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Harvard reference:

Beauchamps, Pierre (1631) 2010, , 2nd edn, Oxford University Press.

French dancer, choreographer, ballet master, and composer, who is credited with inventing the five classic positions of classical ballet. He trained as a violinist and dancer, making his debut as the latter in 1648, in the court ballet Le Dérèglement des passions. He subsequently appeared in many ballets de cour with Louis XIV, whom he taught. In 1661 he was appointed the first Intendant des Ballets du Roi, thus making him responsible for the staging of all ballets at court. As a choreographer he collaborated frequently with the composer Lully, the two of them sometimes contributing both music and steps to the same production (Lully had himself started his career as a dancer). Together they radically shaped the evolution of ballet, both at court and at the newly founded Paris Opera. As a composer Beauchamps also worked with Molière (who was in fact a relative) and contributed the score and choreography for the latter's 1661 comedy-ballet, Les Fâcheux (as well as conducting the orchestra). This was the first of many collaborations with Molière; later productions included Le Mariage forcé (1664) and Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme(1670), both of which had music by Lully. On 19 Mar. 1671 Beauchamps choreographed Pomone, the first opera produced at the Paris Opera. In 1672 he joined the Paris Opera as ballet master, working in partnership with Lully until 1687, when Lully died and Beauchamps retired. In 1680 he was appointed chancellor of the Académie Royale de Danse. His most famous production was Le Triomphe de l'amour (1681), which was notable for featuring the first public appearance of professional female dancers. Following his retirement from the Paris Opera, he continued to work as court choreographer. As a dancer he was noted for his brilliant technique, and is said to have been one of the first to execute tours en l'air. He also designed his own system of notation, and in 1704 sued his rival notator Raoul-Auger Feuillet for plagiarism. Beauchamps lost. Rather than inventing the five classic ballet positions of arms and feet, he was probably the first to codify them. He is sometimes described as ‘the father of all ballet masters’. He was also a noted art collector.

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1636-1705

French dancer, choreographer and ballet-master

Harvard reference:

Beauchamp, Pierre (2011). [Online]. In L Rodger & J Bakewell. Chambers Biographical Dictionary. London, UK: Chambers Harrap. Available from: https://login.ezproxy.bolton.ac.uk/login?url=http://search.credoreference.com/content/entry/chambbd/beauchamp_pierre/0 [Accessed 20 December 2016].

Born in Versailles, he trained in music and dance, and made his debut in 1650. Later he became Superintendent of the Court Ballet of Louis XIV, with which he also performed. In 1671 he was appointed director of the Académie Royale de Danse. He choreographed many ballets, including those for operas and comedies by Jean Baptiste Lully and Molière, all now lost. He was known as a dancer of dignity and virtuosity able to execute remarkable pirouettes and tours en l'air. Some credit him with the invention of classical ballet's five positions. He also created his own notation system.

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We have discussed how King Louis XIV of France, is remembered as one of the greatest patrons to the development of ballet. Please read the below journal to understand how he encouraged the codification of the social dances of the courts into a technique which would leave behind a legacy, still challenging aspiring dancers and professionals in the 21st century.

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Codification and the Professionalism of the beginning of 'ballet technique':

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Codification and the Professionalism of the beginning of 'ballet technique':

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Please view the below lecture concerning how ballet during the 18th century started to form more and more to how we know it today.

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Please view the below lecture concerning how ballet during the 18th century started to form more and more to how we know it today.

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During the 18th century ballet reformed more and more to what we know it as today.
Costumes changed and women became stars just as much as the men.
Choreographers wanted the ballets they created to contain more plot and expressiveness through the
dance
.
Ballet d'Action evolved and Jean Gorges Noverre became the voice of reform.

In context:
Ballet had already made some progress toward this goal by the beginning of the 18th century. Although it still had much in common with social dancing. It was beginning to escape from the constraints of the nobility and class it was previously tied to.
Before the 18th century, or more familiar in the Court Ballets, the other arts, such as poetry or vocal music, were given the task of telling the story. However, in the 18th century, many people, especially choreographers, were keen to see/propose a new type of dance that could be responsible for delivering narratives once told through poetry or song.

...
Dances in which the movements of the dancers are designed to express character and assist in the narrative.
Express character and emotion through dancers bodies and faces, rather than through elaborate costumes and props.
Dances that tell a story entirely through movement.

Ballet d'Action Top Tips
John Weaver
Important Dances of the Age: The Loves of Mars and Venus (1717), John Weaver, presented at Drury Lane Theatre in London.
John Weaver was a English choreographer who firmly believed dance of the ancient day (Ancient Greeks and Romans) was far superior to that of his own day due to its greater expressive capacity; see his Essay Towards an History of Dancing (1712). But he did believe this could be remedied.
He attempted to express his meanings/narrative of his ballets through poses, gestures and dancing.
La Fill Mal Gardee (The Wayward Daughter), (1788), Jean Dauberval. The oldest ballet in present repertoire. Premiered at the Grand Theatre de Bordeaux, France.
Examples can also be found in Vienna by Franz Anton Hilverding (1710-68). During the 1740's he began to create dramatic ballets.

