Ballet, an Illustrated History

Ballet, an Illustrated History PDF Author: Mary Clarke
Publisher: Universe Publishing(NY)
ISBN:
Category : Performing Arts
Languages : en
Pages : 254

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Book Description
"Renaissance Italy was its birthplace; Elizabeth of England and the Sun King encouraged and developed it. First Camargo, then Taglioni, Elssler, and Grisi inspired generations of ballerina-worshippers and respect for the new profession of theatrical dancer. Champagne was drunk from toe-slippers as Paris of the Second Empire unveiled spectacles whose popularity is unimpaired to this day, while French choreographers, engaged in St. Petersburg, linked the dance heritage of Europe to Imperial Russia, where the Tsar's court proved a fertile climate for a new magnificence in stage production and technical advance. In the 20th century, the quixotic Diaghilev--who did not dance, choreograph, paint, or compose, but merely managed and inspired--almost singlehandedly brought the Russian masterpieces to the West, and two fellow émigrés, Pavlova and Nijinsky, captured imaginations and helped to spread the Imperial style around the globe. On this base--from France, from Russia, and distantly from Italy--Fokine, Massine, Nijinska, Balanchine, Rambert, Ashton, Tudor, Cranko, Robbins, and many others have diversely created an art form that is one of the most popular--and forward-looking--of our time. Mary Clarke and Clement Crisp recount the story in rich detail, aided by a wonderfully fresh selection of illustrations, covering not only dancers and dance design but attendant concerns of costume, scenery, technique, criticism, and theatrical taste. They pursue this enterprise 'with a smile,' and the reader, too, will be amused at the image of 19th-century ballerinas en travesti, forced to assume male roles because the classical danseur was held in such low repute; the overweight Louis XIV monopolizing leading parts; Renaissance dancing masters struggling to walk, let alone dance, while wearing some 40 pounds of magnificence. There are tales to inspire sympathy, too: Taglioni danced until she fainted; Pavlova continued on bloody toes; Balanchine fled Russia without a ruble or an advance booking. The lively treatment here accorded a splendid art, complemented by an extensive bibliography, will be an invaluable guide to those who are discovering the pleasures of ballet and want to know more of its background, as well as a useful companion for afficionados, all of whom will find something they did not know before."--Dust jacket.

Ballet, an Illustrated History

Ballet, an Illustrated History PDF Author: Mary Clarke
Publisher: Universe Publishing(NY)
ISBN:
Category : Performing Arts
Languages : en
Pages : 254

Get Book Here

Book Description
"Renaissance Italy was its birthplace; Elizabeth of England and the Sun King encouraged and developed it. First Camargo, then Taglioni, Elssler, and Grisi inspired generations of ballerina-worshippers and respect for the new profession of theatrical dancer. Champagne was drunk from toe-slippers as Paris of the Second Empire unveiled spectacles whose popularity is unimpaired to this day, while French choreographers, engaged in St. Petersburg, linked the dance heritage of Europe to Imperial Russia, where the Tsar's court proved a fertile climate for a new magnificence in stage production and technical advance. In the 20th century, the quixotic Diaghilev--who did not dance, choreograph, paint, or compose, but merely managed and inspired--almost singlehandedly brought the Russian masterpieces to the West, and two fellow émigrés, Pavlova and Nijinsky, captured imaginations and helped to spread the Imperial style around the globe. On this base--from France, from Russia, and distantly from Italy--Fokine, Massine, Nijinska, Balanchine, Rambert, Ashton, Tudor, Cranko, Robbins, and many others have diversely created an art form that is one of the most popular--and forward-looking--of our time. Mary Clarke and Clement Crisp recount the story in rich detail, aided by a wonderfully fresh selection of illustrations, covering not only dancers and dance design but attendant concerns of costume, scenery, technique, criticism, and theatrical taste. They pursue this enterprise 'with a smile,' and the reader, too, will be amused at the image of 19th-century ballerinas en travesti, forced to assume male roles because the classical danseur was held in such low repute; the overweight Louis XIV monopolizing leading parts; Renaissance dancing masters struggling to walk, let alone dance, while wearing some 40 pounds of magnificence. There are tales to inspire sympathy, too: Taglioni danced until she fainted; Pavlova continued on bloody toes; Balanchine fled Russia without a ruble or an advance booking. The lively treatment here accorded a splendid art, complemented by an extensive bibliography, will be an invaluable guide to those who are discovering the pleasures of ballet and want to know more of its background, as well as a useful companion for afficionados, all of whom will find something they did not know before."--Dust jacket.

