On pointe
Ballet is a type of dance. But how do you pronounce it? It’s not said like ‘bal-let’ Instead it’s said like ‘bal-lay’. It is a French word, but it originated during the Italian renaissance in the 15th century, however it became really popular in France.
Ballet can be very strict and formal. There are many techniques used by the dancers during the performance. It is also very difficult to master these techniques and takes lots of practice. If it is done well it can be very beautiful to watch. Ballet through its dance, mime and music tells a story, perhaps stories with heroes and villains. Costumes play a very important role as well in ballet, as they help in telling the story to the audience.
Here’s a fun memory game which shows some of the different ballet technique’s and movements. How quickly can you match them all?