The Progression Of Ballet Movements

It is widely accepted that dancers are undoubtedly athletes, especially for ballet, one of the most precise and challenging dance forms.  

Learning the art of ballet is not as easy as you might think. It requires several years of practice, a great deal of discipline and repetition of the basic steps for a dancer to fully develop the technique in this classical dance form. 

It surely takes more than just grace to achieve a phenomenal performance that is highly adored by many around the world for many centuries. This article touches on the movements that provide the foundation of ballet pedagogy that will leave you in awe. 

Fundamental Ballet Movements

The seven movements in ballet are usually attributed to the 18th century influences, Raoul Auger Feuillet and Jean-Georges Noverre. 

Feuillet was a member of Louis XIV’s court and a dance notator who produced dance notations comparable to musical scores and wrote “Choreography on the Art of Writing Dance.” While Noverre, a renowned dancer and ballet master transformed ballet from a relatively formal dance form into one that featured emotional narratives. 

Although hundreds of different steps are used in this dance form, the techniques are essentially based on seven basic body movements. 

Plier

(plee-ay): to bend. 

Usually, ballet steps begin in a demi-plie, meaning to have both your knees bend firmly on the ground. In ballet, this is a crucial step for dancers as it prepares them for jumps and extensions. Additionally, this position allows them to dance lightly on their feet.

Étendre  

(ay-than-druh): to stretch. 

It defines the stretching of the toe, ankle, and knee, the total opposite of a demi-plie. This enables a dancer to produce the ballet aesthetic of a straight leg with a pointed toe. The movement also accentuates a dancer’s figure and gives the whole body a sense of weightlessness.  

Relever

(ruhl-vay): to rise. 

It describes the act of lifting one’s heels off the ground to balance on the ball of their foot. If wearing pointe shoes, woman may also stand on the tips of their toes. This movement improves the overall physical strength, particularly the foot, ankle, and calf muscles. What is fascinating about this is that, it creates the illusion that the dancer is floating when it is done right. 

Glisser

(glee-say): to glide. 

It is commonly known as the sliding movement of the feet against the floor. This movement is identical to ice-skating whereby a smooth brushing of the foot pushes the leg effortlessly into an extension and off the ground. It is generally implemented in most central steps, especially during “adagio” and other slower movements.  

Sauter

(soh-tay): to jump. 

Think of relevé, but an improved version. The dancer pushes off from plié into the air, ascending from the floor with pointed toes and extended legs. The challenging aspect of a sauté is to land softly and quietly. Hence why it takes years to master, given the immense strength and control that is required.  

Élancer 

(ay-lahn-say): to dart. 

As dancers are momentarily suspended above the surface of the floor (mid-jump), they would then rapidly perform a sequence of movement, as if to dart from one step to another. Any jump performed elance is done off the ground with one or both firmly extended legs and toes well pointed.  

Tourner  

(toor-nay): to turn. 

This can be easily described as any turning of the body. The movement can be done in multiple ways, whether it be in a fixed position, across the floor or above the ground. A pirouette, known as whirl or spin, can be performed on one leg.

The 19th Century Ballet 

During the Romantic Movement in the first half of the 19th century, early classical ballets like Giselle and La Sylphide were created. This movement greatly influenced art, literature, music and ballet. This has caused audience to raise their eyebrows as some believe that the supernatural world of spirits and magic were involved. Furthermore, women were frequently depicted as passive and fragile individuals. 

Such themes are represented in contemporary ballet and are called romantic ballets. This is also the period when dancing on the tips of the toes (known as pointe work) became the norm for the ballerina. Shortly after, the romantic tutu was introduced into the world of ballet. 

Throughout the latter half of the 19th century, Russian choreographers as well as composers took the dance to new heights. Needless to say, that the popularity of ballet grew tremendously in Russia. 

The Nutcracker, The Sleeping Beauty and Swan Lake by Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov represent classical ballet in its greatest form. These productions demonstrate classical technique to the fullest and showcases complex scenes with precise steps, leaps and turns. The classical tutu was introduced during this period to display the legs of a ballerina, and the complexity of her movements and footwork. 

Ballet Today: A Progressive Art  

Going beyond the constraints of the norm and narrative of classical ballets, Russian choreographers Sergei Diaghilev and Michel Fokine started experimenting with movement and costume in the early part of the 20th century. 

Together with composer Igor Stravinsky, Diaghilev produced the ballet The Rite of Spring, a work so different that it sparked outrage among audience. The New York City Ballet founder, George Balanchine eventually transformed the ballet scene even further with the birth of neo-classical ballet, an extension of the classical form. 

Balanchine is often seen by many as the greatest innovator of the modern “plotless” ballet. With no definite story line, its aim is to use movement to convey the music and to simply express human emotion and endeavour in a creative choreography. 

In this current day and age, ballet is an all-around dance form. The character of the modern ballet is now created with the combination of classical forms, conventional narratives and alterations of contemporary choreographies. 

Set Foot in The World of Ballet with Viva Ballet  

Perhaps you have a young child who has expressed an interest in ballet dancing. Here at Viva Ballet School, we provide all-inclusive training and education for students from various age groups. We have ballet classes for kids, teenagers and also adults. Get in touch with us today and allow your child to fully explore their interest.