43-592: Pierina Legnani (30 September 1863 – 15 November 1930) was an Italian ballerina considered one of the greatest ballerinas of all time. Legnani was born in 1863, in Milan and originally studied with famous ballet dancer Caterina Beretta at La Scala , where she developed her technical expertise. Her professional career took off when she appeared as prima ballerina in the Casati ballet, Salandra, at Alhambra Theatre in London. She
86-533: A physician has determined that a dancer's feet have sufficiently ossified , and it is not uncommon for dancers to begin pointe work as early as age nine. Oftentimes dance studios require their dancers to have their feet x-rays and get their physician to verify whether the dancer's feet are ready for pointe work. Another key determining factor is strength in the legs, feet, ankles and core. Without strong ankles, feet and legs dancers are likely to hurt themselves once en pointe or be too weak to remain en pointe for
129-438: A technique that concerns pointe work , in which a ballet dancer supports all body weight on the tips of fully extended feet when wearing pointe shoes . A dancer is said to be en pointe ( / ɒ̃ -, ɒ n -, ɑː n ˈ p w æ n t / ) when the body is supported in this manner, and a fully extended vertical foot is said to be en pointe when touching the floor, even when not bearing weight. Pointe technique resulted from
172-404: A dancer's en pointe foot is placed so that the instep is fully stretched with toes perpendicular to the floor, and the pointe shoe's platform (the flattened tip of the toe box ) is square to the floor, so that a substantial part of its surface is contacting the floor. Proper technique is also evident from a dancer's body alignment, by visualizing a straight line that extends from the center of
215-410: A day of rehearsals. Ballet is a strict form of art, and the dancer must be very athletic and flexible. Ballet dancers begin their classes at the barre , a wooden beam that runs along the walls of the ballet studio. Dancers use the barre to support themselves during exercises. Barre work is designed to warm up the body and stretch muscles to prepare for center work, where they execute exercises without
258-457: A desire for female dancers to appear weightless and sylph -like. Although both men and women are capable of pointe work, it is most often performed by women. Extensive training and practice are required to develop the strength and technique needed for pointe work. Typically, dance teachers consider factors such as age, experience, strength and alignment when deciding whether to allow a dancer to begin pointe work. Pointe technique encompasses both
301-553: A female as a danseuse . In Italian, a ballerina is a female who typically holds a principal title within a ballet company ; the title for equally ranked males is ballerino . In Italian, the common term for a male dancer is danzatore and a female dancer is a danzatrice . These terms are rarely used in English. Since ballerino is not used in English, it does not enjoy the same connotation as ballerina . A regular male dancer in Italy
344-463: A high rank with their home company, and have subsequently been engaged to dance with other ballet companies around the world, normally performing the lead role. They are usually principal dancers or soloists with their home company, but given the title of Guest Artist when performing with another company. Well-known guest artists include Marianela Nunez and Kathryn Morgan . Ballerina means any female ballet student or dancer, although historically, it
387-403: A lot of attention to the prevention of injuries and a lot of ballet companies have in-house health suites providing facilities and expert guidance to dancers. Most ballet companies and ballet boarding schools alike also employ their own physiotherapist. The Australian Ballet invented a calf rise exercise to prevent injuries that is now being used by ballet companies across the globe. This exercise
430-556: A professional ballet company, offering job opportunities to graduates. There are different styles of training in ballet such as the Vaganova method , the Cecchetti method and the English style of training ( Royal Academy of Dance / The Royal Ballet ). Training does not end when ballet dancers are hired by a professional company. Even professional ballet dancers take daily ballet class to keep their technique in check and to warm up and prepare for
473-435: A proper ballet position with straight back and good turnout, pull up properly in the legs, and balance securely in a relevé that is perpendicular to the floor. Preparation for pointe work is a gradual process that begins with barre exercises to develop the requisite strength in ankles, feet, legs and core often known as pre-pointe classes. These exercises may vary in accordance with a teacher's preferences and if applicable,
