Stephanie Palma
DANC 164-51: Upper Level Beginner Ballet
A Classical Form of Art Transformed: Contemporary Ballet
When a person refers to ballet, it is common that the type of dance he or she is
alluding to is classical ballet. Ballet originated during the Renaissance in Italy in the early
fourteenth century. From Italian roots, France and Russia developed their own style of ballet,
and classical ballet reached its peak in Russia in the mid nineteenth century. (New World
Encyclopedia, 2016).This style is characterized by graceful, suspended movements with
balance and symmetry, including turned-out legs and an emphasis on elaborate costumes.
However, there is an entirely different side to ballet that many people are unaware of.
Although ballet was thought of as a strict art, granting little creativity to stray from tradition,
George Balanchine changed the face of ballet and aided in the formation of a style, known as
neoclassical ballet. Balanchine and Lincoln Kirstein formed The School of American Ballet
in 1934, which was the United State’s introduction to the art. Since then, the school has
evolved to become one of most well-known, respected ballet companies in the world.
Balanchine and his new method of ballet has impacted the way ballet is seen. People began
to realize it is not an outdated art form, but a complex style of dance that is constantly
evolving and straying more and more from it’s classical history, while still remaining true to
many of its basic steps. More modern choreographers, such as Alonzo King have even
