Search This Blog

Friday, August 30, 2013

FIVE FAST FACTS ABOUT BALLET! DID YOU KNOW....


As a child, I loved the ballet. It was the first dance I studied. I switched to modern dance when my family moved from NYC to the suburbs since ballet wasn't offered in my new town. But I never lost my passion for ballet. I have seen many performances of classic ballets, like Swan Lake at Lincoln Center. 

I'm surprised it's taken me this long to write about a dancer. But I have in LOVE'S LAST CHANCE.
Today I'm sharing a few fast facts about ballet you might not know.

1) Ballet began in the Italian Renaissance courts of the 15th and 16th centuries. 

2) The word "ballet" comes from the French, but can be traced back to its original source, the Italian, "ballare", meaning to dance.



3) Ballet developed as a performance-focused art form in France during the reign of Louis XIV, who was passionate about dance.

4) The ballerina became the most popular dance performer in Europe in the first half of the 19th century, gradually turning the spotlight away from the male dancer.

 5) Michel  Fokine choreographed Sheherazade and Cleopatra. He also reworked Petrouchka and The Firebird. One of his most famous works was The Dying Swan, performed by Anna Pavlova. Beyond her talents as a ballerina, Pavlova had the theatrical gifts to fulfill Fokine's vision of ballet as drama. Legend has it that Pavlova identified so much with the swan role that she requested her swan costume from her deathbed.
Thanks for stopping by! 
To find out more about my books, go to my WEBSITE.
  A bit about the book


Dorrie Rodgers left three men behind in New York when she moved to L.A. to dance the lead in a movie. Engagement to a powerful producer made her life complete. But an accident ended both her career and her impending marriage.

After three years of struggling along teaching yoga, Dorrie is hired to choreograph a movie. Wanting to share her joy at this fabulous chance to resurrect her career, she is determined to end her single status.  

Questioning her decision to leave each of three men in New York, Dorrie returns to the Big Apple for one more day with each. Was she hasty in her decisions to leave them behind? Will one of these men make her change her mind? Will her return to the past bring the love she is seeking or will loneliness propel her back into the arms of the one man who broke her heart? 
Read an excerpt from Chapter One HERE
            Buy the book HERE

5 comments:

Molly Daniels said...

I dreamed of being a ballerina, but it either wasn't offered, or I didn't make my wish known soon enough. I LOVE the reality show Breaking Pointe and would love to actually go see a ballet performed one day.

Jillian said...

lovely post. I also am a ballet girl. I love, love it. I took dance for many many years. Sadly, was much better at tap and jazz since I have "jazz hands" and not the graceful ballerina hand, but my first love has always been the ballet.

J R Salisbury said...

This book is on my short list. I tried ballet and failed miserably, but a sister went on to gain a coveted spot with Joffre (sp - sorry) troup/school in NYC.

morgan said...

Hi Jean,
Ballet is amazingly brutal on the body. Not that I ever would made a good dancer. Good luck with your book.

Carolyn Gibbs said...

Thanks for the background on ballet. I always wanted ballet lessons as a child, and took modern dance as an adult. I love all forms of dance.