the males and it is not uncommon for male dancers to
beginballetattheageofeighteenorolder.

Where to start
In most cities there are usually several different dance
studiosthatofferballettraining.Itisimportanttochoosea
knowledgeableinstructorwho hashadgoodtraining him
orherself.Moststudioswillallowparentsand/orstudents
to watch a class before they enroll. Instructors should
alwaystreatallstudentswithrespect.Personalcorrection
is an important part of classical ballet training but this
correction should always be in the form of constructive
criticismwithanequalamountofencouragement.

Lynne Short, Ballet Austin Academy Principal, makes a correction

What youll wear

Ballet Austin II and Ballet Austin Academy Trainees in class

Many ballet schools will ask students to wear a uniform.

Forfemalestudentsthiswillusuallyconsistofaleotardin
specifiedcolorandpinktights.Malestudentswillusually
wear a white Tshirt or leotard with black tights. These
uniformsallowthestudentstomovefreelyandalsoallow
the instructor to see the students movements and
positionsclearly.Theballetuniformispartofthetradition
ofthistrainingandisasignofrespectfortheetiquetteof
theartformitself.

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What youll learn

Classicalballettrainingisalongprocess.Allclassicalballet
steps and positions are derived from the five basic foot
positions.Dancersandstudentsalikereturntothesebasic
positionsduringeveryclass.Thesepositionsareexecuted
with the legs turnedout or rotated with toes pointing
away from the body. This turnout allows the dancer to
maintain balance and move efficiently. It also gives the
dancerslegsandfeeta pleasingshape. Theshapes that a
dancers body makes are called lines. Dancers are
Instructor makes a correction
constantlystrivingtocreateabeautifullinefromtheends
oftheirfingerstotheendsoftheirtoes.Asyoungdancersaretrainingitisimportantthattheynot
onlylearnnewstepsbutalsorepeatthesamemovementsoverandoveragain.Thisbuildsstrength
and muscle memory, eventually allowing the student to concentrate on remembering sequences of
steps,trustingthathisorherbodywillpassthroughtheproperpositionseachtime.

How youll learn

Ballet Austin II and Ballet Austin Academy Trainees in class

All dancers, including professionals, attend classes to

strengthen, stretch, and practice technique. Each class
followsthesameformat.Classbeginsatthebarrewiththe
dancersholdingontoabarre(likeapole)thatismounted
horizontallyonthewall.Thebarregivesthedancersextra
balanceastheyexecutethebasicwarmup.Theinstructor
willdemonstrateandexplaineachexerciseorcombination,
andthedancerswillrepeatit,accompaniedbymusic.

Barre exercises start slowly with the dancer standing on

bothlegs.Asthebarreprogresses,themovementsbecome
faster, and the dancer must balance on one leg while
movingtheother.Thedancerslifttheirlegshigherasthey
near the end of the barre. All exercises at the barre are
repeated with the left hand holding the barre and then
with the right hand holding, so that the dancers leg
musclesgetequalwork.

The class then moves to the center of the room where

studentspracticeturnsandjumps.Firstyearstudentswill
generallyspendonehourinclass,twotimesperweek.As
a dance student improves and develops a stronger body,
thenumberofclassesrequiredperweekwillincrease.

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How far can you go?

Ballet Austin Academys Summer Intensive Class

Therearemanypathsastudentcantake,butifheorsheis
consideringpursuingacareerindance,acertainfocusand
unwavering dedication is required. A more advanced
professionaltrackstudentwillneedtotakeaminimumof
ten classes per week with additional hours spent
conditioning (Pilates, situps, weights), stretching, and
crosstraining. Students who want to study dance purely
for enjoyment and exercise will want to choose a more
flexible,recreationalcourseofstudythatwillrequirefewer
hoursinclass.

Advanced training options

Ballet Austin II and Ballet Austin Academy Trainees in class

Students who are considering a professional career in

danceenrollinpreprofessionalschoolforthearts.Thisis
usually around high school and often means leaving the
comfort of friends and family, moving into a dormitory
residence, and withstanding a rigorous schedule of
thirteenorfourteen hour days. This type of schedule is
extremely arduous and requires the students to abandon
many outside interests and sacrifice a lot of freetime;
however,dancersagreethattheadditionalskillsacquired,
such as time management, dedication, and discipline,
coupled with close friendships, make this a very unique
andrewardingexperience.

What about college?

Dancers of Ballet Austin II

After high school, dancers who are still inspired and

wouldliketotaketheirinteresttoahigherlevelcanattend
a university with an emphasis on dance, where they will
learn about all aspects of the performance: teaching,
choreographing, technical theater, etc. Some colleges with
wellrespected dance programs are Butler University and
Indiana University in Indiana, Southern Methodist
University and Texas Christian University in Texas, and
theUniversityofUtahinUtah.

