French school of ballet
Classical ballet's institutional roots lie in France. Louis XIV, who danced in court ballets until 1670, founded the Académie Royale de Danse in 1661 to raise the standard of dance teaching. Pierre Beauchamp, its director from 1671, is traditionally credited with codifying the five positions of the feet, and Beauchamp–Feuillet notation was published in 1700.
The Paris Opera, whose privilege dates from 1669, brought professional dancers to the stage; Mademoiselle de La Fontaine became its first professional ballerina in 1681. The company's school, the École de Danse, opened in 1713. Today the Opéra national de Paris performs mainly at the Palais Garnier, in use since 1875.
Sources
- Wikipedia: Paris Opera Ballet
- Encyclopedia.com: The Rise of the Ballet in France
- Wikipedia: Pierre Beauchamp
- Opéra national de Paris (official site)
Organisations connected with this dance
- Opéra national de Paris (Paris Opera Ballet and École de Danse)
- Bibliothèque-musée de l'Opéra (BnF)
- Conservatoire national supérieur de musique et de danse de Paris
Listed as references; being listed is not an endorsement by or of the organisation.