The Radical Balletic Enhancements of the Romantic and Classical Eras Throughout history, ballet’s evolution has been contingent on the cultural occurrences surrounding the art form at the time. From the passionate stories stemming from the Romantic period to the meticulously formulated stories of the Classical era, the central elements of ballet were crucially varied due to do societal context and time period. A Classical ballet differs from a Romantic ballet due to technological innovations, choreographic tendencies of the era, and influences from the outside world. Romantic ballet, which “flourish[ed] between 1830 and the late 1840’s”, focused on petite allegro, rapid footwork, and thematically emphasized escapism (Reynolds 4). During the challenging times of the European Industrial Revolution, families congregated into bustling cities, inducing challenging living climates for an abundance of people. Vast populations turned to ballet as a means of liberation from their …show more content…
The effortless and delicate appearance of a ballerina and the usage of pointe shoes, although they were technologically still in their primitive forms, brought a weightlessness and sense of flight to a ballerina’s dancing. Long romantic tutus which hid the knees stressed the sharp and articulated usage of the foot. These long skirts also led to more petite allegro dancing, lower extensions, and reduced jumps. A burst of new technology which arose from the Industrial Revolution vastly impacted the technological advancements from the Romantic period. Through the technical improvements, archaic candlelit theaters transitioned to a new era of gaslighting. This development in lighting aided in transporting the audience to new fantastical