The timeless history of steps that ballerinas have danced for hundreds of years. The level of difficulty and the perseverance this technical style of dance takes. Just how ballet makes you feel when you dance it.

Ballet is a driving force of the dance world and my favorite style of dance. The feeling I get when I dance ballet is what makes it so special to me. Artistry comes from the heart and being a ballerina is all the work of being a hard-core athlete all while making your art look effortless and beautiful at the same time.

“It takes an athlete to dance, but an artist to be a dancer.”

What is the definition of ballet? The Oxford dictionary describes Ballet – noun – “an artistic dance form performed to music using precise highly formalized set steps and gestures. Classical ballet established its present form during the 19th century; characterized by light, graceful fluid movements and the use of pointe shoes.”

I think ballet can make you feel both empowered and fierce. There is so much determination, drive, passion, style, and discipline that goes into being a ballet dancer! The pure artistry of ballet and knowing how much time and effort is spent in the studio working at the barre, center, and, eventually, on the stage is what makes ballet so beautiful to watch and perform.

Ballet has a very technique-based nature to it. It demands perfectly placed and shaped movements while keeping on tempo with the music. This can sometimes be physically tough on the body… but as difficult as this style may be to execute precisely, there is something so beautiful and truly freeing about this art form.

Ballet is more than just dancing the steps perfectly, it allows me to express my emotions through my movement and tell the stories of different choreographers from all over the world who have had their work passed down to ballerinas from generation to generation. The art of ballet is timeless. How incredible that we as a dance community continue to preserve these amazing full-length ballets and their many variations and reimaginings and perform the same steps that dancers from hundreds of years ago performed choreographed by legends like Marius Petipa, George Balanchine, and Robert Joffrey to name a few. All these iconic ballets performed by iconic ballerinas.

If an art form is a full-body workout, it’s ballet. It improves your overall stamina and strength, unlike anything else. Many people and teachers believe ballet is a style of dance that positively affects other styles of dance you take! I have seen firsthand, dancers taking ballet that have begun to improve in other styles such as lyrical, contemporary and jazz. The technical knowledge ballet gives to our dancing is truly remarkable!

“When you dance your purpose is not to get to a certain place on the floor, it is to enjoy each step along the way.”

One of my favorite parts is that the art never stops. New creations revolving around this art form are constantly in the works across the globe. Ballet dancers from all over the world can be performing the same technical step out of the Ballet Dictionary, but it can still look unique on each dancer. Ballet is a universal language!

Instagram it! What is your favorite style of dance? Share all it with us! Tag me (@royalcouturexo) and Showstopper (@goshowstopper) on social media with the hashtag #RoyalCoutureXShowstopper.

 

Xo,

Christy Lyn

P.S. Get the look! The Dusty Rose “Chelsea” leotard pictured above is designed by Royal Couture! Shop all the new Crushed Velvet looks now at RoyalCoutureXO.com to get your own!

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Christy Lyn is a ballerina, model, designer, and choreographer. She started dancing at a very young age and currently choreographs and trains in multiple styles of dance with a focus in ballet. Her choreography work has debuted at the Lincoln Center in the Youth America Grand Prix Gala, “Stars of Today Meet the Stars of Tomorrow.” Christy walks and dances in fashion shows for national and international designers at LAFW and NYFW. She is also the unstoppable designer and founder of the chic dance fashion brand Royal Couture.