Ballet Anyone?

And, speaking of Audrey Hepburn (yesterday’s post) whose first love was ballet, do you think you know where ballet first started? France, maybe Italy or Russia?

You’d be forgiven for assuming ballet originated in France — after all, virtually all of the primary positions and movements in ballet have French names, like plié and jeté.

But ballet’s beginnings, according to Britanica, date back to the Italian Renaissance, where ballerinas performed at the royal court.

The shift from Italy to France happened after Catherine de Médici married Henry II of France in 1533 and brought the art with her. Ballets were often performed with members of the court themselves, with the dancers playing supporting (and often comical) roles.

Italy still has a major claim to fame when it comes to ballet however: Milan’s Teatro de La Scala is one of the premier ballet companies in the world.

Love these little pearls…..so very interesting. They certainly add to life’s abundance and joy!