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Joining a professional company

Ballet Austin II and Ballet Austin Academy Trainees

in partnering class

Kirby Wallis and Edward Carr

Ballet Austin company dancers, formerly of Ballet Austin II

Edward Carr and Paul Michael Bloodgood

Ballet Austins Liminal Glam

Upongraduationfromhighschoolorcollege,dancerswill
begin auditioning for professional companies. It takes
yearstobecomeaprofessionaldancer,anditisnotalong,
reliablecareer.Acommonfirststepforrecentlygraduated
studentsistoacceptatraineepositionwithaprofessional
company. A trainee is usually an unpaid position and
may or may not be considered part of an academy.
Having trainees is beneficial for a company because it
provideseagerdancersreadytobemoldedstylisticallyto
bestfitthecompany,whileallowingmoretimetobridge
thegapbetweenstudentandprofessional.

The next position in the progression to full company

memberisanapprentice.Anapprenticeisalmostalways
apaidposition.Apprenticesgenerallymakeupthecorps
deballets(groupdancers)inmainstageproductionsand
understudyotherdancersincaseofinjury.Understudies
learnthe partsofotherdancers and mustbepreparedto
jump in at any moment; they must be on their toes,
literally,atalltimes.Itisusuallyapprenticesthatventure
out into the community to provide educational and
outreach opportunities. Apprentices take class and
rehearsewiththecompanyduringtheday.BalletAustins
apprentices form Ballet Austins second company, Ballet
AustinII.

A few lucky and talented apprentices will later become

members of a professional ballet company. Some ballet
companies are ensemble companies, meaning that all
companymembersaretreatedequally,andthatanyoneof
them may perform in lead roles. Other companies are
arrangedhierarchically,whichmeansthatthedancersare
divided into the corps de ballet, soloists, and principal
dancers.Movingupthroughtheranksinacompanysuch
asthismaytakeyears,andgainingthestatusofprincipal
dancer is treated as both an honor and a huge
responsibility, as principals usually perform the leading
roles.

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DANCING PROFESSIONALLY
A DAY IN THE LIFE OF A PROFESSIONAL DANCER

Ballet Austin company dancers in class at the barre

Atapproximately8:00amMondaythroughFriday,dancers
beginarrivingattheballetstudiotostartwarmingupfor
class. Adorned in ballet sweaters and leg warmers, the
dancersbeginanindividualsequenceofstretchesandsit
ups to condition their bodies for a long day of dance. At
9:00am, the instructor (commonly the Ballet Master or
ArtisticDirector)enters,andclassbeginswitheveryoneat
the barre. Barre consists of simple, repetitive stretches of
the legs, feet, and body, as well as combinations to
improvecoordinationandflexibility.

Ballet Austin company dancers in class taking centre

Female dancers will often change from ballet to pointe

shoesforcentrework,thepartofclasstakingplaceinthe
center of the studio without the support of the barre.
These shoes, with tips composed of layers of cotton cloth
and glue, require more strength and control from the
dancers. In centre, the instructor provides combinations
focusing on balance, control, swiftness, turns, and jumps.
The dancers are warm now, so these exercises are more
complicated and designed to build strength. The
instructorwilloftenincorporatechallengingelementsthat
willberequiredintherehearsalstocome.

Ballet Austin dancers in rehearsal with Stephen Mills

The period from 10:30am until 5:00pm is reserved for

rehearsal.Therehearsalprocessisimperativeforteaching
the dancers new material, allowing them to benefit from
therepetitionofdifficultelements,andhelpingthedancers
become accustomed to working with each other. The
Artistic Director and the Choreographer (who are
sometimes synonymous) compile an efficient rehearsal
schedule providing onetotwo hour increments for each
section of the upcoming ballet. The rehearsal process is
tedious and very time consuming; dancers will repeat
choreography hundreds of times striving for perfection,
whilereceivingcorrectionsfromtheartisticstaff.

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ARTISTIC STAFF
The artistic staff includes the Artistic Director, The Ballet
Master or Mistress, and the Choreographer. The Artistic
Director is responsible for the repertoire and artistic
directionoftheballetcompany.Onekeyaspectofthisjob
istoplantheprogramsfortheseason.Thismustbedone
far in advance to allow time for other staff to begin
arrangementsforretainingmusicrightsandmusiciansfor
the performance, book the theater, design the costumes
and sets, and begin original choreography or restaging.
Ballet Austin dancers in rehearsal with Stephen Mills
The Artistic Director must be careful to select ballets that
best promote the dancers and suit the demands of the paying public while remaining within the
budgetthattheballetcompanysboardofdirectorshasallocated.

The Ballet Master or Mistress plays a very visible role

throughout the day. He or She often teaches company
classandrunsrehearsals.TheBalletMasteralsoservesas
RehearsalDirectorinsomecompanies.Thekeyroleofthe
RehearsalDirectoristotakenotesandrecordallstepsand
changes for the Choreographer. When a ballet is not
performed for a couple of years and is then restaged, the
Rehearsal Director is held accountable for reviving the
balletfromhisorhernotes.

