Shared Flashcard Set

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Ch 5: Ballet
court ballet to contemporary ballet
40
Dance
Undergraduate 4
10/13/2010

Additional Dance Flashcards

 


 

Cards

Term
Neoclassicism
Definition
term for Balanchine's style of choreography... new classicism (new focus on the form, order, and structure of classical ballet)... not romantic or emotional... architectural and linear...use of flexed and turned in feet, walking on heels, etc... very minimalistic (example: just leotards and tights, plain pysch)... dances very musical and fast (dancers didnt put heels down after jumps (choice or unavoidable?)
Term
Grand pas de deux
Definition
the high point in a classical ballet, the biggest pas de deux in the piece... has 4 (sometimes 5 if there's an entre (entrance)): adage, male variation, female variation, coda... bow after each section
Term
entre
Definition
sometime included in grand pas de deux... simply an entrance
Term
adage
Definition
first section of grand pas de deux (GPD)... slow... male dancer shows off ballerina supporting her for extension and pirouettes... bow after
Term
male variation
Definition
2nd section of GPD... lots of battire, ballon, pirouettes, tours... bow after
Term
female variation
Definition
3rd section of GPD... por de bras, brisk point work, turns... bow after
Term
coda
Definition
4th and last section of GPD... both dancers... fast, bravura steps... bow
Term
ballet d'action
Definition
term set forth by Jean George Noverre in "Letters on Dancing and Ballet"... his word for new form of ballet (that he was pushing) that had a linear plot (not abstract)
Term
famous movement quotes from Giselle
Definition
Giselle: "I sew but I love to dance"... Mother: "If you dance, you will die."
Term
Giselle: plot of 1st act
Definition
Giselle is a sickly peasant girl who falls in love with Albrecht (a prince disuised as a peasant). Helarion, an evil huntsman is also in love with Giselle. He challenges Albrecht to a dual and when Albrecht has a sword instead of a knife, Helarion realizes he's a prince because only royalty have swords. Helarion brings Albrechts other (royal) fiance to Giselle. After the "mas scene" Giselle dies of a broken heart.
Term
Giselle: plot 2nd act
Definition
Giselle is inducted into the Wilis (the ghosts of young women who died before their marriage of broken hearts and haunt the forest, dancing men to death). Then, Helarion comes to the woods and is killed by them. Next, Albrecht comes and the Wilis want to kill him, but Giselle does some of the dancing for him to save his life. Typical of romantic style (very idealistic)
Term
Mad scene
Definition
scene in Giselle after she finds out that Albrecht is a prince and has another fiance. Basically, she goes crazy and dies... always a question of whether or not the ballerina will be able to pull off the drama realistically
Term
Giselle: characters
Definition
Giselle, Albrecht, Helarion, Mother, Albrecht's other fiance... Mertha (queen of the Wilis)... corps (townspeople and Giselle's friends in first act- the Wilis in the 2nd act)
Term
Giselle
Definition
Roamntic ballet choreographed by Jules Perrot and Jean Coralli that is based on the legend of the Wilis
Term
Swan Lake
Definition
classical ballet choreographed by Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov
Term
Swan Lake: Plot (1st part)
Definition
Prince Siegfried is hunting and sees a beautiful swan with a crown on her head. Before he shoots her, she turns into a human. Her name is Odette and she tells him that Von Rothbart, an evil sorcerer has turned her into a swan and she is only human a night. The only way for the spell to be broken is if a man truly falls in love with her. He confesses his love but she is already a swan again.
Term
Swan Lake: plot (2nd part)
Definition
at a royal ball princesses from different countries dance for the prince (national dancing) so that he can pick one. A disguised Von Rothbart comes with his daughter Odille who he has disguised as Odette. Siegfried and Odille (as Odette) dance the grand pas de deux, and Siegfried declares his love. The real Odette shows up and he realizes he made a mistake. Odette goes back to the lake, and Siegfried comes to meet her. Von Rothbart shows up and tells Siegfried he must marry Odile. Completely broken hearted, Odette commits suicide by jumping in the lake. Siegfried and Odette unite in death.
Term
Kirov Ballet
Definition
Russian imperial ballet company in St. Petersburg... trained Baryshikov, Makarova, Nijiski, Nureyev, Balanchine, Pavlova
Term
