Ballet master

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Ballet master Jules Perrot , painted by Edgar Degas in 1875

A ballet master ( English Ballet Master , French Maître de ballet , Spanish Maestro de ballet ), formerly also a dance master , is an employee at the theater or a ballet company who is responsible for the skills of the dancers in the company and the quality of the execution of the Dances ( choreographies ) is responsible. Ballet masters usually train ballet classes on a daily basis and prepare them for current or upcoming pieces.

history

The dance master is originally a dance teacher and has been a kind of behavioral teacher for sons and daughters, like the court master , since modern times , when dance was of great importance for the education of the nobles . This is where the phrase “dance according to his violin” comes from: The dance master's violin was the dance master 's most important tool.

Because the ceremony of the royal court and the Court Theater were virtually inseparable until about 1700, the dance master for the arrangement of social events or were contra dances at the ball as responsible as for the dances on stage that were incorporated even to the majority in operas and plays . This dual function of the ballet master as a dance teacher for the high aristocracy and as a choreographer at the theater continued in part into the 20th century, for example in the person of Carl Godlewski at the Vienna Court Opera .

The dance masters until the end of the 18th century were responsible for the composition of the music and often the composers of the ballet music themselves. This tradition also lasted for a long time in entertainment theater, for example with Charlie Chaplin and Grock , who composed their own music.

There were numerous traveling dance masters who were coveted as advisors to noble and wealthy bourgeois families and were just as responsible for the spread of the latest ballroom dances and fashions as for the development of a ballet repertoire since the 18th century. These dance masters also wrote tracts and other dance instructions that sold well. The most prominent among them is Jean-Georges Noverre . Even Jean Dauberval or Filippo Taglioni were traveling dance masters. At that time, the dance master as the arranger of given dance steps became a choreographer with greater artistic freedom.

A traveler had a higher social position than a traveler . With the traveling dance and ballet masters, however, this demarcation was not always clear. Tanzmeister also took part in the traveling stages for the arrangement of the dances and tableaux vivants . Dance training was the basis for all stage arts. There was as yet no clear distinction between actors, singers and dancers and therefore only a few specialized ballet troupes.

Ballet dance became more professional in the 19th century. With this, the dance master could finally become a “ballet master” and rise from a teacher of social decency to an artistic director who hardly had to deal with amateurs or actors and singers who were not very advanced in dance. This high degree of specialization in the dance profession was counteracted by currents that began with François Delsarte and later led to expressive dance and dance theater .

Since the end of the 19th century, the position of first ballet master was also referred to as main choreographer , who in turn was a kind of artistic director . His tasks included developing dances, selecting pieces, making arrangements with the composer and, of course, training the dancers.

After 1900 the term Second Ballet Master was used to describe the rector or head of a ballet company. Since the term ballet master still has the function of dance master attached, independent ballet companies often have a ballet director today .

present

Today the ballet master at the theater is often subordinate to a ballet director. He leads the daily training, assists the guest choreographers with new productions, takes over the evening performance management and can also lead the rehearsals when resuming . His function corresponds in many ways to that of assistant director in drama and opera.

Ballet masters need great experience as dancers. Larger houses often employ several ballet masters.

Famous ballet masters

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Righteous dance master, or thorough explanation of the French Tantz art, consisting in three books ... , Leipzig , Friedrich Lanckischens Erben, 1717, 1176-54 ff. Reprinted Leipzig 1976 in the Documenta Choreologica series .

literature