Editing Ballet (section)

==Styles==
[[File:MarieSalle.jpg|thumb|[[Marie Sallé]], classical ballet dancer]]
Stylistic variations and subgenres have evolved over time. Early, classical variations are primarily associated with geographic origin. Examples of this are [[Russian ballet]], [[French ballet]], and [[Italian ballet]]. Later variations, such as contemporary ballet and neoclassical ballet, incorporate both classical ballet and non-traditional technique and movement. Perhaps the most widely known and performed ballet style is late [[Romantic ballet]] (or [[Ballet blanc]]).<ref name="hammond">{{cite book |url=https://archive.org/details/balletbasics0000hamm/page/n1/mode/2up |isbn=978-0-07-255714-5 |title=Ballet basics | year=2004 |last1=Hammond |first1=Sandra Noll |publisher=McGraw-Hill Education }}</ref>

=== Classical ballet ===
{{main|Classical ballet}}
[[File:Swanlake015.jpg|thumb|The ''Valse des cygnes'' from Act II of the Ivanov/Petipa edition of ''Swan Lake'']]
Classical ballet is based on traditional ballet [[Glossary of ballet|technique and vocabulary]].<ref>{{Cite book|title=Technical Manual and Dictionary of Classical Ballet|last=Grant|first=Gail|publisher=[[Dover Publications]]|year=1982|isbn=978-0-486-21843-4|location=New York, US|url=https://archive.org/details/technicalmanuald00gail}}</ref> Different styles have emerged in different countries, such as [[French ballet]], [[Italian ballet]], [[English ballet]], and [[Russian ballet]].<ref name="warren89">{{cite book
 | title=Classical ballet technique
 | last=Warren | first=Gretchen Ward | year=1989
 | publisher=University Press of Florida
 | isbn=978-0-8130-0895-0
 | url=https://archive.org/details/classicalballett0000warr
}}</ref> Several of the classical ballet styles are associated with specific training methods, typically named after their creators (see below).  The [[Royal Academy of Dance|Royal Academy of Dance method]] is a ballet technique and training system that was founded by a diverse group of ballet dancers. They merged their respective dance methods (Italian, French, Danish and Russian) to create a new style of ballet that is unique to the organization and is recognized internationally as the English style of ballet.<ref name=":4" /> Some examples of classical ballet productions are: ''[[Swan Lake]]'', ''[[The Sleeping Beauty (ballet)|The Sleeping Beauty]]'' and ''[[The Nutcracker]].''<ref>{{cite web
 | title=10 Classical Ballets Any Kind of Dancer Should Know
 | date=26 September 2010 | website=DancePlug
 | url=https://www.danceplug.com/article/10-classical-ballets-any-kind-of-dancer-should-know
 | access-date=2024-12-23 }}</ref>

===Romantic ballet===
{{main|Romantic ballet}}
[[File:Giselle -Carlotta Grisi -1841 -2.jpg|thumb|upright|[[Carlotta Grisi]], the original [[Giselle]], 1841, wearing the romantic tutu]]
Romantic ballet was an artistic movement of classical ballet and several productions remain in the classical repertoire today. The Romantic era was marked by the emergence of [[Pointe technique|pointe]] work, the dominance of female dancers, and longer, flowy tutus that attempt to exemplify softness and a delicate aura.<ref name=":0" /> This movement occurred during the early to mid-nineteenth century (the [[Romantic era]]) and featured themes that emphasized intense emotion as a source of [[aesthetic]] experience. The plots of many romantic ballets revolved around spirit women (sylphs, wilis, and ghosts) who enslaved the hearts and senses of mortal men. The 1827 ballet ''[[La Sylphide]]'' is widely considered to be the first, and the 1870 ballet ''[[Coppélia]]'' is considered to be the last.<ref name=":3" /> Famous ballet dancers of the Romantic era include [[Marie Taglioni]], [[Fanny Elssler]], and [[Jules Perrot]]. Jules Perrot is also known for his choreography, especially that of ''[[Giselle]]'', often considered to be the most widely celebrated romantic ballet.<ref name=":0" />

