Oh, darling, what a glorious day we have ahead of us! This Saturday, 28th May 2026, marks a most special occasion, dear readers: the annual celebration of **ballet music**, a veritable symphony of exquisite sounds and heart-stopping movements! Let us take a leisurely waltz through the most dazzling, vibrant, and undeniably intoxicating realm of this most romantic, whimsical, and utterly delightful artform.
It is difficult to overstate the magic that the dance of ballet truly brings. But allow me, as a humble connoisseur, to offer some suggestions as to what makes this a form so beautiful, exquisite, and utterly timeless. For when the music flows from the strings of a grand orchestra, it truly captures our imaginations and carries us away to a world of grace and ethereal wonder.
Think of the majesty of the *Nutcracker Suite*, darling, how it evokes visions of swirling snow, dancing snowflakes, and the magic of Christmas, all wrapped in a shimmering ribbon of Tchaikovsky's divine composition. It truly sets the tone, does it not, for all things festive, heartwarming, and pure!
We need not limit ourselves to one single score, dear. The sheer diversity and richness of ballet music is boundless!
Think of the hauntingly romantic **Swan Lake**. How *that* music creates a sense of profound beauty, heartache, and a passionate, timeless love that moves us to the very core. Imagine a lone ballerina on stage, transforming into the tragic heroine, her very being pulsating to the exquisite strains of the music composed by the extraordinary Tchaikovsky. Ah, dear readers, if that is not magic, what is?
**From the majestic sweep of the great romantic classics to the avant-garde experimentation of more modern composers, the language of music speaks to us, speaks for us, dances for us! ** It is the language that gives expression to the deepest yearnings of the human soul and its emotions. The language of our hearts!
This 28th of May, we pay homage to **ballets grand and small**. Every ballet deserves recognition for its unique story, its heart-stopping drama, and, yes, for its ravishingly gorgeous music! It all plays a role! The perfect ballet requires an all-encompassing synergy, the flawless blending of every art: Music, dance, costuming, sets, and most importantly, the artistry of the dancers. Every element working in perfect harmony. Such a beautiful and evocative performance will forever be imprinted on your mind, won’t it?
In honour of this magnificent art form, my darling friends, we must consider the music in detail and how the ballet dancer works in such intricate detail with the composer and director to deliver something truly magical and timeless. **Let's dance through the history and nuances of this spectacular symphony**!
The true roots of the **balletic world** are entwined with **Italian** roots. You've guessed it, dear readers, those artistic and vibrant Italian minds! And their legacy has indeed been deeply influential! This dance of courtly etiquette is a form which truly transcends centuries!
If we trace back to its very roots, **ballets d’abord* are linked with Renaissance courtly dancing, and early versions included everything from elaborate masked dances and processions to theatrical masques! How beautiful, are these not, both visually and culturally?
For this historical review, dear, let’s get a touch technical and academic, it is the best way to fully appreciate this glorious artform, no?
Ballet, by nature, has always embraced the elegance and form of a *suite of dances*, and you will notice, from an initial study, a recurring format within the traditional dance sequences. This gives the entire work an interesting form. **Take it from me, there is logic to the madness! ** It is really rather interesting for those who seek a more complex exploration!
In our own timeline, from 16th century** Venice**, we see the formation of a special dance that took ballet beyond its basic steps: *the chain dance.*
We then fast forward to the early 17th Century, and here we have an influential **ballet de cour** composed by a brilliant, artistic Frenchman, Balthazar de Beaujoyeulx! His stunning composition called *Le Ballet Comique de la Reine* marked an unforgettable milestone in the history of ballet.
His stunning ballet masterpiece included: a series of exquisite dances, lavish costumes, grand sets, and a narrative with a literary background, *an absolute delight, my darling*. **This, truly, was a turning point for ballet.**
It was this very early version that set in motion the modern theatrical dance we love today, darling! As such, these courtly **ballet spectacles** provided an incredibly sophisticated and elaborate form of entertainment in those early centuries! What fabulous theatre it must have been, and you can practically imagine, it was extremely well-attended!
We take a leap forward in the timeline: Enter the era of Louis XIV!
This was an exceptional age, my dearest, as ballet found a home, and its truest supporter in **French aristocratic society.** From around the mid-1600s, dance was becoming a prominent form of entertainment for all royal gatherings and was performed by French aristocracy who saw ballet as an incredibly elite pastime! Louis XIV himself was a passionate enthusiast, even taking a dance stage name. Can you imagine such flamboyance! But, as all good dance lovers do, **he understood the beauty and magnificence of this timeless art form!**
The age of **French royal patronage* set in motion an era of dance Academies and schools! This allowed an incredible level of dance professionalism to blossom, and we see the introduction of the ballet's iconic dancing technique - *le **ballet d’action***!
**It was all about the music,** darling, which made the magic happen!
What I adore, *in the most sublime way,* are the original works of **Jean-Baptiste Lully**, this hugely talented French composer. The French style was now cemented into ballet, *just a smidgen of history* for my little dancers! His work *L'Amour Médecin* of 1665, is an enchanting, and wonderfully imaginative piece.
