Developing the Pointe Shoe

A dancer named Marie Taglioni gets credit for being the first to dance on her toes using pointe shoes. There are many other people that people will argue for being the first, but no matter who did it, Taglioni is definitely the one who pioneered and developed the shoe. Before Taglioni, dancing on pointe was more of a circus act than a way of dancing. When Taglioni stepped in, it became a type of expression and a technical feature in ballet dancing. Pointe shoes were invented because ballerina's had the dream of being graceful and elegant. The picture perfect ballerina was one who looked like she was heavenly and could do anything she dreamed of. Pointe shoes showed their strength, as well as put them higher off the ground, which helped them create the illusion of floating like an angel. The first pointe shoes were only made of leather with darning on the sides. They did not have much support and felt as if the ballerina was dancing barefoot. Now pointe shoes have a bloched tip and a stiff sole with serious arch support. Pointe shoes have developed in ways to benefit the dancer so much since they first had their debut and will surely grow more in the years to come.

Women and Ballet

It wasn't until around 1730 that women had any key rolls in ballet. Men were prominent in all productions and had a higher advantage over the women. Women were forced to wear headdresses, masks, and heavy clothing while they danced, which greatly restricted their movement. Men however, could wear tights and leotards which was the perfect attire for ballet. Men could do all of the big jumps and leaps without any anchors, while women were completely held back and weighed down. In 1730 women began to rebel and force their way into the show. Their costumes transformed from big and heavy to small and light. Women would remove their heavy costumes directly before their show so that the directors or choreographers couldn't do anything about it. During the 18th century women ballet dancers became much more popular. They also expanded the ballet vocabulary and added more jumps and turns for the females. Pointe shoes which allow the dancer to dance on the tips of her toes are only for females. Males dance in flat shoes at all times, but it's hard to find a professional female who is not dancing on pointe. Today, males and females share principal roles in ballet. Some would say that females are more important, but most believe that they are equal beings in the world of ballet.

The Emergence of Ballet

In ballet's early years, Paris became the center for the art. When ballet first began, the performers would wear outrageous costumes, headdresses, and masks. Many choreographers had stated that ballet was supposed to portray a mood or emotion, and with the ridiculous clothing they wore, that could not be done. Jean Georges Noverre established ballet d'action, which is a style of ballet that reflects a story through movement and with this, the crazy costumes started disappearing. Many of the first ballet's were centered around mythology and legends, but as it emerged, more romantic themes began to come out. American ballet was brought here and influenced by a Russian choreographer, George Balanchine. American ballet still has Russian influences even though some dancers have stepped in and applied their own style. Ballet began with courts and dukes performing during dinner parties in grand palaces, but now it has become a traveling attraction. Ballet groups and organizations travel the world to show their talent to others. Dancers train long and hard hours all of their lives to become professional traveling dancers. Ballet has become more technical, emotion-filled, and strenuous through the years as popularity has grown. It is at a high point now and more than likely will stay exactly where it is for future years to come.

The Beginning

Ballet can be traced all the way back to Italy in the 1400's. It had always been a form of performing that can either express a story, portray a mood, or reflect the music. Ballet began to gain popularity during the Reniassance. Dukes started earning more money to promote the arts and this helped the art of Ballet to flourish. The wealthy dukes had competitions to discover who could put on the largest and fanciest shows, and each duke was on a mission to make his opposers envy them. The Beaujoyeulx's entertainment, the Ballet Comique de la Reine is considered by most to be the first ballet production. King Louis XIV loved to dance and participated in the ballet's given in his court until he became fat and old. He then opened a royal dance academy that trained dancers to professionalism. His idea of dance academies spread throughout Europe and it influenced the opening of the Russian Imperial Ballet of St. Petersburg, which is considered one of the greatest ballet schools in history. Ballet built a strong foundation for itself, so well that it is still alive and strong today.