===Neoclassical ballet===
{{main|Neoclassical ballet}}
[[File:Ballets Russes - Apollo musagète.jpg|thumb|[[Alexandra Danilova]] and [[Serge Lifar]], ''Apollon Musagète'', 1928]] 
Neoclassical ballet is usually abstract, with no clear plot, costumes or scenery. Music choice can be diverse and will often include [[Neoclassicism (music)|music that is also neoclassical]] (e.g. [[Igor Stravinsky|Stravinsky]], [[Albert Roussel|Roussel]]). Tim Scholl, author of ''From Petipa to Balanchine'', considers [[George Balanchine]]'s ''[[Apollo (ballet)|Apollo]]'' in 1928 to be the first neoclassical ballet. ''Apollo'' represented a return to form in response to [[Sergei Diaghilev]]'s abstract ballets. Balanchine worked with modern dance choreographer [[Martha Graham]], and brought modern dancers into his company such as [[Paul Taylor (choreographer)|Paul Taylor]], who in 1959 performed in Balanchine's ''[[Episodes (ballet)|Episodes]]''.<ref>{{Cite book|title=From Petipa to Balanchine: Classical Revival and the Modernization of Ballet|last=Scholl|first=Tim|publisher=[[Routledge]]|year=1994|isbn=978-0415756211|location=London}}</ref>

While Balanchine is widely considered the face of neoclassical ballet, there were others who made significant contributions. [[Frederick Ashton]]'s ''[[Symphonic Variations (ballet)|Symphonic Variations]]'' (1946) is a seminal work for the choreographer. Set to [[César Franck]]'s score of the same title, it is a pure-dance interpretation of the score.<ref name=":0" />

Another form, [[Modern ballet|Modern Ballet]], also emerged as an offshoot of neoclassicism. Among the innovators in this form were [[Glen Tetley]], [[Robert Joffrey]] and [[Gerald Arpino]]. While difficult to parse modern ballet from neoclassicism, the work of these choreographers favored a greater athleticism that departed from the delicacy of ballet. The physicality was more daring, with mood, subject matter and music more intense. An example of this would be Joffrey's ''Astarte'' (1967), which featured a rock score and sexual overtones in the choreography.<ref name=":4" />

===Contemporary ballet===
{{main|Contemporary ballet}}
[[File:Grace in winter, contemporary ballet.jpg|thumb|A ballet jump performed with modern, non-classical form in a contemporary ballet]]
This ballet style is often performed barefoot.<ref>{{cite book
 | title=The Oxford Handbook of Contemporary Ballet
 | year=2021 | isbn=9780190871499
 | editor1-first=Jill Nunes | editor1-last=Jensen
 | editor2-first=Kathrina | editor2-last=Farrugia-Kriel
 | publisher=Oxford University Press
 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=nTkqEAAAQBAJ&pg=PA426 }}</ref> Contemporary ballets may include [[Mime artist|mime]] and [[acting]], and are usually set to music (typically orchestral but occasionally vocal). It can be difficult to differentiate this form from neoclassical or modern ballet. Contemporary ballet is also close to [[contemporary dance]] because many contemporary ballet concepts come from the ideas and innovations of twentieth-century modern dance, including floor work and turn-in of the legs. The main distinction is that ballet technique is essential to perform a contemporary ballet.

George Balanchine is considered to have been a pioneer of contemporary ballet. Another early contemporary ballet choreographer, [[Twyla Tharp]], choreographed ''Push Comes To Shove'' for the [[American Ballet Theatre]] in 1976, and in 1986 created ''In The Upper Room'' for her own company. Both of these pieces were considered innovative for their melding of distinctly modern movements with the use of pointe shoes and classically trained dancers.

Today there are many contemporary ballet companies and choreographers. These include [[Alonzo King]] and his company [[Alonzo King LINES Ballet|LINES Ballet]]; [[Matthew Bourne]] and his company [[New Adventures (dance company)|New Adventures]]; [[Complexions Contemporary Ballet]]; [[Nacho Duato]] and his [[Compañia Nacional de Danza]]; William Forsythe and [[The Forsythe Company]]; and [[Jiří Kylián]] of the [[Nederlands Dans Theater]]. Traditionally "classical" companies, such as the Mariinsky (Kirov) Ballet and the Paris Opera Ballet, also regularly perform contemporary works.

The term ''ballet'' has evolved to include all forms associated with it. Someone training as a ballet dancer will now be expected to perform neoclassical, modern and contemporary work. A ballet dancer is expected to be able to be stately and regal for classical work, free and lyrical in neoclassical work, and unassuming, harsh or pedestrian for modern and contemporary work. In addition, there are several modern varieties of dance that fuse classical ballet technique with contemporary dance, such as [[Hiplet (dance style)|Hiplet]], that require dancers to be practised in non-Western dance styles.<ref name=kourlas>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/09/04/arts/dance/hiplet-an-implausible-hybrid-plants-itself-on-pointe.html|title=Hiplet: An Implausible Hybrid Plants Itself on Pointe|last=Kourlas|first=Gia | date=2 September 2016 | newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|issn=0362-4331|access-date=2016-12-03|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161221165024/http://www.nytimes.com/2016/09/04/arts/dance/hiplet-an-implausible-hybrid-plants-itself-on-pointe.html|archive-date=2016-12-21}}</ref>