Summary Paper

For my project I am going to do ballet because I am a ballet dancer myself and that will really help me on my project. I am going to research the history of ballet, the clothing and how it has changed over the years, training, and more. I am also going to show a video of myself dancing ballet so the class has a little idea of what it is. I plan to show pictures of the first ballet costumes, and then show pictures of modern ones.

The first thing I researched was the history of ballet and where it originated from. I found out that the first sign of ballet were entertainments in the courts of Renaissance Italy. Italian court ballets were usually for the entertainment of the aristocracy. They were usually performed between the courses in a banquet. These were developed more in France when the French King, Henry the 2nd, married an Italian woman, Catherine Medici. She introduced France to the elegant Italian ballet and got rid of all the French dances. At first, only men were allowed to dance. In 1681, women began to dance.

The second thing I researched was the history of ballet clothing and how it has changed over the years. What I found out was that at first, ballet costumes were rich, extravagant, and....hard to dance in. The costumes were very heavy and the dancer's also had to wear ornaments and huge head pieces. Woman wore long-sleeved bodices with panniered skirts. Men wore heavily brocaded tunics and coats, along with wigs and even swords belted to their waists. This clothing really restricted the dancer's movements. Then, a ballerina named Marie Camargo changed everything. She shortened her skirt to her ankles. Later, another ballerina named Marie Salle got rid of the bulky petticoats altogether, and performed in a flimsy muslim dress. In the 18th and 19th centuries, ballet techniques changed a lot because of this newfound freedom. Woman wore calf-length skirts, and men wore short jackets and long sleeved shirts. Now, men have discarded the jackets, and only wear tights, and women wear tutu's, a 12 layer short skirt, when performing.

The third thing I researched was ballet dancers and their training. Ballet dancers can train by doing yoga or swimming, because they work the same muscles you use when you dance. However, ballet dancers can't run or lift weights to train, because they build up useless muscles that lower flexibility. Dancers can also practise at home. If they wish to go en pointe, they can do rises called "releves" to build up for it. However, you will need at least 3 years of training before you can go en pointe. A good age for ballet dancers to start ballet lessons is around the age of 8. Before that, the bones are too soft for the physical demands of ballet. Some people between the age of 4 and 8 take pre-ballet lessons. Teachers find that 3 year olds and younger have trouble paying attention to them, therefore one must be at least 4 to begin pre-ballet. If they want to pursue a professional career, by the age of 18-19 they should be taking 20-30 hours of ballet a week.

The fourth thing I researched was what a typical ballet class looks like. Girls wear pink tights, ballet slippers, and a leotard. (They come in multiple colours and styles.) The most commonly used leotard colour is black. Ballerinas sometimes wear leg warmers to warm the muscles, and if it's really cold in the studio, cardigans/sweaters. A ballet class is divided into four sections. The first one is barre. A barre is a long wooden pole attached to the wall, which the dancers use for support. Here they do slow exercises to warm up their bodies. The barre usually ends with grand battements, large kicks. The second section is centre work. The dancers move to the center of the classroom, where there is no barre to support them. They do similar exercises as the ones at the barre. Ballerinas also practise pirouettes, or turns, in the center. The third section of a typical ballet class is called "adage." These are slow movements that test the dancer's balance. Often they have to unfold one leg and balance on the other, while maintaining a still pose. The fourth and final section of a ballet class is called "allegro" which means fast. In this section the ballerinas do jumps, starting from small ones to big leaps. The class ends with a reverence or curtsy to the teacher to thank them.

The last thing I researched was benefits of ballet dancing. I found out that ballet, first of all, increases your flexibility. In ballet you have to stretch muscles in your legs, arms, back, neck, and chest. Ballet also makes you stronger, as well as be more balanced. Ballet improves your posture, and it also relieves stress. Ballet is also good for preventing diseases such as diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, osteoporosis, and depression.

Ballet is a great activity and I really enjoy it. I hope you now consider ballet a sport. After doing all this research, I learned a lot about ballet that I didn't already know. I think ballet really benefits you because it is fun, it improves your flexibility, makes you stronger, prevents lots of diseases, and more. I love ballet even more now after doing all this research because now whenever I go to ballet class I can think about all the benefits I am gaining and I can just enjoy the dancing. I hope the rest of the class learns as much as I did about ballet.