Noverre's ideas for the reform of ballet:
Noverre wrote of the importance in expressing emotion and character through mime and gesture and through the dancer's bodies and using the emotion in their faces. He expressed his eagerness to steer away from dancer's wearing the costumes of the period and suggested that they be replaced with light fabrics that moved well and revealed their figures flatteringly.

Jean Georges Noverre, 1727-1810, ballet master at Paris Opera Ballet, 1776-1781
Letters on Dancing and Ballets, first published in 1760. Exerted a strong influence on choreographers working throughout Europe and focused on the concept of dance drama. Noverre's Letters were a call for reform, asking choreographers to pave the way towards a new type of ballet.

18th century ballet in context:
Noverre's ideas were not fully implemented until more than a century later...
Noverre also outlined the need for the choreographer to encompass a wide ranging education, such as studying painting to learn how to inject life and expression into his staging as a painter would. He also advocated studying people from all walks of life so as to help to build up clear, characterful stage gestures.

Age of reform: telling a story through movement and narrative alone
Research:
Noverre's ideas were considered revolutionary in their day...
The Evolution of Ballet d'Action
Noverres impact:
Ballet d'action was taken outside of Paris by Salvatore Vigano (1769-1821) and reached Venice, Milan and Vienna.
Good to know:
Noverre's impact:
It is important to know that a strong narrative plot in the ballets of this century were a key element and a whole host of topics had been successfully explored and staged, including mythological tales, classical tragedies, historical dramas, love stories and so on. Ballet was now realised as an art form of strength and flexibility.
At a time when court ballet had degenerated into a meaningless succession of conventional dances, Noverre advocated a unity of design and a logical progression from introduction to climax. Movement was to be defined by the time and tone of the music, and choreographers were advised to avoid over-complicated steps and turn to nature for natural means of expression. Costume was to be reformed, and masks, full-bottomed wigs, and cumbersome dresses abandoned in favour of simpler attire.
Letters on dancing and ballets is one of the most important dance books ever published, and through its influence Noverre can be seen as the grandfather of ballet as we know it today. The present translation was made by the great dance historian Cyril W. Beaumont, and first published by him in book form in 1930.
Pas d'action
Ballet d'action describes the era of reform and pas d'action is the classical ballet term we would use when describing a scene in the ballet where the story is being told through expressive movements, dance and/or mime.
Examples of pas de action include:
Giselle where Hilarion reveals his true identity of Albrecht to Giselle before she dances to her death. Almost every classical ballet has a pas d'action since they are all almost story ballets.

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During the 18th century ballet reformed more and more to what we know it as today.Costumes changed and women became stars just as much as the men.Choreographers wanted the ballets they created to contain more plot and expressiveness through the dance.Ballet d'Action evolved and Jean Gorges Noverre became the voice of reform.

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Please engage with the below extract which outlines the biographical details concerning Noverre and his important contribution to ballet. 

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Please engage with the below extract which outlines the biographical details concerning Noverre and his important contribution to ballet. 

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[1727-1810]

French dancer, choreographer and ballet-master.

Harvard reference:

Noverre, jean-georges (2011). [Online]. In L Rodger & J Bakewell. Chambers Biographical Dictionary. London, UK: Chambers Harrap. Available from: https://login.ezproxy.bolton.ac.uk/login?url=http://search.credoreference.com/content/entry/chambbd/noverre_jean_georges/0 [Accessed 20 December 2016].

Born in Paris, he studied dance with Louis Dupré of the Paris Opera, but opted for a career as a choreographer instead. He was ballet-master at the Paris Opera Comique (1754), the royal court theatre of Württemberg (now the Stuttgart Ballet, 1760-66) and the Paris Opera (under the patronage of Queen Marie Antoinette, 1776-79). He also worked extensively in Lyons, Vienna and Milan. In 1760 he published his important Lettres sur la danse ("Letters on Dance"). During the French Revolution he formed a company at the King's Theatre, London, where he staged his last of approximately 150 ballets, none of which has survived. He claimed invention of the notion of the ballet d'action, in which truthful movement expression was integrated with plot, music and décor. This theory has had a great influence on ballet as it is known and practised today.

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As we have discussed in lessons, the art form of dance was as important in a  gentleman's education, as mathematics and english. We have understood the Italian and French Royal Courts only allowed wealthy men into them to perform and socialise. Nine women would appear in King Louix XIV's performance titled not hold a valued place in ballet performances until the Romantic era and the man would quite literally become a supporting role to the female. This is simply due to the fairytale narratives of the Romantic ballets, where water fairies and water nymphs were naturally needed to be performed by women. 

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As we have discussed in lessons, the art form of dance was as important in a  gentleman's education, as mathematics and english. We have understood the Italian and French Royal Courts only allowed wealthy men into them to perform and socialise. Nine women would appear in King Louix XIV's performance titled not hold a valued place in ballet performances until the Romantic era and the man would quite literally become a supporting role to the female. This is simply due to the fairytale narratives of the Romantic ballets, where water fairies and water nymphs were naturally needed to be performed by women. 

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Therefore aristocracy and gender are key contexts surrounding the court ballet. Please read the below Journal which discuss the above.

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Here are examples of the theatres during the reign of King Louis XIV

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Here are examples of the theatres during the reign of King Louis XIV