# Information about ballet



## Sol Gamarra

Hello there, im new in this site and im not sure how to use it yet, my name is Sol, im a writer, and im interested on making a novel about ballet, i have search information about rehearsal and when are the open seasons, but, i could't find anything real, i mean, how many hours they rehearsal, how are they chosen to be the first dancer and so on.. I would really apreciate your help. In my novel, the character it's supossed to be the one who play Odette/Odile on The Swan Lake, and the Sugar Plum on The Nutcracker. Could you please help me?


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## haydnguy

Welcome to Talk Classical!

Talk Classical has an area specifically to make posts about ballet. Those are interesting questions you asked. Perhaps if the admin sees this thread they could move it over to the Ballet forum where the questions could be answered and be of interest in the future.


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## Sol Gamarra

Thank you so much haydynguy for answering me. I just made another tread on The ballet area. And thank you for welcolme me so polite.


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## Taggart

Welcome to the site. I've moved this thread to Ballet and deleted the duplicate. All the best.


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## Sol Gamarra

Thank you so much for your help!!


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## jegreenwood

A number of dancers have written memoirs about their experiences. I would start there.


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## Chromatose

I don't know much about ballet other that what I listen to but there are tons of hours of videos on youtube showing just rehearsals and warm ups of great ballet companies. You might also get an ear of the dialogue the instructors throw around at rehearsals. Youtube is a fantastic resource for any research.


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## Sol Gamarra

Where are those memorias? In this same forum? Thanks a lot for answering!!!


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## jegreenwood

I'm referring to book memoirs. I've read several books on ballet, but not any memoirs. But here's a list I found courtesy of Google. Not all of the books are memoirs.

https://www.bustle.com/articles/105...dark-side-of-dance-just-in-time-for-flesh-and


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## Sol Gamarra

Oh, i got it! I can't thank you enough for this help.


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## Sissone

Sol Gamarra said:


> Oh, i got it! I can't thank you enough for this help.


You could contact some ballet company,I am sure they would give you information you need.Otherwise It is great to write a novel about ballet.


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## Sol Gamarra

I already did, but, they didn't answered me yet, maybe they are afraid or something, wich is understandable.


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## Pyotr

Sol,

I know this is not what you asked for, and I don't know if you would ever consider doing a period, historical novel, but I've often thought that a novel about Marius Petipa, the famous Frenchman, who spent most of his career in Russia working for the Imperial Ballet Theaters in Saint Petersburg. As most of us know, in the ballet world he’s still considered a demigod and the most influential ballet choreographer that has ever lived. He’s credited with creating the pax de deux. I find his life interesting and I don't know of any movies about him were ever made. I could be wrong. I recently did a presentation of his life to a group I belong to and here are some of the things I mentioned(which I got from Wiki, can't tell a lie): 


•	Born on March 11th, 1818, in Marseilles , France, where his father, Jean Petipa, was a principal danseur, choreographer, and ballet master.
•	In 1826,the family moved to Brussels, where Jean was appointed principal danseur, choreographer, and ballet master to the Théâtre de la Monnaie.
•	In 1827, at the age of nine Marius performed for the first time in a ballet production of his father’s, while also attending the Brussels Conservatory where he studied music and learned to play the violin.
•	In 1830, all theatres were shut down due to the Belgian Revolution. 
•	In 1834, the Petipa family relocated to Bordeaux, France, where Jean had secured the position of ballet master to the Grand Théâtre de Bordeaux. 
•	In 1838, Marius was appointed principle danseur to the Ballet de Nantes in Nantes , France.
•	In 1839, Marius accompanied his father on a tour of the United States with a group of French dancers. Among the many engagements was a performance of Jean Coralli's La tarentule at the National Theatre on Broadway, being the first ballet performance ever seen in New York City. However, the tour proved to be a disaster, as many in the uncultured American audiences of that time had never before seen ballet. 
•	In 1841, Marius moved back to Bordeaux, France and attained the position of principle danseur to the Grand Théâtre in Bordeaux, where he danced the leads in major ballets including Giselle. While in Bordeaux, Marius began mounting his own original full-length productions. 
•	In 1843, Marius was offered the position principal danseur at the King's Theatre in Madrid, Spain. 
•	In 1846, he began a love affair with the wife of a member of the French Embassy in Madrid, who consequently challenged Marius to a duel, but Marius declined and quickly left Spain, never to return. The next year a similar situation occurred in Paris, and he had to leave paris.
•	In 1847, Marius moved to St. Petersburg, Russia, at that time the capital of the Russian Empire, where he became the principal danseur to the Imperial Theatres. (Jean relocated to St. Petersburg the next year, where he taught at the Imperial Ballet School until his death in 1855.)
•	From 1871 until 1903, Marius held the position of ballet master and principal choreographer of the Imperial Ballet (precursor of the Mariinsky Ballet) where he created over fifty ballets, some of which have survived in versions either faithful to, inspired by, or reconstructed from his original, including La Bayadère, Don Quixote, The Sleeping Beauty, The Nutcracker. In addition, he revived a substantial number of works created by other choreographers. Many of these revivals would go on to become the definitive editions on which all subsequent productions would be based, including Swan Lake, Giselle & Coppélia.


