Ballerina

From ArticleWorld

Ballerina is a term used to describe the female Ballet dancer. It was first used to describe the leading ballet soloists in Russia and was basically a form of dividing dancer based on their skills. Rankings were created and they are (lowest to highest in importance):

• corps de ballet
• coryphee
• soloist
• premieres danseur
• ballerina
• prima ballerina
• prima ballerina assoluta.

There have been only two “Prima Ballerina Assoluta” in the Russian Empire:

• Mathilde Kschessinska
• Pierina Legnani

In Soviet Russia other ballerinas were given this title:

• Galina Ulanova
• Maya Plisetskaya

Needed Skills

As ballet evolved so did the standards for ballerinas. Dancing was not enough and there are several characteristics a dancer needs if she wants to be successful:

• Presence – the ballerina can master the best techniques and dance like nobody in the world. If she does not have presence on stage she will not be in the spotlight. Several elements such as grace and confidence are must haves and can be mastered by time passing and good training. Others like charisma for instance are natural. The dancer might have it or not.
• Energy – a ballerina needs a lot of energy and needs to pass it to the audience as well.
• Techniques – it is needles to say that a ballerina has to master all the techniques that can be used. She can learn them in Ballet schools and can master them only through intense practice.

The life a ballerina needs to be dedicated towards learning and evolving or she will not be successful. Several compromises and sacrifices need to be done. Talent is of course an important factor.