Narrative ballet
Encyclopedia
A narrative ballet or story ballet is a form of ballet
that has a plot and character
s. It is typically a production with full sets and costumes.
Most Romantic ballet
s and Classical ballet
s of the 19th century were narrative ballets. The most well known to American audiences are Marius Petipa
's The Nutcracker and Swan Lake. For these and other classic narrative ballets, it is common for ballet directors to create their own choreography
, while maintaining the plot and music used by the original 19th century choreographer. Kenneth MacMillan
and Frederick Ashton
were neoclassical ballet
choreographers that created original narrative ballets in the 20th century.
Narrative ballets are essential to a ballet company
's repertoire, because they tend to generate the highest sales and bring families with children to see the ballet. Many newer narrative ballets are adapted from familiar stories or literature because they are recognizable to audiences. Ballet versions of Dracula became very popular in the late 20th century for this reason. Ben Stevenson
, Artistic Director of Texas Ballet Theater
, has choreographed many narrative ballets with lavish sets and costumes in recent years, including Cleopatra, Dracula, and The Snow Maiden, based on a Russian folktale, as well as his own versions of narrative story ballets.
Ballet
Ballet is a type of performance dance, that originated in the Italian Renaissance courts of the 15th century, and which was further developed in France and Russia as a concert dance form. The early portions preceded the invention of the proscenium stage and were presented in large chambers with...
that has a plot and character
Character (arts)
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
s. It is typically a production with full sets and costumes.
Most Romantic ballet
Romantic ballet
The Romantic ballet is defined primarily by an era in ballet in which the ideas of Romanticism in art and literature influenced the creation of ballets. The era occurred during the early to mid 19th century primarily at the Théâtre de l'Académie Royale de Musique of the Paris Opera Ballet and Her...
s and Classical ballet
Classical ballet
Classical Ballet is the most formal of the ballet styles, it adheres to traditional ballet technique. There are variations relating to area of origin, such as Russian ballet, French ballet, British ballet and Italian ballet...
s of the 19th century were narrative ballets. The most well known to American audiences are Marius Petipa
Marius Petipa
Victor Marius Alphonse Petipa was a French ballet dancer, teacher and choreographer. Petipa is considered to be the most influential ballet master and choreographer of ballet that has ever lived....
's The Nutcracker and Swan Lake. For these and other classic narrative ballets, it is common for ballet directors to create their own choreography
Choreography
Choreography is the art of designing sequences of movements in which motion, form, or both are specified. Choreography may also refer to the design itself, which is sometimes expressed by means of dance notation. The word choreography literally means "dance-writing" from the Greek words "χορεία" ...
, while maintaining the plot and music used by the original 19th century choreographer. Kenneth MacMillan
Kenneth MacMillan
Sir Kenneth MacMillan was a British ballet dancer and choreographer. He was artistic director of the Royal Ballet in London between 1970 and 1977.-Early years:...
and Frederick Ashton
Frederick Ashton
Sir Frederick William Mallandaine Ashton OM, CH, CBE was a leading international dancer and choreographer. He is most noted as the founder choreographer of The Royal Ballet in London, but also worked as a director and choreographer of opera, film and theatre revues.-Early life:Ashton was born at...
were neoclassical ballet
Neoclassical ballet
Neoclassical balletis the style of 20th century classical ballet exemplified by the works of George Balanchine. It draws on the advanced technique of 19th century Russian Imperial dance, but strips it of its detailed narrative and heavy theatrical setting...
choreographers that created original narrative ballets in the 20th century.
Narrative ballets are essential to a ballet company
Ballet company
A ballet company is a group of dancers who perform ballet, plus managerial and support staff. Most major ballet companies employ dancers on a year-round basis, except in the United States, where contracts for part of the year are the norm...
's repertoire, because they tend to generate the highest sales and bring families with children to see the ballet. Many newer narrative ballets are adapted from familiar stories or literature because they are recognizable to audiences. Ballet versions of Dracula became very popular in the late 20th century for this reason. Ben Stevenson
Ben Stevenson
Ben Stevenson, OBE , is a former ballet dancer with Britain's Royal Ballet and English National Ballet, co-director of National Ballet in Washington, D.C...
, Artistic Director of Texas Ballet Theater
Texas Ballet Theater
The Texas Ballet Theater was founded by Margo Dean in 1961 as the Fort Worth Ballet, in Fort Worth, Texas. It became a professional ballet company in 1985. In 1988 the company began adding performances in Dallas. It became the Fort Worth Dallas Ballet in 1994, then was renamed Texas Ballet Theater...
, has choreographed many narrative ballets with lavish sets and costumes in recent years, including Cleopatra, Dracula, and The Snow Maiden, based on a Russian folktale, as well as his own versions of narrative story ballets.