Ballet in the 19th Century/ The Spread throughout the Western World in the 20th Century

Ballet grew as an art form even more in the 19th century. With additions to the school in staff and more students becoming enrolled, the art form was able to grow and Russia was able to spread its influence throughout the Western world. Dancers from different countries in the west came to Russia to dance which would influence ballet even more. The 19th century was a doorway for Russia to house ballet theaters and schools in order to allow dancers and choreographers to experiment and innovate which at other times, in other countries, it was not that easy to do. It was the one time that Russia allowed freedom of thought, ideas, and movement. Allowing dancers from other countries around the world to come into Russia to dance, created a way for Russia to take those different dance forms and mesh them together to create a new style of ballet which would then be known as the new classical tradition. Then in the 20th century, dancers, choreographers, and troupes including Vaslov Nijinsky, Georges Banlanchine, and Sergei Diaghilev, would bring the Russian Ballet to the West. The ballet would continue to be strong all the way through to the 1950's with the influence of the Bolshoi and Kirov Companies (formerly known as the Imperial Mariinsky Company). These companies would then tour the West and later the United States with dancers including Rudolf Nureyev, Mikhail Baryshnikov, and Natalia Markova where the Russian Ballet would become an integral part of dance throughout the western world. During the Russian Revolution of 1917, the influence of immigrant teachers trained in Russia became very important to the ballet as a whole. The Revolution contributed to the growth of the Russian Ballet throughout the world.

Sources:

  Webb, Shawncey. "Foundation of St. Petersburg’s Imperial Ballet School." Great Events from History: The Eighteenth Century. Ed. John Powell. Hackensack: Salem, 2006. n. pag. Salem Online. Web. 07 May. 2015. <http://online.salempress.com>.

Google Images: Kirov Ballet