Ballet and Kabuki are two types of interesting dances that may seem very different but really have a lot in common. They have both been near three hundred years. Both types of dance show the culture of the country they originated from. They both interlock the real world with a fictional world in their performances. In both ballet and Kabuki the scenes change rapidly from the middle of a forest to an enchanted castle.
The true ballet began with the Ballet Comique de la Royne, which was preformed in Paris, in 1581. This event is known as the birth of Ballet, making it the youngest of the major performing arts. In 1661 Louis XIV founded the first ballet academy, this was important in Ballet history since from that point on the history of ballet was clearly traced. From then on there have been hundreds of ballet academies around the world.
Ballet is like a play only it is done in dance with music. They have elaborate costumes that also allow the performer to be able to move their limbs freely. Ballet is an expression of the human body. Ballets are often fairy tales with a meaning in the end. In order to be a ballerina you must start at a very early age and work up to being a great performer. Ballerinas careers often end when they are in their forties, for when ballerinas become this age they are replaced by younger performers. Even though Ballet originated in Russia and is a big part of their culture, it can be found in just about every part of the world.
Okumi, a shrine maiden in Japan in the early 17th century, created Kabuki. It began with only female actresses but soon they were banned from performing and it was only men. Kabuki expresses feelings and shows and requires lots of energy. Kabuki is a kind of play, which quite often has a lesson at the end. Form then on Kabuki was formed into a sophisticated and highly stylized form of theater.
In Kabuki the actors use three things in their performances. These three things include movement, dialogue, and gesture. Kabuki is passed down in families and is taught to the son by his father, if there is no one to carry it on then the family will adopt someone to carry it on. The sons start early, by the age of five they will begin to learn the gestures and movements. By age eight they will have memorized a whole story or play. Unlike ballet, in Kabuki the older the actor is the better his performance will be. You will still find Kabuki actors that are in their seventies that are performing plays.
As you can see there are many differences between the two forms of theater. Although they have both been around for over three hundred years they are still being preformed, and are also still a big part of their cultures.
