Corps de ballet

The corps de ballet ( [ kɔʀdəbalɛ ] French " unit group in ballet " ) is an ensemble of dancers at a theater that meets choral tasks, in contrast to the soloists who dance around Pas de deux. - In a broader sense, the term is also used for ballet companies and then closes all members of the company with a.

History

The stage dancing has evolved from ballroom dancing, which was part of general education, and only in the 18th century, gradually replaced by him. Therefore, dance ensembles are also in later ballets an image of the dancing courtiers.

That a corps de ballet dances exclusively and not more ( vocal or boastful ) met choral tasks, is relatively new in the history of theater. In the 18th century authors such as Jean Philippe Rameau, there are often simultaneously singing and dancing choruses. In a way, this tradition has received over the operetta away up to the modern musical. Up to the first third of the 19th century, such tasks were frequently, such as actors, met by the other members of the theater and still presuppose no sophisticated dancing skills. The composer Richard Wagner had in 1833 still participate in his contract as choir conductor at the Theater Würzburg the obligation, in the ballet on stage.

From the opera, the ballet has increasingly become independent since the beginning of the 19th century. Ever since then had become the head of the basic dance technique, it took for choral duties in specialized ballet dancers. Since then find ballets often held in the same building as the operas, but are separated from the operas. The "classic " corps de ballet, which operates in the background of the soloists, roughly equivalent to the professional opera chorus in the opera.

In classical ballet since about Giselle (1841 ) synchronous movements in symmetric groups from corps de ballet are called (cf. tableaux vivants ): harmony with technical perfection. Not outlandish, the appeal to the military corps of the 19th century: a perfectly organized and disciplined, attuned group.

Often the corps de ballet is structured in a hierarchy of functions, at the Paris Opera as in quadrilles, coryphées and related topics. At the Vienna Opera there is the division between dancer and mime. More often than Opernchoristen lead dancers of the corps de ballet also solo tasks. A climb from the corps de ballet to soloist was in the time when the dancers careers began in childhood, the normal way and it is still possible today.

Since the 20th century, the highly professional subordination and co-ordination of the corps de ballet has often been questioned. His anonymity often appeared contrary to the artistic individuality. Frequently it therefore individualized tasks are transferred and been reduced the gap with the soloists. The dance groups in modern dance theater are often extreme counter-proposals to the classic tasks of the corps de ballet.

• Ensemble Type (Visual Arts )
• Ballet company