Difference between revisions of "Storytelling through Ballet and the Woman Behind It"
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Revision as of 13:52, 6 June 2017
The First Storytelling Ballet and the Woman Behind It
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Contents
Abstract
The goal for this milestone is to do a research report on the first recorded ballet in London, Pygmalion which opened in 1734 at the Covent Gardens which is now known as Royal Opera House, and the story of the famous dancer & choreographer Marie Sallé. This research will look at how this ballet, choreographed by Marie Sallé, started a new approach of ballet style and performance in London that is used today. In conclusion, this milestone will then telling the story of 'Little Marie' through her ballet poses and specific places throughout London that she visits. To help me with this milestone I will use my prior experience in ballet performance from lessons taken from kindergarten to 3rd grade. This experience will help me with ballet storytelling techniques to use for 'Little Marie' 's story.
Introduction
I suggest you save this section for last. Describe the essence of this project. Cover what the project is and who cares in the first two sentences. Then cover what others have done like it, how your project is different. Discuss the extent to which your strategy for completing this project was new to you, or an extension of previous HUA experiences.
As you continue to think about your project milestones, reread the "Goals" narrative on defining project milestones from the HU2900 syllabus. Remember: the idea is to have equip your milestone with a really solid background and then some sort of "thing that you do". You'll need to add in some narrative to describe why you did the "thing that you did", which you'd probably want to do anyway. You can make it easy for your advisors to give you a high grade by ensuring that your project milestone work reflects careful, considerate, and comprehensive thought and effort in terms of your background review, and insightful, cumulative, and methodical approaches toward the creative components of your project milestone deliverables.
Section 1: Background
Ballet in London
History
Not much history is given on the origins of London ballet. To start with
Pygmalion - The First Recorded Modern Style Ballet
Performance Summary
This first ballet performance was shown on the 14th February 1734 with Marie Sallé as Galatea and choreographer. [1] The music was by Jean-Joseph Mouret. The ballet plot was about Pygmalion, king of Cyprus, who carved a statue of his ideal woman and fell in love with her. [2] Aphrodite then brought the sculpture to life and Pygmalion married her. The name Galatea was the name given to the statue for this interpretation and other performances [2] This performance was put on when the Royal Opera House was called Convert Gardens before the second fire. According to an article on Marie, she danced in a muslin costume with her hair down and un-ornamented which emphasized her belief that dance should be natural. [3]
Dramatic Elements
The dramatic elements can be described at best through a review from a London corespondent of the Mercure de France:
"This is the theme. Pygmalion enters his studio accompanied by his sculptors, who execute a characteristic dance, mallet and chisel in hand. Pygmalion bids them throw open the back of the studio which, like the forepart, is adorned with statues. One in the middle stands out above all the others and attracts the admiration of everyone. Pygmalion examines it, considers it, and signs. He puts his hands on his feet, then on the body; he examines all the contours likewise the arms, which he adorns with precious bracelets. He places a rich necklace about about the neck and kisses the hands of his beloved statue. At last he becomes enraptured with it; he displays signs of unrest and falls into a reverie, then prays to Venus and beseeches her to endow the marble to life.
Venus heads his prayer; three rays of light appear, and to the surprise of Pygmalion and his followers, the statue , to suitable music, gradually emerges from its insensibility; she empresses astonishment at her new existence and at all of the objects which surround her.
Pygmalion, amazed and transported, holds out his hand for her to step from her position; she tests the ground, as it were, and gradually steps into the most elegant poses that a sculptor could desire. Pygmalion dances in front of her as if to teach her to dance. She repeats after him the simplest as well as the most difficult and complicated steps; he endeavours to inspire her with the love which he feels, and succeeds".[4]
Sallé in her performance as Galatea in Pigmalion dressed "...in this entrée without a pannier, without a skirt, with her hair all disheveled and no ornament on her head; dressed neither in a corset nor a petticoat, but in a simple muslin robe arranged as a close-fitting drapery, in the manner of a Greek statue.”[4] The tone for this ballet was romantic.
Reviews
At the time, ballet dancers would dress in extravagant costumes with corsets. This did not give freedom for much movement. It was unheard of what Marie Sallé did in this performance. Marie was complemented in many reviews for her success & genius in her decision & performance. According to a review from the Mercure de France: "You cannot doubt,....the prodigious success of this ingenious ballet, so skilfully presented".[4] She even got to perform for the royal family and court of the day.
