Ballet Theory: Explained
By Julia Scarfe
Disclaimer:
This Information may vary between ballet schools and ballet styles, this article is based on my personal experience doing Cecchetti ballet.
The majority of people who see ballet immediately assume it’s easy. It’s not. It looks easy because the people you see on social media or on the stage have trained for years, if not decades to perfect the technique and musicality required to make ballet look easy, not to mention the fine art of keeping a straight face.
Thus far in this intro, I have been using ballet as an umbrella term, however there are several ballet styles, and despite all having the same basic components and movements; their methods, principles and even names of movements differ from one another. The style of ballet that I will be talking about today is Checcetti, a style of ballet created by Italian dancer Enrico Checcetti. Checetti style ballet focuses highly on technique and raw strength, as well as port de bras, which translates to carriage of the arms, and it is how the arms are positioned around the body to frame the face and create lines and positions.
Within Cecchetti ballet, there are ballet grades, which requires participating in a ballet exam to ascend to the next level. A ballet exam has many components, however there are two distinct factors, theory and practical. Theory involves knowing the names of ballet movements and positions in French, as well as the translations of the name into English. For example, in a ballet exam, the examiner can ask you to show them a movement, and you will then do said movement, name it and say the translation of its name. The practical part involves performing a series of memorised exercises, partly done with the help of a barre, a wooden bar to help with balance, and partly in the centre, or standing in a room. Ballet exams, however, are optional up to grade 6, and the student can just go to the next level without passing or doing their exam. A pass is required in Grade 6 to move up to Intermediate, and the same for all levels above Grade 6. These grades are used to determine the difficulty of ballet and the calibre they can perform at. The order of the grades in Checetti and the typical age/school grade of somebody in said grade.
Pre Primary: up to age 6, or year 2
Grade 1: Year 3
Grade 2: Year 4
Grade 3: Year 5
Grade 4: Year 6
Grade 5: Year 7
Grade 6: Year 8
Intermediate: Year 9, although this grade has much stricter requirements in order to qualify for this exam, such as a specific level of strength and at least two years on pointe, and a confident ability to demonstrate theory.
Advanced 1:Year 10, however the same requirements as intermediate apply, only with higher expectations and requirements.
Advanced 2:Year 11, however the same requirements as intermediate and advanced 1 apply, only with higher expectations and requirements.
Checetti ballet has traits specific to Itself too, that no other ballet style has. The primary example of this is within the theory and focuses on Port de Bras. Port de Bras is the carriage of the arms, it is the movements, positions and placement of the arms, due to the arms being crucial in creating aesthetically pleasing positions, as well as enabling the body to hold positions by assisting with weight distribution and balance. The Theory of Port de Bras is a crucial part in the intermediate ballet exam, where the student has to demonstrate and talk through the theory of Port de Bras and why it is so important. Port de Bras has 8 components, which I will now explain.
1. Positions.
In intermediate ballet, there are 4 Port de Bras, which are exercises where the arms move to create positions. Each Port de Bras has 4 positions each, which are designed to follow one after the other and loop infinitely.
2. Line
Line is an imaginary line created by the placement of the arms, head, hands, legs and eyes. A line can be curved or straight, and the line is used to guide the audience’s eyes throughout the position, and create an aesthetically pleasing performance.
3. Balance
Balance is found in symmetrical positions, which are pleasing to the eye.
4.Counterbalance
Counterbalance is found in asymmetrical positions, however counterbalanced positions can still possess balance and line, through the arms balancing each other out, ensuring the position is aesthetically pleasing.
5. Opposition
Opposition occurs when the placement or movements of the arms, torso and head, oppose those of the legs. This is used to assist with weight distribution and balance, particularly in jumps and turns, where balance is crucial.
6. Timing
Timing is where the arms move at different speeds to reach the same place at the same time, particularly found when moving from counterbalanced to balanced positions and vice versa. This is done to keep choreography moving smoothly and cleanly.
7. Pathways
Pathways are the paths that the arms take when moving from position to position. There are specific positions that the arms almost always pass through when moving from a low to a high position, and a high to a low position.
8. Centerline
The centreline is an imaginary line that runs vertically through the middle of the body that the arms must never cross in regular positions. There are, however, a few exceptions to this rule, being the arms in pas de chat position, romantic positions or opposed positions.
To sum it up, Cecchetti Ballet uses arms a lot, and there are a lot of words and techniques that accompany it. I hope you enjoyed my little yap about Checetti ballet, and at least learnt something new.
