Ballet

Hello. Can you guess who I am. I am a gentle float, a happy leap, and a super-fast spin. I don’t use words, but I tell amazing stories about magical princes and dancing snowflakes using music and happy moves. I help dancers stand up tall and stretch to the sky. They can even balance on the very tips of their toes. Have you guessed my name. I am Ballet.

My story began a very, very long time ago. It was during the 15th century at fancy parties in the sunny country of Italy. People would dance for kings and queens. Later, a kind queen named Catherine de’ Medici brought me with her to France. A king there, King Louis XIV, loved me so much. He wanted everyone to learn my graceful steps, so he started a special school for me in 1661. It was called the Royal Dance Academy. As time went on, my dancers started to wear fluffy, round skirts called tutus. They also wore special shoes that let them dance on their tiptoes. This is called dancing ‘en pointe’ and it looks like they are floating on air.

Today, you can see me on big stages all over the world. I tell famous stories like 'The Nutcracker,' which is full of toys and candy that come to life. When you learn my moves, you learn to be strong and graceful. You learn how to tell a story with your whole body. Every time you twirl around in your living room or leap over a puddle, you’re sharing a little bit of my joy. I am a beautiful way to move, to feel, and to imagine. Maybe one day, you’ll dance with me, too.