Ballet

Ballet PDF Author: DK
Publisher: Penguin
ISBN: 1465483497
Category : Music
Languages : en
Pages : 0

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Book Description
This DK visual guide to ballet history goes beyond other ballet books, with beautiful photography that captures famous dancers and key stories. Discover more than 70 of the most famous ballet dances, from The Nutcracker and Swan Lake to The Rite of Spring. Learn the stories behind renowned companies such as The Royal Ballet and the Bolshoi Ballet. Explore the lives and achievements of dancers across the centuries, such as Margot Fonteyn, Carlos Acosta, and Darcey Bussell. Meet composers and choreographers, from Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky to Matthew Bourne. From its origins at court and the first national ballet companies, to the contemporary scene and extraordinary venues that stage the productions, this book covers an impressive history of ballet and provides an invaluable overview of the subject. Filled with rarely seen photographs covering all the key figures, pieces, and performances, and compelling facts about each dance--the sources they draw from, their production history, and their reception over time--Ballet: The Definitive Illustrated Story is an essential gift for all ballet enthusiasts.

Ballet in Western Culture

Ballet in Western Culture PDF Author: Carol Lee
Publisher: Psychology Press
ISBN: 9780415942577
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 388

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Book Description
A history of the development of ballet from the origins of dance through the 20th century.

American Dance

American Dance PDF Author: Margaret Fuhrer
Publisher: Voyageur Press
ISBN: 1627885692
Category : Performing Arts
Languages : en
Pages : 291

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Book Description
The most comprehensive, beautiful book ever to be published on dance in America. "We look at the dance to impart the sensation of living in an affirmation of life, to energize the spectator into keener awareness of the vigor, the mystery, the humor, the variety, and the wonder of life. This is the function of the American dance." Groundbreaking choreographer Martha Graham deeply understood the power and complexity of dance--particularly as it evolved in her home country. American Dance, by critic and journalist Margaret Fuhrer, traces that richly complex evolution. From Native American dance rituals to dance in the digital age, American Dance explores centuries of innovation, individual genius and collaborative exploration. Some of its stories - such as Fred Astaire dancing on the ceiling or Alvin Ailey founding the trailblazing company that bears his name - will be familiar to anyone who loves dance. The complex origins of tap, for instance, or the Puritan outrage against "profane and promiscuous dancing" during the early years of the United States, are as full of mystery and humor as Graham describes. These various developments have never before been presented in a single book, making American Dance the most comprehensive work on the subject to date. Breakdancing, musical-theater dance, disco, ballet, jazz, ballroom, modern, hula, the Charleston, the Texas two-step, swing--these are just some of the forms celebrated in this riveting volume Hundreds of photographs accompany the text, making American Dance as visually captivating as the works it depicts.

The Illustrated Book of Ballet Stories

The Illustrated Book of Ballet Stories PDF Author: Barbara Newman
Publisher: DK Publishing (Dorling Kindersley)
ISBN: 9780756613723
Category : Juvenile Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 0

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Book Description
Text and pictures show scenes and steps from "Sleeping Beauty," "Giselle," "Coppelia," "Swan Lake," and "The Nutcracker."

Apollo's Angels

Apollo's Angels PDF Author: Jennifer Homans
Publisher: Random House
ISBN: 0679603905
Category : Performing Arts
Languages : en
Pages : 640

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Book Description
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY THE NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW, LOS ANGELES TIMES, SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE, AND PUBLISHERS WEEKLY For more than four hundred years, the art of ballet has stood at the center of Western civilization. Its traditions serve as a record of our past. Lavishly illustrated and beautifully told, Apollo’s Angels—the first cultural history of ballet ever written—is a groundbreaking work. From ballet’s origins in the Renaissance and the codification of its basic steps and positions under France’s Louis XIV (himself an avid dancer), the art form wound its way through the courts of Europe, from Paris and Milan to Vienna and St. Petersburg. In the twentieth century, émigré dancers taught their art to a generation in the United States and in Western Europe, setting off a new and radical transformation of dance. Jennifer Homans, a historian, critic, and former professional ballerina, wields a knowledge of dance born of dedicated practice. Her admiration and love for the ballet, as Entertainment Weekly notes, brings “a dancer’s grace and sure-footed agility to the page.”

