Ballet is an art full of history and tradition. It originated in Europe, and while much European culture has made its way to Australia, ballet is still struggling to get a foothold due to the dominance of other art forms, cultural influences, and dance cultures.
Don't worry, though. Ballet's not even that popular in France, where many would expect it to be hugely popular. According to a survey, only 7% of respondents preferred classical music as their favourite genre, and 15% reported having visited the national ballet or the Paris opera in the last year.
For anyone interested in ballet, here's what you need to know and the most famous ballets to get you started.
| Ballet | Date of Creation | Composer | Original Choreographer | Synopsis | Notable Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Coppélia | 1,870 | Léo Delibes | Arthur Saint-Léon | A comedic ballet where Swanhilda tricks Dr. Coppélius by pretending to be the life-sized doll, Coppélia, leading to humorous and touching scenes. | Premiered in 1870 in Paris; first Australian performance in 1931; most performed ballet at the Opéra. |
| Don Quixote | 1,869 | Ludwig Minkus | Marius Petipa | Based on Cervantes' novel, it follows the adventures of Don Quixote and the love story between Kitri and Basilio. | First performed by the Bolshoi Ballet; the 1999 version was widely performed, especially in Paris. |
| Giselle | 1,841 | Adolphe Adam | Jean Coralli and Jules Perrot | Giselle, a peasant girl, dies of a broken heart when she discovers her lover's true identity. She saves him from vengeful spirits after death. | First performed in Paris; a challenging and widely performed classical ballet. |
| La Bayadère | 1,877 | Ludwig Minkus | Marius Petipa | Tells the tragic love story of Nikiya, a temple dancer, and Solor, a warrior, culminating in betrayal and death. | Famous for the "Kingdom of the Shades" scene; contemporary versions often derive from the 1941 Kirov Ballet production. |
| La Sylphide | 1,832 | Jean-Madeleine Schneitzhoeffer | Filippo Taglioni (1832), August Bournonville (1836) | James, a Scottish farmer, is bewitched by a sylph on the eve of his wedding, leading to tragedy when he tries to capture her. | One of the oldest surviving ballets; introduced en pointe as an aesthetic feature. |
| Sleeping Beauty | 1890 | Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky | Marius Petipa | Based on the fairy tale, Princess Aurora is cursed to sleep for 100 years, only to be awakened by a prince's kiss. | Helped popularize the story; created in 1890 with Tchaikovsky's music. |
| Swan Lake | 1877 | Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky | Julius Reisinger (premiere), Marius Petipa, Lev Ivanov (1895 revival) | Prince Siegfried falls in love with Odette, a princess cursed to live as a swan. The ballet ends tragically. | Considered one of the best ballets; inspired the movie "Black Swan." |
| The Magic Flute | 1791 (originally an opera) | Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart | Maurice Béjart (ballet version) | Follows Prince Tamino's quest to rescue Pamina, aided by a magic flute, from the Queen of the Night. | Originally an opera; choreographed as a ballet by Maurice Béjart. |
| The Nutcracker | 1892 | Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky | Lev Ivanov | On Christmas Eve, Clara receives a nutcracker doll that comes to life. They journey to the Land of Sweets, meeting the Sugar Plum Fairy. | A holiday favorite; accounts for 40% of American Ballet's annual ticket sales. |
| The Rite of Spring | 1913 | Igor Stravinsky | Vaslav Nijinsky | Portrays pagan rituals celebrating spring, culminating in a sacrificial dance where a young girl dances herself to death. | Premiere caused a famous riot due to its unconventional music and choreogr |
Coppélia
Date of Creation: 1870
Composer: Léo Delibes
Original Choreographer: Arthur Saint-Léon
Synopsis: This comedic ballet tells the story of Swanhilda and Franz, a young couple. Franz becomes infatuated with Coppélia, a life-sized doll created by the eccentric Dr. Coppélius, believing she is a real girl. Swanhilda tricks Dr. Coppélius by pretending to be the doll, leading to humorous and touching scenes before the lovers are reunited.
When the First Australian Ballet performed Coppélia in 1931, it was already 60 years old. The music was composed by Arthur St. Léon, and the ballet first premiered on 25 May 1870 in the building now called Palais Garnier in Paris.
The Swanhilda was played by 16-year-old Giuseppina Bozzacchi, but the Franco-Prussian war stopped the ballet's first run. The siege of Paris also led to the death of Bozzacchi on her 17th birthday).
Coppélia ultimately became the most often performed ballet at the Opéra. The St. Petersburg revivals of Coppélia inspired more contemporary productions.