Ballet Austin dancers in rehearsal with Associate Artistic

Director Michelle Martin and choreographer Nicolo Fonte

The Choreographer is responsible for what the audience

views on stage at the performance. He or She designs
movements that illustrate the accompanying music.
Balletscaneithertellastory,suchasTheNutcrackerorThe
SwanLake,orsimplysetamood.BeforeaChoreographer
sets a piece, he or she must cast it. Casting a ballet
involvesselectingdancersforthepieceandassigningthem
to different sections. Occasionally, the Artistic Director
will aid the Choreographer in making decisions.
Ballet Austin dancers in rehearsal with Stephen Mills
Sometimes the Artistic Director is also a working
choreographer,andwillcreateworkonthedancersintheballetcompany.TheChoreographeralso
works with the Wardrobe Master or Mistress, who relies on measurements and fittings to make
suitablecostumes.

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IN THE THEATRE

Scenery

Ballet Austins Cinderella

Nowthatthedancershavebeenadequatelyrehearsed,itis
time to head to the theater. Dancers usually start
rehearsing in the theater about four days before a
performance.Thefirstrehearsalispredominatelyusedfor
spacing. The dancers must adjust the work they have
doneinthestudiotosuitthedimensionsofthestageand
scenery. A major portion of the scenery hangs across the
backofthestage.Thesebackdropsaremadefromcanvas
whichisoftenpaintedtosuggestaspecificlocation.

Backstage at Ballet Austins Don Quixote

Somesceneryhangsfromthesidesofthestage,disguisingtheentrance
and exit areas the dancers use to access the stage. These pieces of
scenery, usually made of cloth panels, are called legs, and the spaces
between the legs are called wings. During rehearsals, choreographers
and dancers must also decide which wings work best for entering and
exiting the stage. These wings prevent the dancers from being seen by
the audience before they step onto the stage. All of the legs and
backdropsaretiedontolong,metalpipesthatarethensuspendedfrom
thehighceilingbyropes.Oftenduringafulllengthballettherewillbe
manydifferentscenes.Ropesandpulleysdrawthesceneryuptowards
theceilingwhereithangsoutoftheaudiencessight,andnewsceneryis
lowereddowntoreplaceit.Thishighceilingareaiscalledflyspace.

Lights
Lights surround the stage. Lights hang from pipes above
thestageandfromtheceilingabovetheaudienceinfront
of the stage. There are also poles or light trees placed in
the wings on either side of the stage. Headhigh and low
lights are attached to these poles. All of these lights are
pointed or focused towards the stage, and each light is
coveredwithacoloredplasticpanelcalledagel.Itisthe
job of the Lighting Designer to decide how best to use
these lights and gels to create the most suitable mood for
Ballet Austins Hamlet
each section of the ballet. The second and third stage
rehearsals generally incorporate the use of lights and costumes. Without the lights, the audience
wouldnotbeabletoseethedancerswell,butthelightsdocreateaspecialchallengesincethebright
lightsoftenmakethedancersfeeloffbalance.
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Dress Rehearsal

Ballet Austins Artistic Director Stephen Mills and

Associate Artistic Director Michelle Martin during dress
rehearsal for A Midsummer Nights Dream

The final rehearsal is considered a dress rehearsal. The

orchestra accompanies the dancers for a fullrun through
oftheperformance.Thedancersmustlistencloselytothe
musicassometimesthetempooftheliveorchestralmusic
willnotmatchpreciselytherecordedtapesusedinearlier
rehearsals. The dress rehearsal also allows the dancers to
practice all of their quick costume changes. The dancers
willalsoweartheirelaboratestagemakeup,justasifitis
a real performance. The stage makeup accentuates the
dancers faces, particularly their eyes and mouths. This
allows the audience to get the full effect of their acting
abilityandperformanceenergy.

Performance

Margot Brown and company dancers

Ballet Austins Romeo and Juliet

At last it is performance day. The dancers arrive at the

theaterearlyforawarmupclassonstage.Next,everyone
heads to the dressing room where the dancers
meticulously fix their hair and makeup and put on their
costumes. At their call for places, they go backstage and
arereadyfortheirentrances.Nervesrunwildasthemusic
begins. The lights come up and the moment finally
arrives. As the dancers step onto stage, all tension is
melted and replaced by sheer joy. Everything falls into
placeandeveryoneenjoysamagicalperformance.

Audience Members
Dancerslovetoperform,andthereisaspecialconnection
between the dancers and their audience. Watching a live
performance is very different than watching a dancer on
television or on a video. A unique energy seems to cross
between the dancers and the audience; an energy that
inspires the dancers to find new energy and strength; an
energythatpullstheaudienceintotheproduction,almost
asifeachpatronwasparticipatingintheperformancehim
orherself.
A view of the audience from the Long Center stage

From the dancers perspective, the audience looks like a

sea of darkness. The performers rely on the sound of the
audiencesapplauseandlaughtertoknowthattheirefforts
areappreciated.

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