See also category: Ballet masters
See also category: Ballet mistresses
'Ballet Master' (Balletmaster, Ballet Mistress. Premier Maître de ballet or Premier Maître de ballet en Chef) is the term used for an employee of a ballet company who is responsible for the level of competence of the dancers in their company. In modern times, ballet masters (or ballet mistress for a female) are generally charged with teaching the daily company ballet class and rehearsing the dancers for both new and established ballets in the company's repertoire. The artistic director of a ballet company may also be called its ballet master.
History of the position
Especially during the early centuries of ballet troupes and ballet companies from the 18th century until the early 20th century, the position of First Ballet master, referred to traditionally as the Premier Maître de ballet en Chef or more simply as the Maître de ballet, was the undisputed head of the company who acted as chief choreographer and Artistic Director. His duties included creating ballets, dances in operas, commissioning music, and purverying over the teaching of the dancers and style desired. It was this head ballet master who had the responsibility of the artistic directorship of a particular group of dancers or of a theatre.
After the early 20th century, primarily after the disbandment of the original Ballet Russe, the title has been used more to describe the master teachers/assistant directors of a ballet company, (previously known as Second Ballet master), with the head of a company being referred to as the Artistic Director.
Famous Ballet Masters
- Jean-Baptiste Landé (d. 1748) Ballet master in Russia, he is known as the parent of the Russian Mariinsky Ballet.
- Louis Gallodier (1734-1803) Ballet master in Sweden, he is known as the parent of the Royal Swedish Ballet.
- Jean Dauberval (1742-1806) Ballet master in France, he is known today as the Father of the Comedic ballet
- August Bournonville (1805-1879) Ballet master of the Royal Danish Ballet from 1828 to 1879 and the most prolific choreographer Denmark has ever known.
- Jean Coralli (1779-1854) Ballet master of the Ballet du Théâtre de l'Académie Royale de Musique who was born Jean Coralli Perecini in Paris of Bolognese parents.
- Filippo Taglioni (1777-1871) Ballet master of Stockholm from 1803. Born and trained as a dancer in his native Italy, he is known today as the Father of Romantic Ballet. Also a great choreographer and teacher, he was instrumental in the training of his daughter, Marie Taglioni.
- Carlo Blasis (1797-1878), Ballet master, work named Traité élémentaire, théorique, et pratique de l'art de la danse ("Elementary Treaty on the Art of the Dance, theory and practice").
- Jules Perrot (1810-1892) Maître de Ballet en Chef (First Ballet master) of the Ballet of Her Majesty's Theatre from 1843-1848. Maître de Ballet en Chef to the St. Petersburg Imperial Theatres from 1849 to 1859.
- Paul Taglioni (1808-1883) 'Second' ballet master of the Ballet of Her Majesty's Theatre from 1847-1848, Maître de Ballet en Chef from 1849-1851. Maître de Ballet en Chef of the Court Opera Ballet in Berlin from 1852-1866.
- Arthur Saint-Léon (1821-1870) A Frenchman who was Maître de Ballet en Chef of the St. Petersburg Imperial Theatres from 1859 until 1869.
- Marius Petipa (1818-1910) Maître de Ballet of the St. Petersburg Imperial Theatres from 1871 to 1903, 'Second' Ballet master from 1862-1871. The Father of Classical Ballet.
- Lev Ivanov (1834-1901) 'Second' ballet master of the St. Petersburg Imperial Theatres from 1885 to 1901.
- Christian Johansson (1817-1903) Coaching ballet master/master teacher for the Russian Imperial Ballet 1880 to 1900, particuklarly of the male students.
- Enrico Cecchetti (1850-1928) Ballet master for the celebrated Ballets Russes 1907.
- Nicolai Legat (1869 - 1937), Ballet master,
- Michel Fokine (1880-1942), Ballet master, choreographer of his Ballets Russes in Paris.
- Frederick Ashton (1904-1988) Ballet master, Choreographer, and Director of England's Royal Ballet 1963.
- Alexander Ivanovich Pushkin (1907-1970), Ballet master, Among their students they emphasize Mikhail Baryshnikov, Rudolf Nureyev and Farouk Ruzimatov.
- Kenneth MacMillan (1929-1992) Ballet master, Choreographer, and Director of England's Royal Ballet from 1970.
- George Balanchine (1904-1983) Ballet master and Director of the New York City Ballet, in New York from 1949 to 1982.
- María de Ávila (1920- ), Ballet master, was the creator of the Ballet de Zaragoza.
- Vera Shvetsova (1929- ), Ballet master in State School of Ballet and Choreography of Minsk (Belarus)
- Rudolph Nureyev (1938-1993), Ballet master and Director of the Paris Opera Ballet, Paris from 1983 to 1992. Before that, he enjoyed an illustrious career as a dancer in both the Soviet Union and in the west.
- Agrippina Vaganova (1879-1951), Ballet master was an outstanding who developed the Vaganova method.
- Anthony Dowell (1943- ) Ballet master and Director of England's Royal Ballet from 1980.
Gallery of Ballet Masters
 Filippo Taglioni, circa 1820 |
 Jules Perrot, circa 1850 |
 Marius Ivanovich Petipa |
 Lev Ivanov costumed as Solor in the ballet La Bayadere. St. Petersburg, 1877 |
 Jean Coralli, one of the creators of the ballet Giselle. Paris, circa 1810 |
 Arthur Saint-Léon. Paris, circa 1865 |
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 August Bournonville, 1841 |
 The Imperial Ballet's infamous teacher, Christian Johansson |
 Enrico Cecchetti, St. Petersburg, circa 1900 |
 Sir Anthony Dowell, featured in a poster from Cinderella |
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