Don Quixote
Date of Creation: 1869
Composer: Ludwig Minkus
Original Choreographer: Marius Petipa
Synopsis: Based on Miguel de Cervantes' novel, this ballet follows the adventures of the delusional knight Don Quixote and his loyal squire Sancho Panza. The ballet is centred on the love story between Kitri and Basilio, intertwined with Don Quixote's whimsical quests.
Don Quixote is the 1869 ballet with music composed by Leon Minkus. It was first performed by the Bolshoi Ballet. The name is from the novel by Miguel de Cervantes.
The newer 1999 version, directed by Alexei Fadeyechev of the Bolshoi Theatre, was performed worldwide. Still, it spent most of its time in Paris.
This long-running ballet also helped establish some of the most incredible ballet dancers.
Giselle
Date of Creation: 1841
Composer: Adolphe Adam
Original Choreographer: Jean Coralli and Jules Perrot
Synopsis: Giselle, a peasant girl, falls in love with Albrecht, a nobleman disguised as a villager. When she discovers his true identity and his engagement to another, she dies of a broken heart. In the afterlife, she becomes a Wili, the spirit of a betrayed woman, and saves Albrecht from the vengeful Wilis.
This 1841 ballet comes in two acts. The music was composed by Adolph Adam. It's widely thought of as a masterwork of classical ballet.
It was first performed by the Ballet du Théâtre de l'Académie Royale de Musique (now called the Paris Opera Ballet) at the Salle Le Peletier in Paris, France on 28 June 1841, with Italian ballerina Carlotta Grisi as Giselle.
It was a huge success and was staged all over Europe, Russia, and the United States.
This is a challenging ballet, but it's also one of the most commonly performed classical ballets worldwide.
The traditional choreography of this ballet is based on revivals from the late 19th century and early 20th century for the Imperial Ballet in St. Petersburg.
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La Bayadere
Date of Creation: 1877
Composer: Ludwig Minkus
Original Choreographer: Marius Petipa
Synopsis: This ballet tells the tragic love story of Nikiya, a temple dancer (bayadère), and Solor, a warrior. They are torn apart by jealousy and betrayal, leading to Nikiya's death. The famous "Kingdom of the Shades" scene, where Solor dreams of reuniting with Nikiya, is a highlight.
The 1877 ballet La Bayadere (or The Temple Dancer in English), with music composed by Sergei Khudekov and Marius Petipa, is a must-see.
This ballet was originally staged in four acts and seven tableaux. The most famous scene, The Kingdom of the Shades, is often performed as an independent showpiece.
The contemporary versions of La Bayadere are taken from the Kirov Ballet's 1941 production.
La Sylphide
Date of Creation: 1832
Composer: Jean-Madeleine Schneitzhoeffer
Original Choreographer: Filippo Taglioni (1832 version), August Bournonville (1836 version)
Synopsis: James, a Scottish farmer, becomes bewitched by a sylph (a fairy) on the eve of his wedding to Effie. He follows the sylph into the forest, abandoning his fiancée, but tragedy ensues when he tries to capture the elusive sylph.
La Sylphide is a two-act romantic ballet created in 1832 with music composed by Filippo Talioni. The ballet has two versions: the original ballet choreographed by Taglioni and the 1836 version with choreography from August Borunonville.
Only the latter version has survived to this day, making La Sylphide one of the oldest surviving ballets in the world.
Taglioni created La Sylphide for his daughter Marie to perform. It was the first ballet in which en pointe was used aesthetically rather than as a stunt.
Marie would shorten her skirts in the performance of La Sylphide to show off her pointe work, but this was pretty scandalous in 19th-century Europe!
Sleeping Beauty
Date of Creation: 1890
Composer: Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
Original Choreographer: Marius Petipa
Synopsis: This ballet is based on Charles Perrault's fairy tale. Princess Aurora is cursed by the evil fairy Carabosse to prick her finger and fall into a deep sleep for 100 years, only to be awakened by the kiss of Prince Désiré.
The Sleeping Beauty ballet was created in 1890 with music from Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky. The ballet helped popularise the story long before Disney did.
This is a French story by Charles Perrault, but Tchaikovsky helped bring the characters to life on stage at least.
Swan Lake
Date of Creation: 1877
Composer: Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
Original Choreographer: Julius Reisinger (premiere), Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov (1895 revival)
Synopsis: The ballet tells the story of Prince Siegfried and Odette, a princess turned into a swan by the curse of the sorcerer Rothbart. Only true love can break the spell, but Rothbart's daughter, Odile, deceives Siegfried, leading to a tragic ending.
Swan Lake also features music composed by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, but it was created in 1877, three years before Sleeping Beauty. It is widely considered one of the best ballets ever.
Part of the plot of Black Swan is inspired by Swan Lake, making it an excellent movie for dancers to watch.
