Question: What Were Some of Ballet's Earliest Forms?
Answer: Court ballet (ballet de cour) originated during the High Renaissance in Italy. Court dances were performed by nobility inside royal palaces. Here are a few of ballet's earliest forms:
- Ballet Comique: A dance performance which contained a unifying theme or story. The most famous was Le Ballet Comique de la Reine, considered the very first ballet.
- Masque: A form of music and dance that emphasized the spoken word. Masque was England's first form of court ballet. Elaborate secenery was often designed for them.
- Comedie-ballet: A dance united with both words and music, often containing comedy. This court ballet form was created during the reign of Louis XIV.
- Ballet a entrees: A series of court dances presented between courses of a meal or between acts of a play, such as during intermissions. These dances allowed time for dancers or other performers to change their costumes.
- Opera-ballet: A series of dance scenes performed to a song. The opera-ballet grew out of ballet a entrees, and achieved success on the professional stage.
