7 February: Ballet Day

Today is Ballet Day. Here are 10 things you might not know about ballet:

1. While ballet is often considered a feminine activity, when ballet first originated in 15^th century Italy women were not allowed to dance in public, so all the dancers were men. It began as a form of entertainment in royal courts, often alongside operas and with elaborate costumes. Women were not allowed to dance in public until 1681.
2. King Louis XIV, King of France, was a keen ballet dancer. He frequently appeared in ballet performances, sometimes dancing multiple roles in a single show.
3. The word ballet is French, derived from the Italian word balletto, which in turn came from the Latin ballo, ballare, meaning "to dance". The word came into English usage around 1630.
4. The first full scale ballet was performed in Paris in 1581. It was called Le Ballet Comique de la Reine, which means The Comic Ballet of the Queen. It was arranged by the then Queen of France, Catherine de’ Medici, to celebrate her sister’s wedding.
5. Thank male ballet dancers are weak and effeminate? Think again. As I said, early ballets were only performed by men, at a time when graceful and delicate characteristics were a sign of power. In the 19^th century the view shifted and the stereotype emerged. Next time you watch a ballet, just look at how many ballerinas they lift in the course of a performance. One to one a half tonnes’ worth of ballerinas, apparently, the weight of an average sized car.
6. Dancers of both genders use up a heck of a lot of energy during a performance. They all have to be incredibly fit. During a full performance they use the same amount of energy that it would take to run 18 miles/28.9 km, or play two full football matches.
7. It’s also pretty tough on their Feet. Every time a ballet dancer jumps en pointe, three times their body weight is carried on the tip of their big toe. Not only that, but a professional dancer will wear out two or three pairs of ballet shoes a week. At least.
8. The leotard was named after Jules Léotard, a French acrobatic performer and aerialist, who developed the art of trapeze. If you want to know about tutus (chances are you do as I kept coming across a statistic that 60% of ballet audiences experience feelings of joy when they see one) you can read my 10 facts about tutus, HERE.
9. Rather than saying “Break a leg” as most performers do, ballet dancers have a tradition of saying “merde” instead. Which is French for “Shit”. This came about at a time when performances often included live animals on stage, so it was a warning to look out for the poo!
10. After the film Billy Elliot was released in 2000, there was a dramatic increase in male enrollment in dance classes. More boys than girls were admitted in the Royal Ballet School, which had never happened before.

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