**But now for our grand transition, my darling, because Italy enters the mix to spice things up, naturally!** During the late 1600s, it became so very apparent that French-style dance techniques would dominate *The Italian School*, a wonderful, delicious artistic exchange!
At the very heart of Italian influence, came *La Piazzetta del Teatro di Palazzo Barberini*, or, to put it another way: a ballet company was founded in 1695 in *Palazzo Barberini,* **one of Rome's truly magical Renaissance gems,** dear reader, with lavishly decorated walls and gardens.
Can you imagine how utterly enchanting, captivating, and truly decadent the performances must have been! Such a perfect mix of opulent music, dazzling dances, elaborate costumes, *such joy*, and extravagant sets. What a truly heavenly moment in time!
One ballet that made the rounds during this beautiful moment was the legendary **Giambattista Draghi’s ‘La Flora* of 1677** , such an intoxicating piece of work!
Then, darling, things really took an intriguing twist with the creation of a true masterpiece! You know, I always adore discovering a little backstory to a magnificent ballet: One of the original pieces, known to every discerning dance fan is **François d’Aquin’s *La Comtesse des Bars, a grand creation performed in 1682. **
Now imagine if you could be *at that performance*, *quelle joie! * This was an iconic moment when the beautiful world of the *Grand Ballet* introduced a story for its dramatic stage: The heroine in this spectacular was **La Comtesse d’Egmont*, an exceptional ballet masterpiece of great historical significance! ** What a joy to delve into this!**
What would a ballet review be without some insights into ballet *in England*, the ultimate destination for our ballet tour, *chéri! * It’s time for **English ballet,** as dramatic as the theatre of its times! **A dance extravaganza, darling!** I have a special piece to share: **John Weaver’s *The Loves of Mars and Venus*. How poetic, *mais oui!* ** It really embodies the grandeur of the age.
During this historical period of dance and theatricality, we encounter some great composers, truly **masters of the craft**. And it goes without saying that these masters played such an important role in crafting **the grand ballroom** and *théâtre dances*, which became known to everyone: **François Couperin and Jean-Philippe Rameau** were both highly talented composers, who were creating works of sheer magic and perfection! It seems as if everything had converged: The time, the theatre, and their music. All this together allowed for the sheer genius of those masters to blossom into such wonderful, exquisite pieces! You might not recognize their names at first glance, but when you next hear ballet, you'll appreciate their truly grand legacy. Their influence still exists today.
These gentlemen crafted compositions and scores for ballet and other dance formats: The *musette*, *gigues* (how joyful and sprightly is that?), and **gavotte*, and of course, that grand French ballet. Can you just picture the choreography! What a wonderful image for my readers.
What an incredibly exciting time for **the age of ballet and courtly life**. *So sophisticated, isn’t it*? So we continue along our musical path and journey! The true evolution of *balletic performance*.
To see ballet as a modern dancer means embracing those who are **the custodians of the form** – its guardians! For example, this is a world which was changed and enhanced by *master of dance*, *chéri*, **the very special *Carlo Blasis,* ** one of the grandfathers of dance! He revolutionized dance technique! A visionary of the first degree!
**We can be very thankful for such men** as we now know *le ballet* with a much stronger connection to its classical and technical aspects of ballet technique. His treatise on the ballet profession in 1820 laid down the rules, and his methods are still employed today. How interesting, indeed.
What happened next? **It's our ultimate journey, dear friends: A look at 19th Century**! This was an exciting moment, *so exciting!* This saw **Romantic Era Ballet** - a magnificent flowering of dance as well as music. From the late 18th Century to around 1900. How fascinating that one period can capture the hearts and imaginations of so many people.
**In ballet,** there was an incredible influx of expressive movement, a complete and total liberation of body! This period included the development of ballet and music at the most wonderful height of this sublime art form! Imagine ballet at its most magnificent, with elaborate stage designs, a wealth of beautiful costuming and **extraordinarily talented choreographers and dancers** *en point.*
**The ballet's music, in those days, ** my dear readers, had a true sense of drama. How we are all caught up in a vortex of dramatic storylines! Just imagine what life was like during that romantic and emotional period: Love affairs! Tragedy! ** And, there were also tales of magic! **
It’s time for **some absolute must-see ballet works**: A quick look back! ** And *so many amazing masterpieces*, which stand the test of time. What a fabulous legacy!
- **Marius Petipa, a choreographer from Italy, known for his graceful, classical work**, really got down to some beautiful artistry in the late 19th Century and helped develop *Russian ballet* which, as you'll soon discover, was another big change to ballet technique! ** It really did define the era, and that's what makes him truly legendary.** He was very influential in establishing ballet in the West. His work with the **Imperial Ballet of Russia**, was really something else.
