History of Ballet and Techniques for BeginnersHow did ballet come about and what are some of the steps for beginners? To understand the roots of ballet, one must first look at the roots of dance in general. Dance has roots in early civilizations. People once used movements and gestures to communicate before spoken language was invented. Many terms and aspects of dance and aspects of ballet theaters originated in Greece. Ballet has a long history that leads to the current style and techniques taught today. The ballet began during the Italian balls held at the king's court. Particularly during the Bal des Ardents (Burner's Ball). A king dressed the dancers in flammable costumes and they caught fire. All but one died from burns. The dances began to be performed by a specific group of people dressed identically or in costume. This would lead to opera ballets which would give rise to modern ballet. In the 1400s, ballet masters, also known as choreographers, became known. They can be traced from documents of their works. Domenico da Piacenza, Maestro Domenico, always had his works transcribed. Domenico began to refer to dance as “dance” rather than “dance”. He did this because dance meant “dance with a varied rhythm” and dance meant “dancing to music with an invariable rhythm” (Greskovic 6). For English speakers, dance translates as ballet. The dancers who performed during these dances were amateurs trained by the masters. Masters created instructions for dancers that focused on body positions and figures (Greskovic 1-6). From that moment on, many different styles of ballet were born. Today, ballet is generally taught in studios. These studios are very spacious and have smooth wooden or vinyl floors. There... in the middle of the paper... pot again. This process is known as spotting and is very important when performing Chain Turns. Ballet has roots in ancient Greek theaters and Italian court dances. Over time, ballet has progressed. Today's ballet begins by learning the five basic positions. Beginner dancers will learn several moves and steps, most of which are listed above, which they will then build upon. The moves mentioned help dancers prepare for more advanced ballet. Bibliography "Ballet Terms". Ballet terms. Np, nd Web.Bussell, Darcey, and Patricia Linton. The young dancer. London: Dorling Kindersley, 1994. Print."Chaines Turns." WCS Practice. Np, nd Web.Friedman, Lise. First classical dance lessons. New York: Workman Pub., 1999. Print.Greskovic, Robert. Ballet 101: A Complete Guide to Learning and Love Ballet. New York: Hyperion, 1998. Print.