Of course, the Swan Lake ballet is also worth seeing whether you're already interested in ballet or considering it.
The Magic Flute
Date of Creation: 1791 (originally an opera)
Composer: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Original Choreographer: Maurice Béjart (ballet version)
Synopsis: Originally an opera, this story follows Prince Tamino on his quest to rescue Pamina, the daughter of the Queen of the Night, with the help of his magic flute and the bird-catcher Papageno.
The Magic Flute was created in 1791 with music composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.
This was initially an opera composed by Mozart just a few months before he died.
In The Magic Flute, a man rescues a young woman after her mother requests it. Maurice Béjart of the Béjart Ballet in Lausanne choreographed the ballet.
This ballet is beautiful in its simplicity and the expression of the dancers' movements.
Check out these beautiful dance quotes to keep you motivated for your dance lessons.
The Nutcracker
Date of Creation: 1892
Composer: Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
Original Choreographer: Lev Ivanov
Synopsis: On Christmas Eve, young Clara receives a nutcracker doll which comes to life. Clara and the Nutcracker Prince journey to the Land of Sweets, where they meet the Sugar Plum Fairy and enjoy a celebration of dances from around the world.
The Nutcracker is another ballet that most people will have at least heard of. It was another ballet with music by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky.
Created in 1892, this is the third of Tchaikovsky's ballets, which are all worth seeing. By the time The Nutcracker was created, Tchaikovsky had already established himself as the Grand Master of Ballet.
As a holiday favourite, The Nutcracker is one of the most popular ballets of all time. In fact, American Ballet earns 40% of annual ticket sales simply from The Nutcracker.
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The Rite of Spring
Date of Creation: 1913
Composer: Igor Stravinsky
Original Choreographer: Vaslav Nijinsky
Synopsis: This avant-garde ballet portrays pagan rituals celebrating the arrival of spring, culminating in a sacrificial dance where a young girl dances herself to death. Its premiere caused a famous riot due to its unconventional music and choreography.
The Rite of Spring is a 1913 ballet with music composed by Igor Stravinsky. The arrival of the Russian Ballet founded by Serge de Diaghilev helped change and shape 20th-century ballet.
Many famous choreographers, such as Maurice Béjart, Pina Bausch, and Martha Graham, have designed and redesigned The Rite of Spring.
Where Did Ballet Come From and When Did It Get to Australia?
Ballet, much like opera, is one of those things that many people think they understand despite having never seen an actual performance. However, it's important to note that while both are forms of performing arts, they have distinct differences in terms of their primary focus and execution.
Firstly, opera is a vocal performance and a kind of classical musical theatre that features mostly singing. There's little to no dancing in an opera.
Ballet, on the other hand, is a unique form of storytelling that relies on the fluidity of movement rather than the power of the voice. The two art forms are related in many ways, but an opera focuses predominantly on singing, while ballet's narrative unfolds through the art of dance.
The term ballet is from the Italian “balletto” from “ballo”. It literally means “little dance”. Ironically, ballet is far from just a “little dance” and very different from other styles of dance.
Its roots can be traced back to the 15th century when it was initially a form of entertainment for the Italian royal court. Dancers graced the court with their performances, adding a touch of elegance and sophistication to the royal gatherings.
In France, ballet arrived in the 16th century. The French King Louis XIV was a fan of dance and founded the Académie Royale de Danse (Royal Academy of Dance). Today, the academy is known as the Paris Opera Ballet or the Ballet de l'Opéra National de Paris (Ballet of the National Opera of Paris, or more simply, Paris Opera Ballet).
Ballet is both the style of dancing and the full choreographed performance, including the music, plot, and choreography.
Like all art forms, dancing continued to evolve. In the 18th century, comedy ballet codified the five positions: how ballet dancers set their feet.
In the 20th century, “ballet russe” (or Russian ballet) emerged.
So, when did ballet arrive in Australia?
Europeans arrived in Australia in the 18th century, so it's hardly surprising that ballet was introduced to Australia later than France.
The First Australian Ballet was founded by Louise Lightfoot and Mischa Burlakov in the late 1920s. Initially a dance school, it often performed at the Sydney Conservatorium and theatres around Sydney.
The First Australian Ballet performance of Coppélia in 1931 was the first Australian production of a complete Russian ballet.
Of course, these are just a few of the great ballets, and the best way to determine which ones are right for you is to start attending a few.
We must also mention ballets like Lady of the Camellias, Romeo and Juliet, Carmen, and Cinderella.
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With many tutors on the Superprof site offering the first session for free, you can always try a few before choosing which one is right for you and what you want to learn.
Just search for “ballet” on the Superprof website today, and get started with your dance classes near me!
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