Ballet - General Trivia Quiz

Answer: French

Although ballet originated in Italy, it took prominence in France in the reign of Louis XIV. The word 'ballet' comes from the Italian word 'balletto', which is a diminutive of the Italian word 'ballo' (dance).

Answer: Serge Diaghilev

Serge was a Russian art critic, born in Selischi on March 31, 1872. He mounted a huge art exhibition in St Petersburg, showcasing portraits he discovered on a year long tour around Russia. He went to Paris in 1908 and presented music performances, as well as also presenting a production of the opera "Boris Godunov".

In 1909 he was invited to return to Paris to produce more ballet and opera, which is when he founded the Ballet Russes. The company was founded in Paris, and later moved to Monte Carlo. All of the original dancers in the company were taken from the Imperial Ballet.

The company ended in 1929, concurrent with the death of Serge Diaghilev, but was revived four years later in 1933 as the Ballet Russe De Monte Carlo. The company operated until bankruptcy in 1968 brought a final end to a huge part of ballet history.

Answer: the Paris Opera Ballet

Nureyev was born on St Patrick's day, 1938. He is widely considered as one of the greatest male ballet dancers (or danseurs) of all time, although this topic is highly debatable. Rudolf famously danced with Britain's Margot Fonteyn. He first danced with Fonteyn less than a year after he defected from the Soviet Union on a Kirov tour to Paris, afraid to return home because of his sexual orientation. Rudolf enjoyed much success in the west, appearing in dance movies, TV shows (including "The Muppet Show"), and a revival of "The King and I", not to mention performing with countless companies across the world.

He died on the 9th of January 1993, from an AIDS related illness.

Answer: George Balanchine

George Balanchine was born to Georgian parents in St Petersburg, Russia in 1904. At age nine Balanchine enrolled at the Imperial Ballet School. Later on in life George Balanchine became Ballet master at the Ballet Russes. He left the Ballet Russes and formed the New York City Ballet. Balanchine choreographed countless works, many of which are still performed regularly in the early 21st century. George died of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease in 1983.

Answer: White Nights

"White Nights" was released in 1985. It told a story of a ballet dancer trying to defect from Russia. After his plane to the U.S.A was brought down, he is placed in an apartment with an African American man, played by Gregory Hines. He is forced to become a dancer with the Bolshoi again, but still wishes to defect.

The song in the film by Lionel Richie "Say You, Say Me" won an Oscar and a Golden Globe award.

Answer: 1990

Carlos Acosta was born in Cuba, and studied ballet at the National Ballet School of Cuba. He won many awards as a young man, including the gold medal at the 1990 edition of "Prix de Lausanne". Carlos danced with the English National Ballet, then moved on to the National Ballet of Cuba, the Houston Ballet, and later the Royal Ballet.

He has been a guest artist with many highly acclaimed ballet companies, and has choreographed his own piece "Tocororo - A Cuban Tale".

Answer: Les Sylphides

"Les Sylphides" was composed by Chopin. Aldolphe Adam composed music to no less then 14 ballets.

Answer: False

Hilarion is in love with Giselle. However Giselle falls in love with Count Albrecht, and although Albrecht returns Giselle's love, he is already engaged to Bathilde. When Giselle finds out this information she dies of a broken heart, and becomes a willi. Willis rise in a forest from dusk till dawn, and capture men who come into their forest and make them dance to their death.

When Albrecht is caught in the forest however, Giselle's love from her past life saves Albrecht from a terrible faith.

Answer: Moscow

"The Lake of Swans" was first performed in early 1877, by the Ballet of the Moscow Imperial Bolshoi Theatre, in Moscow. The ballet had a shocking reception with the audience, and the ballet was abandoned. However, in 1895 the ballet was revived by Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov, who changed the title to "Swan Lake".

The revival was originally performed at the Imperial Mariinsky Theatre in St. Petersburg, the revival is the production that has appeared most regularly throughout the 20th century. Many different productions of "Swan Lake" have been done by many different choreographers including Rudolf Nureyev, Graheme Murphy, Matthew Bourne and countless others.

Answer: False

The main female role in "Coppelia" is named Swanilda. Clara is the main character in "The Nutcracker".