Ballet, the foundation of nearly all modern dance styles, has a long and interesting history. The roots of modern ballet can be traced back to the court dances and spectacles of the 15th and 16th century. Check out this article on the history of ballet by Core of Culture, a non-profit dedicated to safeguarding intangible world culture and assuring the continuity of ancient dance traditions where they originate.
The Royal Ballet of the Dowager of Bilbao’s Grand Ball, 1626
King Louis XIV in Ballet de la nuite, 1653
Ballet Costume, 1770
Tchaikovsky’s Sleeping Beauty, 1890
Russian ballerina Mathilde Kschessinskaya in “The Talisman” at Mariinsky Theatre, St. Petersburg, Russia, 1905
Raisa Struchkova in Sleeping Beauty, 1954
Misty Copeland, 2016