The earliest known origins of ballets were lavish entertainments given in the courts of Renaissance Italy. The Italian court ballets were further developed in France. Le Ballet Comique de la Reine (The Queen's Ballet Comedy), the first ballet for which a complete score survived, was performed in Paris in 1581. Most French court ballets consisted of dance scenes linked by a minimum of plot. Because they were designed principally for the entertainment of the aristocracy, rich costumes, scenery, and elaborate stage effects were emphasized. In 1661 Louis XIV established the Acad‚mie Royale de Danse, a professional organization for dancing masters. He himself stopped dancing in 1670, and his courtiers followed his example. By then the court was already giving way to professional dancing. At first all the dancers were men, and men in masks danced women's roles. The first female dancers to perform professionally in a theater production appeared (1681) in Le Triomphe de l'Amour (The Triumph of Love).Eighteenth-century dancers were encumbered by masks, wigs or large headdresses, and heeled shoes. Women wore panniers, hoopskirts draped at the sides for fullness. Men often wore the tonnelet, a knee-length hoopskirt. Despite the brilliance of the French dancers, choreographers working outside Paris achieved more dramatic expression. In London the English choreographer John Weaver eliminated words and tried to convey dramatic action through dance and pantomime. In Vienna the Austrian c...

A form of dance that requires thorough use of technique. Ballet dancers must have this technique and a great deal of strength to be able to do the steps, but also must look graceful and expressive at the same time. Ignorant people do not appreciate the strength and beauty of this high art.

only in greenwich does one see a five year old girl dressed in the complete lilly outfit, along with her mother in a completely matching dress. Jack rogers are the way to go, along with rainbows, eliza b's, and if the mothers shoe closet is not filled with at least three pairs of prada shoes then they are shunned from their social life. Girls are known to all have the same hair color, slightly dirty blonde with platinum highlights. If one is ever seen with a middle part, she will be quickly chastized by her peers, and will quickly adjust her below the shoulder, perfectly straightened hair, to a close-to-a-comb-over side part. Even the boys must wear their hair on the side, of course with wings, buzz cuts are not acceptable. Popped collars are the dress code and you must be wearing coach ballet flats even through the snow. Often times boys and girls wear the same thing such as madras shorts or skirts, seesucker bermuda shorts, and ralph lauren cashmere cable knit sweaters.If seen with solow pants ROLLED, not one person will speak to you. Fashion seems to be timeless in this Greenwich bubbble. The interest in such clothing like vineyard vines, ralph lauren, lacoste, j.crew and other popular boutiques is passed down from generation to generation. If your home is under a million dollars, you are considered in the "lower class".
Education is extremely important to these wealthy families, considering most of the children's tuitions are equal to the rest of the world's yearly sa...

Thinly veiled euphemism for the many strip clubs and exotic dancers in Windsor, Ontario, Canada. Occasionally shortened to ballet.

A form of dance which requires a stick-thin figure, high pain threshhold and ungodly level of fitness. Complaining is not allowed. If your feet bleed/your toes break, it's a sign that you're on the right track. You can never wear open-toed shoes again.

someone who does ballet classes but only really goes there for the fun and the friends. can mostly be found in the dressing room laughing and shouting and being givin out to in class for generally the same thing. Were going to get jackets made but didnt have the money or know-how to do it. often have reunions outside of dancing.

Modern basketball. Due to the NBA mainly consisting of black players, and the focus of the game is no longer to make baskets, but to look good while making baskets.