:. Ballet.:

Another kind of art is ballet.T
he term ballet was applied to Renaissance dances of the Italian court. Only men performed, as any form of acting was considered disgraceful to women. Men dressed as women danced female parts. Though ballet is often considered French, the first ballets were danced in Italy. However, as ballet progressed, the French became the innovators of modern ballet.

French forms of ballet introduced ballet for both men and women. Female dancers were still rare. Many of the moves of the modern form derive from the French introduction of court ballets commissioned by Catherine de Medici in the 1500s. Because of the female dress fashions, the moves of men were more important than those of women. Women’s feet movements could barely be seen underneath their long skirts. Full skirts, elaborate wigs, and later corsets further hampered women’s dance. High heels worn by both men and women restricted jumping, as landing was precarious.

In the 1600s, professional dance companies were formed. Jean Baptiste Lully’s Acadamie Royal de Musique exists still, but the company still trained courtiers as well as professionals. Performances on stages radically altered ballet. Previously, audiences viewed dancers from three sides. Now, the audience sat in front of the stage, which meant changes to choreoghapy to showcase the dancers as viewed from one angle.

In the late 1600s, female dancers had become more acceptable. Two rival dancers, Marie Ann Cupis de Carmago and Marie Salle are credited with changing ballet for women. Salle raised her hemlines so people could see her footwork. Carmago concentrated on athleticism showcasing jumps, which were made easier when she removed the heels from her shoes
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Ballet was often a part of opera, which is now not the case. In the 19th century, the modern form emerges in La Sylphide. Romantic ballet is the first to feature dancers in toe shoes.Marie Taglioni is credited as the first to use en pointe. Lifts, jumps, and holds are characteristic of Romantic ballet, and toes shoes lent an ethereal quality to the female dancers who often portrayed fairies or other mythical creatures.