Ballet d'action facts for kids

Ballet d'action was a new and exciting way of performing ballet that became popular in the 1700s. It focused on telling a story and showing feelings through the dancers' movements and expressions. This was different from older ballets that often focused more on fancy costumes and complicated steps without much meaning.

What is Ballet d'action?

Ballet d'action means "action ballet." It was a movement in the 18th century that changed how people thought about ballet. Before this, ballets were often part of operas or just a series of dances. They didn't always have a clear story or show deep emotions.

How Did It Change Ballet?

The main idea of Ballet d'action was to make ballet a powerful way to tell stories. Dancers used their whole bodies and faces to show what their characters were feeling. This meant that the audience could understand the story and emotions just by watching the dancers, without needing many props or elaborate outfits.

Who Started This Movement?

The person who started the Ballet d'action movement was a French choreographer named Jean-Georges Noverre. He introduced his ideas in 1760.

Why Did Noverre Create It?

Jean-Georges Noverre was not happy with the way ballet was performed in his time. He felt that dancers were too focused on showing off their technical skills. He thought they forgot about the true purpose of ballet, which he believed was to express feelings and tell a story.

Noverre's Famous Book

Noverre wrote a very important book called Lettres sur la danse et les ballets (which means "Letters on Dance and Ballets"). In this book, he explained his ideas about how ballet should be. He wrote that ballet should "represent characters and express their feelings" through movement. He believed that costumes and props should support the story, not distract from it.

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