Bolshoi Ballet
Definition
Russian imperial ballet company in Moscow...
Term
Bolshoi Ballet
Definition
Term
Paris Opera
Definition
French ballet company...started as Royal Academy of Dance...
Term
Royal Academy of Dance
Definition
1st ballet academy in France commisioned by Louis XIV... now called Paris Opera Ballet...Giselle premiered here
Term
Joffrey Ballet
Definition
started by Robert Joffrey... wanted to use exceptional dancers that couldn't get hired by main companies in US because of body type... started in NYC, moved to LA, now in Chicago... almost closed because funding was pulled but it was saved when they took a risk with very contempory ballets that became box office hits.
Term
ABT/American Ballet Theatre
Definition
NYC...dance all kinds great ballets (not particular to any choreographer or era)... do full lengths and mixed bills
Term
NYBT/New York City Ballet
Definition
NYC ballet company started by Balanchine... Mainly dance Balanchine's works or works with that contemporary style
Term
SAB/School of Ballet
Definition
1st ballet school in America started... started by Balanchine... NYC
Term
Genral progression of ballet
Definition
Catherine d'Medici took ballet masters from Italy to France (court ballet). Marius Petipa takes it from France to Russia. Balanchine takes it from Russia to America.
Term
Romanticism
Definition
philosophy in the 19th century... idealistic... a sense of yearning for perfection... exotic, colorful, wistful... fixation on death and dying
Term
romantic ballet
Definition
exemplified the romantic aesthetic very well with: use of technique that showed lightness, wistfullness... long romantic skirts... gas lights (new invention)... pointe shoes (invented durind era)... emphasis on meaning/feeling than movement
Term
examples of romantic ballets
Definition
Giselle, La Sylphide, Pas de Quatre, Copellia (last one of note in era)
Term
Classical Ballet
Definition
started in russia with imperial funding (tsars)... Petipa pretty much created style...very formulaic:huge cast and set, story told through pantomine (dance does not really progress story), national dancing, divertissement, grand pas de deux... technique stronger than in Romantic... skirt is shorter to show off musculature
Term
examples of classical ballets
Definition
Swan Lake, The Nutcracker, The Sleeping Beauty, Don Quixote (Don Q)
Term
Contemporary Ballet
Definition
started with Diaghalev during Russian revolution; left classical ballet (CB)behind... all artistic elements are equally important... classical steps modified to mesh with theme of ballet... costumes also less uniform (fit character, setting, and theme) dancers just as trained... same vocabulary as CB... pantomime not used (dance tells the story)... no divertissement... one acts and movement for movement's sake (no story) come about
Term
examples of Contemporary Ballets
Definition
The Dying Swan (five minute piece), The Prodigal Son, Rite of Spring, Afternoon of a Faun
Term
court ballet
Definition
1st form of ballet... in France with d'Medici's ballet masters... no real technique yet... consisted of floor patterns and poses... mainly a feast for the eyes (elaborate costumes and sets) singing, talking, dancing, etc. all occuring at the same time... Ballet Comique de la Reine was 1st one of note... occured at royal court... Louis XIV peformed in them
Term
divertissement
Definition
diversion...sections in CB that are pure dancing and do not progress story at all... almost entire 2nd act of the Nutcracker
Term
Ballet Russe
Definition
means Russian ballet...Ballet company started by Diaghalev... brought Russian dancers to Paris... lots of collaboration with other major artists of the time (Picasso, Dubousie (spelling?)... began contemporary ballet
Term
Ballet and royalty
Definition
Ballet came from royalty (court ballet)... it made the monarch look good so they fund it... reason why America did not have ballet until Balanchine brought it (no royalty)... one reason why Diaghalev took ballet to France (russian revolution against royalty)
Term
shift from court ballet
Definition
movement and technique get more complex with Royal Academy of Dance... vocabulary of movement including turn out, positions of arms, head, and feet (all in French and still used today)... less about spectacle and more ab technique and meaning; audience should feel something and get a message
Term
roles in Classical Ballet
Definition
principles (ballerina and lead male, story is about them), soloists (smaller parts), corps de ballet
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