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## Sol Gamarra

Pyotr, thank you so much for being so polite, i really apreciatte any information, i will use it if the context gives me the chance. It's so nice of you to take the time to answer me. Thank you.


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## Sissone

Pyotr said:


> Sol,
> 
> I know this is not what you asked for, and I don't know if you would ever consider doing a period, historical novel, but I've often thought that a novel about Marius Petipa, the famous Frenchman, who spent most of his career in Russia working for the Imperial Ballet Theaters in Saint Petersburg. As most of us know, in the ballet world he's still considered a demigod and the most influential ballet choreographer that has ever lived. He's credited with creating the pax de deux. I find his life interesting and I don't know of any movies about him were ever made. I could be wrong. I recently did a presentation of his life to a group I belong to and here are some of the things I mentioned(which I got from Wiki, can't tell a lie):
> 
> •	Born on March 11th, 1818, in Marseilles , France, where his father, Jean Petipa, was a principal danseur, choreographer, and ballet master.
> •	In 1826,the family moved to Brussels, where Jean was appointed principal danseur, choreographer, and ballet master to the Théâtre de la Monnaie.
> •	In 1827, at the age of nine Marius performed for the first time in a ballet production of his father's, while also attending the Brussels Conservatory where he studied music and learned to play the violin.
> •	In 1830, all theatres were shut down due to the Belgian Revolution.
> •	In 1834, the Petipa family relocated to Bordeaux, France, where Jean had secured the position of ballet master to the Grand Théâtre de Bordeaux.
> •	In 1838, Marius was appointed principle danseur to the Ballet de Nantes in Nantes , France.
> •	In 1839, Marius accompanied his father on a tour of the United States with a group of French dancers. Among the many engagements was a performance of Jean Coralli's La tarentule at the National Theatre on Broadway, being the first ballet performance ever seen in New York City. However, the tour proved to be a disaster, as many in the uncultured American audiences of that time had never before seen ballet.
> •	In 1841, Marius moved back to Bordeaux, France and attained the position of principle danseur to the Grand Théâtre in Bordeaux, where he danced the leads in major ballets including Giselle. While in Bordeaux, Marius began mounting his own original full-length productions.
> •	In 1843, Marius was offered the position principal danseur at the King's Theatre in Madrid, Spain.
> •	In 1846, he began a love affair with the wife of a member of the French Embassy in Madrid, who consequently challenged Marius to a duel, but Marius declined and quickly left Spain, never to return. The next year a similar situation occurred in Paris, and he had to leave paris.
> •	In 1847, Marius moved to St. Petersburg, Russia, at that time the capital of the Russian Empire, where he became the principal danseur to the Imperial Theatres. (Jean relocated to St. Petersburg the next year, where he taught at the Imperial Ballet School until his death in 1855.)
> •	From 1871 until 1903, Marius held the position of ballet master and principal choreographer of the Imperial Ballet (precursor of the Mariinsky Ballet) where he created over fifty ballets, some of which have survived in versions either faithful to, inspired by, or reconstructed from his original, including La Bayadère, Don Quixote, The Sleeping Beauty, The Nutcracker. In addition, he revived a substantial number of works created by other choreographers. Many of these revivals would go on to become the definitive editions on which all subsequent productions would be based, including Swan Lake, Giselle & Coppélia.


Could not agree more, Marius Petipa - the greatest personality in classical ballet


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## valelediazr

*Ballet info*

Hello Sol! While in season, rehearsals could take up to 6-8 hours a day. It varies depending on the company. Also the ballet "hierarchy" would go as follows: corps de ballet, demi soloist, soloist, principal dancer , prima. Depending on the productions, companies organize auditions or if they see potential in someone they choose him/her. It is not always a fair system so a lot of bribing/blackmail goes on for obtaining higher positions.


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