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#1732859049328516-570: Is a person who practices the art of classical ballet . Both females and males can practice ballet. They rely on years of extensive training and proper technique to become a part of a professional ballet company. Ballet dancers are at a high risk of injury due to the demanding technique of ballet. Ballet dancers typically begin training at an early age as young as three or four if they desire to perform professionally and often take part in international competitions such as YAGP and Prix de Lausanne . At these events, scholarships are being granted to
559-639: Is called a ballerino . In the English-speaking world, boys or men who dance classical ballet are usually referred to as (male) ballet dancers. Often ballerino is used in English-based countries as slang. Ballet companies continue to rank their dancers in hierarchical fashion; most have adopted a gender-neutral classification system. In most large companies, there are usually several leading dancers of each sex, titled principal dancer or étoile to reflect their seniority, and more often, their status within
602-411: Is often being featured during livestreams on World Ballet Day. Traditionally, gender-specific titles are used for ballet dancers. In French and Italian, gender-neutral words for such purposes simply never existed (at least historically), and customary usage in English-speaking ballet companies was originally borrowed from those languages. In French, a male ballet dancer is referred to as a danseur and
645-478: Is often mitigated with lambswool or toe pads or by wrapping tape around toes or use gel pads that can conform to any one problem area. Choosing between cloth and gel, gel, only cloth, wool, etc. for toe pads is a personal preference for each dancer, but each style has its own benefits. Other exterior injuries include cuts caused by toenails piercing adjacent toes. This can be prevented by keeping toe nails cut short and filed smooth. Also, calluses may form on
688-419: Is to make physically demanding choreography appear effortless. The upper body of a ballet dancer is prone to injury because choreography and class exercises require them to exert energy into contorting their backs and hips. Back bends cause the back to pinch, making the spine vulnerable to injuries such as spasms and pinched nerves. Extending the legs and holding them in the air while turned out causes damage to
731-606: Is used in this sense at the Scala ballet company in Milan, but has a different meaning at the Paris Opera Ballet ). The title or rank of prima ballerina assoluta was originally inspired by the Italian ballet masters of the early Romantic ballet and was bestowed on a ballerina who was considered to be exceptionally talented, above the standard of other leading ballerine . The title
774-438: Is very rarely used today and recent uses have typically been symbolic, in recognition of a notable career; as a result, it is commonly viewed as an honour rather than an active rank. More or less, depending on the source, the rankings for women—from highest to lowest—used to be: For men, the ranks were: Pointe Pointe technique ( / p w æ n t / pwant ) is part of classical ballet involving
817-515: Is widely reputed to be the first ballerina to perform 32 fouettés en tournant in the coda of the Grand Pas d'action of the ballet Cinderella . The execution of 32 turns on pointe is a bravura achievement emphasizing the dancer's strength and technique. A sequence of 32 fouetté turns was later choreographed into the Black Swan solo in act 3 of Swan Lake and is still used to this day. Legnani
860-400: The ballet dancer is properly trained, the dancer will decrease their risk of injury. Some ballet dancers also turn to stretching or other methods of cross training , like Pilates , yoga , non impact cardio, and swimming. This outside training, attempts to minimize the risk of bodily damage by increasing strength, exercise diversity, and stamina. These days ballet companies around the world pay
903-701: The barre. Center work in the middle of the room starts out with slower exercises, gradually leading up to faster exercises and larger movements. Ballet dancers finish center work practicing big leaps across the floor, which is called grande allegro. Daily ballet class at a professional ballet company is a popular annual feature which is being livestreamed each year during World Ballet Day. After center work, females present exercises on pointe , wearing pointe shoes. Males practice jumps and turns. They may practice partner work together. Ballet dancers are susceptible to injury because they are constantly putting strain and stress on their bodies and their feet. A ballet dancer's goal
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#1732859049328946-604: The bottoms and sides of the feet, which can crack open. This can be helped by the use of gel pad protectors on specific problem spots or using pads to surround the toes. Ingrown nails can result from ill-fitting shoes. Ultimately, dancing on the tips of the toes is unnatural, painful and potentially harmful. Every other activity of the human foot, walking, running, jumping, has been part of its evolutionary journey from arboreal to bipedal locomotion - dancing en pointe has not. Further, pointe shoes are symmetrical, there are no lefts and rights. The toes have to flex inwards to conform to
