Ballet dancer

For the song by the Twins, see Ballet Dancer (song).
"Ballerina" and "Ballerino" redirect here. For other uses, see Ballerina (disambiguation) and Ballerino (disambiguation).
Pierina Legnani (left) as Medora and Olga Preobrajenska (right) as Gulnare in the scene Le jardin animé from Marius Petipa's final revival of Le Corsaire, St. Petersburg, 1899. Legnani was named première danseuse assoluta of the Teatro alla Scala in Milan, and would later be named prima ballerina assoluta of the St. Petersburg Imperial Theatres. Preobrajenska became prima ballerina of the St. Petersburg Imperial Theatres and went on to become one of the most influential teachers in the history of classical ballet.

A ballet dancer 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.[1]

Training and technique

Ballet dancers typically begin training at an early age as young as three or four[2] 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 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 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 a day of rehearsals. Ballet is a strict form of art,[3] and the dancer must be very athletic and flexible.[4]

Three ballet dancers performing a grand jeté jump
Ángel Corella as Aminta in Frederick Ashton's version of the ballet Sylvia, 2005

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 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.[1]

Injuries

Monochrome Ballet Feet
Many ballet dancers end up with injured feet due to the size of the shoes or the use of their feet in choreography

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 is to make physically demanding choreography appear effortless.[5]

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 the hips. Such damage includes strains, fatigue fractures, and bone density loss.[6]

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 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 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.[5]

Class time is used to correct any habits that could lead to injury. If the ballet dancer is properly trained, the dancer will decrease their risk of injury.[7] 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.[8] These days ballet companies around the world pay 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.[7] The Australian Ballet invented a calf rise exercise to prevent injuries that is now being used by ballet companies across the globe. This exercise is often being featured during livestreams on World Ballet Day.[9]

Gendered titles

Ballerina

The terminology of professional ballet has historically been strictly gendered, reflecting the social and aristocratic hierarchies of Western Europe from the 17th through the 19th centuries. As ballet transitioned from an Italian court spectacle to a codified French art form under Louis XIV, titles served to define not only a dancer’s technical proficiency but also their perceived social and moral standing.[10]

In the 17th and 18th centuries, ballet was a male-dominated discipline. The premier rank was the danseur noble, a title reserved for men who possessed a refined, "princely" physique and specialized in serious, aristocratic roles.[11] Female dancers did not achieve professional parity in titles until the late 17th century, with the debut of Mademoiselle De Lafontaine in 1681. By the 18th century, the Italian school introduced the term ballerina (feminine) and ballerino (masculine) to distinguish gendered performers, though the French danseur and danseuse remained the standard in professional academies.[12]

The 19th-century Romantic era marked a seismic shift toward the feminization of ballet. The development of pointe work and the "ethereal" aesthetic elevated the female dancer to the center of the art form, leading to the creation of the highest honorific: prima ballerina assoluta.[13] Conversely, the status of the male dancer declined in Western Europe; the term cavalier emerged to describe a man whose primary function was to support the ballerina. In many 19th-century French productions, male roles were even performed by women en travestie (in cross-dress), further marginalizing masculine titles.[14]

In the 20th and 21st centuries, the industry has largely moved toward gender-neutral professional hierarchies. Most major companies, such as the Royal Ballet and American Ballet Theatre, now utilize the unisex rank of Principal Dancer or Principal Artist.[15] While "ballerina" remains a popular cultural term, its use in professional settings is increasingly specific to the highest rank, while "ballet dancer" is preferred as an inclusive, gender-neutral descriptor.[16]

Hierarchic titles

Dancers performing Paquita grand pas de deux entrée

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 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 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.

Changes in terminology

The Royal Ballet's Darcey Bussell and Carlos Acosta at the curtain call of Theme and Variations

The evolution of terminology in classical ballet reflects broader shifts in social hierarchy, gender dynamics, and the professionalization of the art form. Since its origins in the 17th-century French court under King Louis XIV, ballet has relied on a rigid naming conventions to define a dancer’s technical proficiency, physical aesthetic, and rank within a company.[17] These naming conventions were initially designed to mirror the aristocratic structures of the era, where titles carried specific weight.

Historically, the highest rank for a female dancer was the prima ballerina, a title that signaled she was the lead of her company. In some rare instances of extreme prestige, the superlative prima ballerina assoluta was used, a rank reserved for dancers of international renown such as Anna Pavlova or Margot Fonteyn.[18] The male equivalent term was danseur noble, used for dancers whose physical proportions and refined technique made them suitable for "princely" roles.[19] A danseur noble focused on the elegance of the dance rather than the more athletic displays of other male dancers.[20]

Since the mid-20th century, and particularly during the "ballet boom" of the 1960s, these titles have undergone significant semantic bleaching. The word "ballerina," which once denoted an elite soloist of the highest order, began to refer to any female ballet dancer, from a student to a professional member of the company.[21] This shift effectively stripped the term of its original hierarchical meaning in the public eye, though it remains a point of technical distinction within specialized academic circles.

