Balletomania is a term used to describe an extraordinary enthusiasm for ballet dancing, and balletomania resurges from time to time. During the 1960's and 1970's there was so much creativity, talent, vision and money that was poured into ballet dancing, and this era is remembered by many as the dance boom.
The newspapers were full of ballet, which is normally kept for the back of the arts section. Ballet dancing even made the front pages. Many outstanding ballet dancers defected from the Soviet Union and seized the world's attention. The most prominent defectors included Rudolf Nureyev, Natalia Makarova and Mikhail Baryshnikov. These ballet dancers sparked a renaissance in classical ballet and nonclassical items were reinvented. Suddenly new first rate ballets started appearing and ballet was the hip thing to do. A lot more money started to get poured into ballet dancing from the political sectors, and in America individual states created their own arts councils. Private organisations also gave generously to dance and dance education.
In today's times, Russian dancers can move to New York without too much difficulty, but before the fall of communism, it was unthinkable, as Russia did not allow prized ballet dancers, or even normal people to emigrate. When Russian dancers had tours to Western countries, they were under constant surveillance and were not permitted to go on tour at all if the government harboured suspicions about them. Ballet dancers also lived in fear for their families that were left behind in case the government retaliated against them. If they did defect, they faced never see their loved ones or their homeland again. Artistic freedom was carried out at huge risk, and also came with an enormous price tag.
Nureyev put male dancing in the spotlight again, and he had magnetism on stage. Makarova brought with her exquisite line and expressive phrasing along with brilliant technique. Baryshnikov brought with him astounding leaps and turns, that just happened so effortlessly.
Many great dancers of that time were overshadowed by the defectors, as they just brought new excitement and drama to the ballet dancing world. Nineteenth century ballets got a much needed boost, and new classics came into full production. Dance then came to our television screens and creativity was boundless and endless.
Robert Joffrey and the Joffrey Ballet revived important but rarely seen ballets, and roused audiences to political protests. The Green Table was one of the ballets revived, which was a 1932 antiwar ballet, and it was staged at the height of the Vietnam War. Audience members were moved to follow the dancers into a protest out onto the streets of New York to join in the demonstration.
For more information on ballet dancing, visit: http://balletdancing4U.blogspot.com
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