Ballet, from the Latin word Ballare: to dance
Ballet is a great foundation for developing correct body alignments, posture and balance. It is also the discipline from which other dance styles strongly benefit. By using classical technique and moving through the music, ballet helps to build up stamina and strength as well as flexibility and musicality.
The Foundation of Ballet
Ballet dance works (ballets) are choreographed and performed by trained artists, include mime and acting, and are set to music (usually orchestral but occasionally vocal). It is a poised style of dance that incorporates the foundational techniques for many other dance forms. This type of dancing takes much practice to master. It is best known in the form of Late Romantic Ballet or Ballet Blanc, which preoccupies itself with the female dancer to the exclusion of almost all else, focusing on pointe work, flowing, precise acrobatic movements, and often presenting the dancers in the conventional short white French tutu. Later developments include Expressionist ballet, Neoclassical ballet, and elements of Modern dance.
The etymology of the word “ballet” is related to the art form’s history. The word ballet comes from the French and was borrowed into English around the 17th century. The French word in turn has its origins in Italian balletto, a diminutive of ballo (dance). Ballet ultimately traces back to Latin ballare, meaning to dance.