第十一篇 The Development of Ballet
Ballet is a dance form that has a long history. The fact that it survives to this day shows that it has adjusted as times have changed.
Ballet began in the royal courts during the Renaissance. At that time it became common for kings and queens, as well as other nobility, to participate in pageants that included music, poetry, and dance. As these entertainments moved from the Italian courts to the French ones, court ladies began participating in them. Though their long dresses prevented much movement, they were able to perform elaborate walking patterns. It was not until the 1600s that women dancers shortened their skirts, changed to flat shoes, and began doing some of the leaps and turns performed by men.
It was also in the 1600s that professional ballet began. King Louis XIV of France, himself a devoted dancer, founded the Royal Academy of Dance. The five basic feet positions from which all ballet steps begin were finalized. In the late 1700s another important change occurred. Ballet began to tell a story on its own. It was no longer simply dance to be performed between acts of plays. Elaborate wigs and costumes were eliminated. By the early 1800s dancers learned to rise on their toes to make it appear that they were floating.
Classical ballet as we know it today was influenced primarily by Russian dancing. The Russians remained interested in ballet when it declined in other European countries in the mid - 1800s. One of the most influential figures of the early 20th century was Sergei Diaghilev. His dance company, the Ballets Russes, brought a new energy and excitement to ballet. One of his chief assistants, George Balanchine, went on to found the New York City Ballet in 1948 and to influence new generations of dancers.
練習(xí)：
1. This passage deals mainly with
A) famous names in ballet
B) French versus Russian ballet
C) the way ballet developed
D) why ballet is no longer popular
2. An important influence in early ballet was
A) Balanchine
B) Marie Antoinette
C) Diaghilev
D) Louis XIV
3. You can conclude from this passage that ballet
A) is a dying art
B) will continue to change as new people and ideas influence it
C) is only currently performed in Russia and the United States
D) is often performed by dancers with little training
4. The information in this passage is presented
A) through the story of one dancer
B) by describing various positions and steps
C) by listing reasons why ballet has succeeded
D) in chronological order
5. The word pageants means
A) dances
B ) instructors
C) kings
D) elaborate shows
【答案】
1. C 2. D 3. B 4. D 5. D
【譯文】
第十一篇芭蕾舞的發(fā)展
芭蕾舞是一種歷史悠久的舞蹈形式。事實(shí)上芭蕾舞延續(xù)至今說(shuō)明了其隨著時(shí)代的變化而有所調(diào)整。
在文藝復(fù)興時(shí)期，芭蕾舞開(kāi)始于皇家宮廷。在那時(shí)，芭蕾舞在國(guó)王、王后以及貴族之間變得普遍，并且與音樂(lè)、詩(shī)歌以及舞蹈一起參與盛會(huì)的表演。當(dāng)這些娛樂(lè)形式從意大利宮廷流傳到法國(guó)宮廷的時(shí)候，宮女們開(kāi)始參與進(jìn)來(lái)。雖然她們的長(zhǎng)裙子阻礙了很多的動(dòng)作，但是她們能夠表演復(fù)雜的步伐。直到17 世紀(jì)女舞者縮短了她們的裙子，改穿平底鞋，并且開(kāi)始做一些男舞者表演的跳躍和轉(zhuǎn)圈動(dòng)作。
而且也是在17 世紀(jì)，專業(yè)的芭蕾舞舞蹈團(tuán)應(yīng)運(yùn)而生。法國(guó)國(guó)王路易十四建立了皇家舞蹈學(xué)院，而他本身就是一個(gè)芭蕾舞愛(ài)好者。由此正式確定了腳的5 個(gè)基本位置，這5 個(gè)外開(kāi)的位置成為發(fā)展芭蕾舞技術(shù)的基礎(chǔ)。18 世紀(jì)末，發(fā)生了另一個(gè)重要的改變。芭蕾舞開(kāi)始通過(guò)自己的表演來(lái)講述故事。它再也不僅僅是幕間表演的插舞。精致的假發(fā)和服裝被淘汰。在19 世紀(jì)初，舞者學(xué)會(huì)了用腳尖站立使其看起來(lái)像是在漂浮。
正如我們所知，現(xiàn)如今古典芭蕾主要受到了俄羅斯舞蹈的影響。在19 世紀(jì)中葉，當(dāng)歐洲其他國(guó)家對(duì)于芭蕾舞的興趣有所減少時(shí)，俄羅斯人始終保持著對(duì)芭蕾舞的興趣。在20 世紀(jì)初，最有影響力的人物之一便是謝爾蓋·基列夫。他的舞蹈公司俄羅斯芭蕾舞團(tuán)，為芭蕾帶來(lái)了新的動(dòng)力與活力。他的主要助手之一，喬治·巴蘭欽，在1948 年建立了紐約市芭蕾舞舞蹈團(tuán)并影響了新一代的舞者。
Ballet is a dance form that has a long history. The fact that it survives to this day shows that it has adjusted as times have changed.