989-478: The box of the shoes, and avoiding sickling . Problems dealing with technique can be easily fixed by proper training and one-on-one interactions with the dance instructor to improve the dancer's technique. Injuries due to toe misalignment are often avoided by adjusting toe alignments with gel toe spacers . Toenail bruising can be caused by heavy pressure on the surface of the nail. This is typically prevented by keeping toenails clipped short, by wrapping tape around
1032-622: The company. The most common rankings in English are: Some ballet companies also run a separate company for their youngest recruits. Such is the case with the Dutch National Ballet which has launched the Junior Company, which at times also tours and performs separately. The UK-based Royal Ballet runs the Aud Jebsen Young Dancers Programme. Dancers who are identified as a guest artist are usually those who have achieved
1075-462: The duration of a routine. Strong core strength ensures the dancer maintains their center and prevents them from rolling their feet when dancing en pointe. Otherwise ballet students are generally ready to begin pointe work after achieving competency in fundamental ballet technique and have been dancing for a number of years. For example, before learning pointe work, a dancer must be able to maintain turnout while performing center combinations, hold
1118-520: The feet are often too soft prior to that age and in such cases serious and permanent foot injuries could result from starting pointe work too early. While some students start pointe work at the age of ten or eleven, this should only be practised by highly accomplished and experienced students. The long bones in feet begin to harden between the ages of 8 and 14; dancing en pointe before one's bones have hardened can lead to trauma and growth-plate fractures that create deformed feet. Exceptions may be made if
1161-624: The floor or in demi-pointe (heels raised). In the sauté method, the dancer springs up and lands en pointe. In the process, the feet break contact with the floor and the dancer is briefly airborne. To transition to en pointe via piqué , a dancer will step out directly onto a fully extended, vertical foot. The other foot is then raised from the floor, thereby leaving the dancer en pointe. Modern ballet technique incorporates all three transition methods. Relevé and piqué transitions are typically used for adages , where strength, poise and controlled movements are highlighted. The more abrupt sauté method, which
1204-413: The hip through the toes. When a properly aligned dancer is viewed from the side, the line passes through the knee, ankle joint and big toe joints. When viewed from the front, the line passes through the knee, ankle joint and the joints of the second toe or middle toe or the area between those toe joints. In cases of unusually high instep or metatarsal joint flexibility, it is sometimes necessary to flex
1247-437: The hips rather than the knees) it should increase flexibility and reduce pressure on the knees. Meniscal tears and dislocations can happen at the knees when positioned incorrectly because it is easy to let the knees slide forward while turned out in first position. Ballet dancer's feet are prone to fractures and other damage. Landing incorrectly (not through the foot, with knees bent) from jumps and dancing on pointe may increase
1290-445: The hips. Such damage includes strains, fatigue fractures, and bone density loss. Injuries are common in ballet dancers because ballet consists of putting the body in unnatural positions. One such position is first position , in which the heels are placed together as the toes point outward, rotating, or "turning out" the legs. If First Position is done incorrectly it can cause knee problems, however, when done correctly (turning out with
1333-522: The material required for pointe. Dancing en pointe stresses the feet in various ways and thus can potentially cause injuries if the dancer does not plan ahead or take into account health and safety concerns. Injuries can result from improper technique, poorly fitting pointe shoes, and lack of effective cushioning and accessories. Some types of injuries are prevented by adhering to proper technique such as: correct upper-body positioning, maintaining straight knees when required, keeping body weight centered over
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1376-503: The mechanical and artistic aspects of pointe work. In particular, it is concerned with body alignment, placement of the feet and the manner in which a dancer transitions to and from en pointe. A dancer is said to have "good" or "proper" technique when in conformance with the best practices of pointe technique, which in turn are generally referred to as proper technique . En pointe dancers employ pointe technique to determine foot placement and body alignment. When exhibiting proper technique,