One review about her performance said that, "Sallé had talents to open a thousand purses" [5] Apparently she could bring a lot of people to a theater and the theater made money. Overall, this performance was a breakthrough in ballet history with costumes and style.
Today
what is ballet today?
Performance Places
One of the beautiful aspects about ballet is that it has been performed so many places. The home of the Royal Ballet is the Royal Opera House where numerous ballets have been performed. The Palace Theater is
The Royal Albert Hall has also been the home of
Public Gardens have been used as ballet performance venues as well as ballet lessons. The Royal Palaces like .... can also be a place where performances can be held. In conclusion though, ballet can be performed almost anywhere that has a purpose to it.
Storytelling Techniques
what is the performance style today?
Costumes
costumes that are worn now?
Marie Sallé
Story
Marie Sallé was born 1707 in Paris, France. She was a daughter of a tumbler. [6] She was one of two children who both had a talent for dance. She made her first debut in 1718 at the St. Laurent's Fair in an opera-comique by Lesaye called La Princesse Carisme.[3]
In 1725, Marie went to London and performed in the production named Love's Last Shift. She stayed in London dancing in many productions then returned to Paris where she started at the Paris Opera. However, she quickly returned to London because she would be ridiculed for her ideas in Paris. She stayed in Paris from 1728 to 1733 then left to go to Covent Garden (now known as the Royal Opera House) where she choreographed and performed two of her greatest performances, Pigmalion and Bacchus and Ariadne which were both shown in the spring of 1734. [7]
After her season at Covent Garden, she renewed her contract with John Rich and danced for many operas & dance interludes between acts in plays. She eventually went back to Paris and after a salary raise, returned to the Paris Opera. During her time there, she produced, choreographed and performed in many different ballets which were all wildly praised for her talent, style & grace.
Sallé retired from the opera in 1740 with her final opera in Les Talens Lyriques. She died in July 27th, 1756. [8]
Style & Techniques
According to Encyclopedia Britannica, Salle performed expressive, dramatic dances during a period when displays of technical virtuosity were more popular.[8]
what was her ballet style? what did she introduce?
Influence
She was the first woman to choreograph the ballets in which she performed in. She integrated music, costumes, and dance styles with the themes of her ballets, a form that was not officially used in ballet until the ballet reformation in the late 18th-century.[8]
how did she influence ballet through her style & techniques?
Section 2: Deliverable
In this section, provide your contribution, creative element, assessment, or observation with regard to your background research. This could be a new derivative work based on previous research, or some parallel to other events. In this section, describe the relationship between your background review and your deliverable; make the connection between the two clear.
The Story of 'Little Marie'
Pictures of 'Little Marie' around London telling her story through ballet with a description
Conclusion
In this section, provide a summary or recap of your work, as well as potential areas of further inquiry (for yourself, future students, or other researchers).
References
- ↑ Pygmalion (1734), accessed at http://www.apgrd.ox.ac.uk/productions/production/13155 <5 June 2017>
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Reid, J. D., & Rohmann, C. (1993). The Oxford guide to classical mythology in the arts 1300-1900s (Vol. 2). New York: Oxford University Press.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Andros, D. (1991, May). Marie Salle, (1707-1756). Retrieved June 05, 2017, from http://michaelminn.net/andros/biographies/salle_marie/
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Mercure de France, A pril 1734, 770–72.
- ↑ Chazin-Bennahum, J. (2005). Reformers and Philosophes as Forerunners of the Revolution in Fashion. In The lure of perfection: fashion and ballet 1780-1830 (pp. 35-64). London: Routledge.
- ↑ Beaumont, C. W. (1934). Marie Sallé. In Three French dancers of the 18th century: Camargo, Sallé, Guimard (pp. 18-25). London: C.W. Beaumont.
- ↑ McCleave, S. (2008). Marie Sallé, a Wise Professional Woman of Influence. In L. Brooks (Ed.), Womens work: making dance in Europe before 1800 (pp. 160-182). Madison, WI: University of Wisconsin Press.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 The Editors of Encyclopedia Britannica. ( 1998, July 20). Marie Salle. Retrieved June 05, 2017, from https://www.britannica.com/biography/Marie-Salle
External Links
Marie Salle Bio
Victoria & Albert Museum - Origins of Ballet
Image Gallery
If appropriate, add an image gallery