Ballet began in the royal courts during the Renaissance. At that time it became common for kings and queens, as well as other nobility, to participate in pageants that included music, poetry, and dance. As these entertainments moved from the Italian courts to the French ones, court ladies began participating in them. Though their long dresses prevented much movement, they were able to perform elaborate walking patterns. It was not until the 1600s that women dancers shortened their skirts, changed to flat shoes, and began doing some of the leaps and turns performed by men.
It was also in the 1600s that professional ballet began. King Louis XIV of France, himself a devoted dancer, founded the Royal Academy of Dance. The five basic feet positions from which all ballet steps begin were finalized. In the late 1700s another important change occurred. Ballet began to tell a story on its own. It was no longer simply dance to be performed between acts of plays. Elaborate wigs and costumes were eliminated. By the early 1800s dancers learned to rise on their toes to make it appear that they were floating.
Classical ballet as we know it today was influenced primarily by Russian dancing. The Russians remained interested in ballet when it declined in other European countries in the mid - 1800s. One of the most influential figures of the early 20th century was Sergei Diaghilev. His dance company, the Ballets Russes, brought a new energy and excitement to ballet. One of his chief assistants, George Balanchine, went on to found the New York City Ballet in 1948 and to influence new generations of dancers.
練習(xí)：
1. This passage deals mainly with
A) famous names in ballet
B) French versus Russian ballet
C) the way ballet developed
D) why ballet is no longer popular
2. An important influence in early ballet was
A) Balanchine
B) Marie Antoinette
C) Diaghilev
D) Louis XIV
3. You can conclude from this passage that ballet
A) is a dying art
B) will continue to change as new people and ideas influence it
C) is only currently performed in Russia and the United States
D) is often performed by dancers with little training
4. The information in this passage is presented
A) through the story of one dancer
B) by describing various positions and steps
C) by listing reasons why ballet has succeeded
D) in chronological order
5. The word pageants means
A) dances
B ) instructors
C) kings
D) elaborate shows
【答案】
1. C 2. D 3. B 4. D 5. D
【譯文】
第十一篇芭蕾舞的發(fā)展
芭蕾舞是一種歷史悠久的舞蹈形式。事實(shí)上芭蕾舞延續(xù)至今說(shuō)明了其隨著時(shí)代的變化而有所調(diào)整。
在文藝復(fù)興時(shí)期，芭蕾舞開(kāi)始于皇家宮廷。在那時(shí)，芭蕾舞在國(guó)王、王后以及貴族之間變得普遍，并且與音樂(lè)、詩(shī)歌以及舞蹈一起參與盛會(huì)的表演。當(dāng)這些娛樂(lè)形式從意大利宮廷流傳到法國(guó)宮廷的時(shí)候，宮女們開(kāi)始參與進(jìn)來(lái)。雖然她們的長(zhǎng)裙子阻礙了很多的動(dòng)作，但是她們能夠表演復(fù)雜的步伐。直到17 世紀(jì)女舞者縮短了她們的裙子，改穿平底鞋，并且開(kāi)始做一些男舞者表演的跳躍和轉(zhuǎn)圈動(dòng)作。
而且也是在17 世紀(jì)，專業(yè)的芭蕾舞舞蹈團(tuán)應(yīng)運(yùn)而生。法國(guó)國(guó)王路易十四建立了皇家舞蹈學(xué)院，而他本身就是一個(gè)芭蕾舞愛(ài)好者。由此正式確定了腳的5 個(gè)基本位置，這5 個(gè)外開(kāi)的位置成為發(fā)展芭蕾舞技術(shù)的基礎(chǔ)。18 世紀(jì)末，發(fā)生了另一個(gè)重要的改變。芭蕾舞開(kāi)始通過(guò)自己的表演來(lái)講述故事。它再也不僅僅是幕間表演的插舞。精致的假發(fā)和服裝被淘汰。在19 世紀(jì)初，舞者學(xué)會(huì)了用腳尖站立使其看起來(lái)像是在漂浮。
正如我們所知，現(xiàn)如今古典芭蕾主要受到了俄羅斯舞蹈的影響。在19 世紀(jì)中葉，當(dāng)歐洲其他國(guó)家對(duì)于芭蕾舞的興趣有所減少時(shí)，俄羅斯人始終保持著對(duì)芭蕾舞的興趣。在20 世紀(jì)初，最有影響力的人物之一便是謝爾蓋·基列夫。他的舞蹈公司俄羅斯芭蕾舞團(tuán)，為芭蕾帶來(lái)了新的動(dòng)力與活力。他的主要助手之一，喬治·巴蘭欽，在1948 年建立了紐約市芭蕾舞舞蹈團(tuán)并影響了新一代的舞者。