Charlotte and the Nutcracker

Charlotte and the Nutcracker PDF Author: Charlotte Nebres
Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers
ISBN: 0593374924
Category : Juvenile Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 21

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Book Description
A reimagined and modern take on the holiday favorite, this picture book weaves together the classic Christmas tale of The Nutcracker and the true-life story of 12-year-old ballerina Charlotte Nebres, the first Black girl to play Marie in the New York City Ballet’s production. The only thing Charlotte loves as much as ballet is Christmas. So, when she gets the opportunity to play Marie in the New York City Ballet's The Nutcracker, she leaps at the chance. Dancing takes practice-hours of adjusting her arms and perfecting her jumps. With the help of her Trinidadian and Filipino families, encouragement from her sister, and a view of her mom and dad in the audience, Charlotte finds the strength to never give up. In this spectacular debut full of fluid, dynamic illustrations, Charlotte provides youngsters with a multicultural tale of family, dance, and holiday cheer.

A Child's Introduction to Ballet (Revised and Updated)

A Child's Introduction to Ballet (Revised and Updated) PDF Author: Laura Lee
Publisher: Black Dog & Leventhal
ISBN: 076246965X
Category : Juvenile Nonfiction
Languages : en
Pages : 99

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Book Description
This enchanting introduction to the wonderful world of ballet has been updated to include a removable poster and access to 25 downloadable music tracks. Young dancers have fallen in love with this charming, illustrated exploration of the world's great ballets. Featuring twenty-five famous and beloved pieces such as Swan Lake,The Nutcracker, Peter and the Wolf and Fancy Free, these stories bring iconic performances to life, and inspire readers to listen and dance along to the music that has made them enduring classics. Woven into these tales is a captivating history of ballet, filled with information and profiles of the world's greatest dancers, choreographers, and composers. Young readers will also enjoy fun facts and dancing how-tos all while listening to excerpts of classical music. Also included is a removable, fold-out poster depicting the five positions of ballet.

The Ballet Book

The Ballet Book PDF Author: Nancy Ellison
Publisher: Universe Publishing(NY)
ISBN:
Category : Performing Arts
Languages : en
Pages : 280

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Book Description
Provides photographs of members of the American Ballet Theatre demonstrating positions and includes discussion and photographs of classwork, rehearsal, choreography, and major ballets.

History of Dance

History of Dance PDF Author: Gayle Kassing
Publisher: Human Kinetics
ISBN: 1492586420
Category : Performing Arts
Languages : en
Pages : 320

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Book Description
History of Dance, Second Edition, offers readers a panoramic view of dance from prehistory to the present. The text covers the dance forms, designs, artists, costumes, performing spaces, and accompaniments throughout the centuries and around the globe. Its investigative approach engages students in assignments and web projects that reinforce the learning from the text, and its ancillaries for both teachers and students make it easy for students to perceive, create, and respond to the history of dance. New to This Edition History of Dance retains its strong foundations from the first edition while adding these new and improved features: • An instructor guide with media literacy assignments, teaching tips, strategies for finding historical videos, and more • A test bank with hundreds of questions for creating tests and quizzes • A presentation package with hundreds of slides that present key points and graphics • A web resource with activities, extensions of chapter content, annotated links to useful websites, and study aids • Developing a Deeper Perspective assignments that encourage students to use visual or aesthetic scanning, learn and perform period dances, observe and write performance reports, develop research projects and WebQuests (Internet-based research projects), and participate in other learning activities • Experiential learning activities that help students dig deeper into the history of dance, dancers, and significant dance works and literature • Eye-catching full-color interior that adds visual appeal and brings the content to life Also new to this edition is a chapter entitled “Global Interactions: 2000–2016,” which examines dance in the 21st century. Resources and Activities The web resources and experiential learning activities promote student-centered learning and help students develop critical thinking and investigative skills.Teachers can use the experiential learning activities as extended projects to help apply the information and to use technology to make the history of dance more meaningful. Three Parts History of Dance is presented in three parts. Part I covers early dance history, beginning with prehistoric times and moving through ancient civilizations in Greece, Crete, Egypt, and Rome and up to the Renaissance. Part II explores dance from the Renaissance to the 20th century, including a chapter on dance in the United States from the 17th through 19th centuries. Part III unfolds the evolution of American dance from the 20th century to the present, examining imported influences, emerging modern dance and ballet, and new directions for both American ballet and modern dance. Chapters Each chapter focuses on the dancers and choreographers, the dances, and significant dance works and literature from the time period. Students will learn how dance design has changed through the ages and how new dance genres, forms, and styles have emerged and continue to emerge. The chapters also include special features, such as History Highlight sidebars and Time Capsule charts, to help students place dancers, events, and facts in their proper context and perspective. Vocabulary words appear at the end of each chapter, as do questions that prompt review of the chapter’s important information. The text is reader-friendly and current, and it is supported by the national standards in dance, arts education, social studies, and technology education. Through History of Dance, students will acquire a well-rounded view of dance from the dawn of time to the present day. This influential text offers students a foundation for understanding and a springboard for studying dance in the 21st century.