Research paper on Ballet. Visual & Performing Arts Research Paper

Student’s Name
Instructor
Course
Date
Research Paper on Ballet (Carlos Acosta)
Ballet is a type of dance performance that was first started during the Italian Renaissance in the 15th Century. However, the development of ballet dance into a form of concert dance was first witnessed in France and Russia. Since then, ballet dance has become widespread in most parts across the world. Nevertheless, the dance has evolved tremendously to a modern ballet dance, which is usually viewed as a rejection or rebellion towards the classical ballet dance. Notably, it has grown into a highly technical form of dance that is characterized by unique vocabulary, which is mainly made up of French terminologies. Ballet dance is a form of art that is mainly done through dancers moving their body parts and is performed on a stage in the presence of an audience. A ballet dancer is a person who engages in practicing the art of ballet dancing. Ballet dancers can either be male or female, but both genders have a strict hierarchy and gender roles during the performance of ballet dances. This paper will discuss Carlos Acosta, who is one of the modern successful ballet dancers in recent times.
Carlos Yunior Acosta Quesada is one of the modern-day renowned successful ballet dancers. Carlos is a Cuban born ballet dancer who was born in 1973 in one of Havana's poorest districts. He was born in an impoverished family, which was made up of 11 children, with Carlos being the last born (Carlos Acosta n.p.). According to him, the decision to become a ballet dancer can be attributed to his father’s decision and guidance to advise him to join and train at the National Ballet School in Cuba. The decision by his father to take Carlos to a dance school was to keep from trouble in the neighborhood as well as a place that would provide him free lunch every day (Carlos Acosta n.p.). His time at the Cuban National Ballet School was essential to his profession as he was to train with some of the institution's most influential teachers, such as Ramona de Saa. However, the Cuban-born ballet dancer, of mixed Spanish and African heritage did not come into the limelight until the early 1990s while he was a teenager (Carlos Acosta n.p.). In this regard, his childhood and early teen ages were essential in shaping Carlos Acosta into a household name in the ballet dancing art.
The success of Carlos into a famous ballet dancer can be attributed to several factors. Some of the factors that contributed to his success were his natural talent as well as drive and determination. In essence, the year 1990 played a significant role in changing the professional and personal life of Carlos Acosta (Carlos n.p.). This is because 1990 is when he was nominated and won the prestigious Gold Medal at the Prix De Lausanne. This award was one of the many as he followed this achievement by winning the Grand Prix at the 4th Biennial Concours International de Danse de Paris (Carlos n.p.). From then, Carlos began winning many other essential awards, which played a significant role in steering his ballet dancing profession into greater heights (Royal Opera House n.p.). It was at this period in his life when famous and esteemed renowned European and North American-based dance companies began coming with offers to perform different roles, especially romantic roles in the next decade.
One of the first steps into his success was an invitation by Ivan Nagy (Hungarian-born ballet dancer and among most American Ballet Theatre's stars). Through the invitation, Carlos was allowed to perform dances with the English National Ballet in the period between 1991 and 1992. During the time, he was only 18 years old and was to later emerge as the youngest ever principal dancer for the English National Ballet (Carlos n.p.). However, despite gaining recognition in various stages in London, Carlos was forced to return to Cuba due to an injury. Upon recovery, he started dancing at the National Ballet of Cuba under the guidance of Alicia Alonso. Carlos spent six months with the company and toured several countries, including Spain. It was also at this time when...