In response to this generalization and a growing desire for gender-neutral professional standards, many modern institutions have transitioned away from gendered titles. Major organizations such as the New York City Ballet, the Royal Ballet, and the American Ballet Theatre now primarily utilize the term principal dancer to denote their lead performers.[22][23] Despite these changes, certain terms have remained surprisingly resilient to generalization. While "ballerina" expanded to include all women, the term danseur noble has not seen a similar expansion; it remains a specific designation for a male dancer of a particular classical style.

Historical rank names, women

Coppélia, 2010

More or less, depending on the source, the rankings for women—from highest to lowest—used to be:

Historical rank names, men

For men, the ranks were:

See also

References

  1. ^ a b Jonas, Gerald (1998). Dancing: the Pleasure, Power, and Art of Movement. San Val. p. 130. ISBN 9780613637039.
  2. ^ "What is the Best Age to Start Ballet? | CPYB". 26 March 2023. Retrieved 19 February 2024.
  3. ^ Sorabella, Authors: Jean (October 2004). "The Ballet | Essay | The Metropolitan Museum of Art | Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History". The Met’s Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History. Retrieved 19 February 2024.
  4. ^ Koutedakis, Yiannis; Jamurtas, Athanasios (2004). "The dancer as a performing athlete: physiological considerations". Sports Medicine (Auckland, N.Z.). 34 (10): 651–661. doi:10.2165/00007256-200434100-00003. ISSN 0112-1642. PMID 15335242.
  5. ^ a b Miller, EH; Schneider, HJ; Bronson, JL; McLain, D (September 1975). "A new consideration in athletic injuries. The classical ballet dancer". Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research (111): 181–91. doi:10.1097/00003086-197509000-00026. PMID 125636.
  6. ^ Turner, Bryan S.; Wainwright, Steven P. (24 March 2003). "Corps de Ballet: the case of the injured ballet dancer". Sociology of Health and Illness. 25 (4): 269–288. doi:10.1111/1467-9566.00347. PMID 14498922.
  7. ^ a b Royal Ballet School. "Healthcare and Rehabilitation". Royal Ballet School Official Site. Retrieved 16 February 2026.
  8. ^ Koutedakis, Yiannis; Jamurtas, Athanasios (2004). "The Dancer as a Performing Athlete: Physiological Considerations". Sports Medicine. 34 (10): 651–661. doi:10.2165/00007256-200434100-00003.
  9. ^ Mayes, Susan; Ferris, Amy; Smith, Paula; Cook, Jill (2018). "Sixteen years of calf endurance data: Different profiles in professional ballet dancers with and without Achilles tendon pain". British Journal of Sports Medicine. 52 (15): 9–10. doi:10.1136/bjsports-2018-099506.18.
  10. ^ Homans, Jennifer (2010). Apollo's Angels: A History of Ballet. New York: Random House. pp. 245–268. ISBN 978-0812968743.
  11. ^ Kant, Marion, ed. (2007). The Cambridge Companion to Ballet. Cambridge University Press. pp. 152–160. ISBN 978-0521539869.
  12. ^ Craine, Debra; Mackrell, Judith (2010). The Oxford Dictionary of Dance (2nd ed.). Oxford University Press. pp. 41–42. ISBN 978-0199563449.
  13. ^ Foster, Susan Leigh (1996). Choreography and Narrative: Ballet's Staging of Story and Desire. Indiana University Press. pp. 198–204. ISBN 978-0253212030.
  14. ^ Garafola, Lynn (1985). "The Travesty Dancer in Nineteenth-Century Ballet". Dance Research Journal. 17 (2): 35–40. doi:10.2307/1478078.
  15. ^ Greskovic, Robert (2005). Ballet 101: A Complete Guide to Learning and Loving the Ballet. Limelight Editions. pp. 54–57. ISBN 978-0879103255.
  16. ^ "Ballet Company Ranks". American Ballet Theatre. Retrieved 15 February 2026.
  17. ^ Greskovic, Robert (2005). Ballet 101: A Complete Guide to Learning and Loving the Ballet. Limelight Editions. pp. 46–52. ISBN 978-0879103255.
  18. ^ The Australian Ballet. "A-Z of Ballet". AustralianBallet.com.au. Retrieved 16 February 2026.
  19. ^ Grant, Gail (1982). Technical Manual and Dictionary of Classical Ballet. Dover Publications. pp. 31–35. ISBN 978-0486218434.
  20. ^ Kirstein, Lincoln (1952). "The Classic Ballet: Basic Technique and Terminology". Dance Index. 11 (3): 12–20.
  21. ^ American Ballet Theatre. "ABT Ballet Dictionary". ABT.org. Retrieved 16 February 2026.
  22. ^ Royal Opera House. "Dance Styles and Terminology". ROH.org.uk. Retrieved 16 February 2026.
  23. ^ Wulff, Helena (1998). "Ballet Across Borders: Career and Culture in the World of Dance". Berg Publishers: 25–30. doi:10.5040/9781350044142.
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