Description
This article is from the Ballet and Modern
Dance FAQ, by Tom Parsons twp@panix.com with numerous
contributions by others.
4.7. Who was Noverre?
Jean-Georges Noverre (1727-1810) was a dancer, a choreographer, and
a teacher of dancers. He was also the author of "Lettres sur la Danse et
sur les Ballets" (Letters on Dance and Ballet, 1761). This was the most
important book on ballet published in the 18th century and probably one
of the most important of all time. In it, he recommended abolishing the
custom of dancing with masks and drew the distinction between "arqu'e" and
"jarret'e" (see question 3.23). He also urged that ballets included in
operas be choreographed so as to carry the plot forward. As any opera
lover can attest, this advice was not generally heeded. Indeed, George
Balanchine revolutionized dance in musical comedy in the 1930s by doing
exactly what Noverre asked for: the choreography in "Slaughter on Tenth
Avenue," for example, was an integral part of the story line in the musical
"On Your Toes." (This tradition was then carried still further by Agnes de
Mille in the musical, "Oklahoma.")
Noverre's birthday, April 29, is now observed as World Dance Day.
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