Cult of The Ballerina
The Romantic era marked the rise of the ballerina as a central part of ballet, where previously men had dominated performances.
Marie Taglioni became the prototypical Romantic ballerina, praised highly for her lyricism. The movement style for Romantic ballerinas was characterized by soft, rounded arms and a forward tilt in the upper body. This gave the woman a flowery, willowy look. Leg movements became more elaborate due to the new tutu length and rising standards of technical proficiency. Important Romantic ballerinas included, in addition to Marie Taglioni, Carlotta Grisi, the first "Giselle", Lucille Grahn, Fanny Cerrito, and Fanny Elssler.
According to an article on answers.com the plots of many ballets were dominated by spirit women—sylphs, wilis, and ghosts—who enslaved the hearts and senses of mortal men and made it impossible for them to live happily in the real world. see also: Cult of the ballerina
Read more about this topic: Romantic Ballet
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