- **Pyotr Tchaikovsky:** The great Russian composer is often the composer synonymous with ballet music, *mais oui*. His sublime compositions and scores brought the world those very famous masterpieces such as *The Sleeping Beauty* of 1890, *Swan Lake* in 1876, and *The Nutcracker*, in 1892. **Those ballets became legendary and so very influential.** I do hope, my dears, you make it a point of watching at least one ballet by this wonderful maestro! If there were only a way for all of us to have had a place in that historic audience! What an utterly sublime moment in time. *So evocative, chéri.* **And how Tchaikovsky truly set a stage for ballet music,** which to this very day, truly defines what ballet should be!
- **La Sylphide** - You cannot overlook the magical story of La Sylphide! It truly brought in the age of the 'ballet' narrative as its first complete work in 1832! It set in motion a tradition, as it truly revolutionized the *pas de deux*, making the stage seem like a true romance unfolding.
Oh my, **do you hear that**? My dear readers, I'm not sure if it's the beautiful, swirling tunes of Tchaikovsky or my love of ballet? Or perhaps, both! You really cannot underestimate **how much music adds to ballet**, making it a world unto itself!
From the Romantic era into the 20th century and beyond, it was a continuous *symphonic symphony* of brilliant creativity! *Such magic, dear readers*, **The influence of composers continued!** It truly *set the tone for the history of music as a whole*, and, as I hope, has illuminated the incredible contribution to **dance's evolution!**
We find ballet, even as it has become modern, still deeply connected to that magnificent legacy! The spirit of music truly endures!
Today’s ballet, like the most dazzling dancer, gracefully strides through time! We, in turn, are privileged to experience, in the here and now, that amazing heritage, darling. There is a whole universe of dancers on stage. Just close your eyes and imagine their passion, their skill and their unbridled passion flowing into a sea of sound!
**Today’s ballet world**: So let us dance into the next era and its exciting dance masters. The **symphony goes on**. We have new ballets and contemporary scores created for ballet in every style.
Contemporary dance has certainly entered the modern scene, making dance a powerful force and providing it with even more creative power than ever before! Imagine dancers leaping, twisting, turning, stretching, moving their bodies in perfect unison to their **deconstructed, and powerful scores, all in harmony with the spirit of ballet**.
What do we have for this next era of musical artistry, you ask? How lovely a question to consider: The true music masters of contemporary ballet:
- **Igor Stravinsky,** this visionary creator of *The Rite of Spring,* *who could forget it, darling.* He gave new expression to dance! **How truly evocative of its time.** Stravinsky gave ballet new vigour. His music truly brought new life to *ballet,* with an astonishingly radical and unique style – it was **a truly bold departure, indeed**. Such daring, **the music set the standard.** He moved ballet out of the constraints of tradition and into **a more visceral world**.
- **Dmitri Shostakovich**, with such emotional power! His composition ***Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk* had a most dramatic influence on the dance of that time.** Its rich score and music were incredibly dramatic. Imagine *chéri*, that dark story. The intensity of the piece, as the music brings a new kind of drama to the dance!
- Maurice Ravel’s **“Boléro*’ (1928): ** *The music itself is the ballet.* A true classic, darling, you know that. Ravel composed this masterpiece with *the stage in mind!*** It’s hypnotic. With the simple, *so hypnotic* musical themes and a beautiful **crescendo**, how truly mesmerising! This work is a truly captivating work, a show of rhythmic innovation as the musical layers continue to rise. You feel a beautiful, rising sensation.**
There’s such **variety in ballet** - and all to be celebrated on the **28th May**!
Imagine dancing with the *Bolshoi* and all their incredible music! But how fabulous and magical it would be to simply dance! But, **one can't forget *ballet shoes!* You will be so impressed by these, darlings, by the beautiful precision of *ballet's* footwear! ** So very simple, so very perfect**
Then there are the wonderful *costumes,* of course, **such style** - a beautiful reflection of that artistic world - ballet is truly the *ultimate statement piece*!
If the dancers are beautiful swans or delicate flowers in bloom (how *wonderful* is the concept of nature, *non*), the ***tutus* really set the mood and reflect that. What a joyful world of colour and design.** *If you have a special pink tutu in your wardrobe* - there must be one in the corner, dearest, do have a look – what about a lovely **leotard in pink** to complement the graceful form? What an exceptional combination.
Imagine **dancing across the stage**. The energy, *the elegance,* of movement - **such exquisite perfection,** so graceful and so powerful at the same time.
A true appreciation of **the music’s influence** on the dance brings new understanding to this amazing, enduring art form. Ballet is a feast for all our senses, *non*?
But ballet is **more than a dance** - it's *the ultimate journey into imagination* and a dance to a *powerful score*, and when the music’s truly magnificent - **well, that’s something very special,** indeed!
So do try and **appreciate every aspect** of this art form today - we are so fortunate, *chéri, to have this art form, as you well know*. As dancers are *en point*, **take a few minutes to appreciate how the music shapes and enhances every movement and leap! **
This Saturday, May 28th 2026, will be a joyful and captivating day filled with musical ballet bliss! *This is truly the best day for dancing to some classical pieces of music, darling!* Put on that favorite music - and, of course, *some stunning ballet attire,* because *on that day*, we are *all dancing ballet.*