1419-637: The most talented dancers, enabling them to continue their training at renowned ballet schools around the world, such as the John Kranko Schule in Germany and the Académie de Danse Classique Princesse Grace in Monaco. Pre-professional ballet dancers can audition to enroll at a vocational ballet school such as The Royal Ballet School or Elmhurst Ballet School . These types of ballet boarding schools often cooperate with
1462-402: The risk of broken bones and weakened ankles where care and attention is not taken by a conscientious teacher or student. Tendonitis is common in female ballet dancers because pointe work is strenuous on their ankles. Landing from jumps incorrectly may also lead to shin splints , in which the muscle separates from the bone. Class time is used to correct any habits that could lead to injury. If
1505-753: The title diva in opera. The male version of this term is danseur noble (in French), although since the 1960s, the term has lost its hierarchical meaning and is applied generally to women who are ballet dancers. As used in Italy, the terms ballerino (a male dancer, usually in ballet) and ballerina do not imply the accomplished and critically acclaimed dancers once meant by the terms ballerina and danseur noble as they were used in English; rather, they simply mean one who dances ballet. Italian terms that do convey an accomplished female ballet dancer are prima ballerina and prima ballerina assoluta (the French word étoile
1548-455: The toes to achieve proper alignment. A dancer may transition to en pointe by any of three possible methods: relevé, sauté or piqué. In the relevé method, the dancer rises smoothly by rotating the foot downward until it reaches a fully extended, vertical orientation while the toe box remains in contact with the floor, thus "rolling up" on the foot. This may be done either gradually or rapidly, on one foot or both feet, beginning with feet flat on
1591-436: The toes, and the use of ballet technique while en pointe. Dancers typically take pre-pointe lessons for a year before they are allowed to get pointe shoes. However, it is at the discretion of the dance instructor to determine if one year of pre-pointe is sufficient or if the dancer needs more time to prepare. Hence, it is quite common for students to take two or even three years of pre-pointe in order to properly assimilate all
1634-411: The toes, by using padding, or combinations of these. Bruising can also occur on the tips of the toes, especially when no padding is used. It is highly unadvised to dance en pointe without padding. Pointe work can cause friction between toes and the interior of the pointe shoe's box. This friction, under the high pressure of much of the dancer's body weight, can result in chafing and blistering . This
1677-485: The training method's syllabus . The first exercises at the barre are usually relevés and échappés . When the student is comfortable executing these steps on both feet and sufficiently strong, steps ending on one en pointe foot are introduced such as pas de bourrée and retiré. During each class session, a student will move on to centre exercises after completing the barre work. These exercises emphasize various aspects of ballet technique such as: turnout , pointing of
1720-490: Was introduced by Enrico Cecchetti, is typically used in allegros , where the relatively slow and smooth relevé and piqué transitions would be both impractical and visually inconsistent with the lively pace of movement. The sauté method is more common in Russian ballet . Although age is not necessarily a prerequisite, many ballet students do not begin to dance en pointe earlier than approximately 12–14 years of age because bones in
1763-456: Was once a rank given only to the most exceptional female soloists . As late as the 1950s a ballerina was the principal female dancer of a ballet company who was also very accomplished in the international world of ballet, especially beyond her own company; female dancers who danced ballet were then called danseuses or simply ballet dancers—that is, ballerina was a critical accolade bestowed on relatively few female dancers, somewhat similar to
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1806-646: Was one of only two ballet dancers appointed prima ballerina assoluta at the Maryinsky Theatre. Her last performance was in the Minkus/Petipa ballet La Camargo on 28 January 1901, after which she retired to live in her villa at Lake Como . After retiring from the stage she lived in Italy and served on the examining board of La Scala Ballet School until 4 months before her death. She died on 15 November 1930, aged 67. Ballets of Marius Petipa featuring Pierina Legnani: Ballet dancer A ballet dancer
1849-517: Was titled prima ballerina for La Scala in 1892, before moving to St Petersburg in 1892, where she reached fame dancing with the Imperial Ballet at the Maryinsky Theatre until 1901. Under the direction of famous ballet choreographer Marius Petipa , Legnani originated numerous roles including, Cinderella in 1893, Swan Lake in 1895, Raymonda in 1898, and La Camargo in 1901. She
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