The Development of Ballet芭蕾舞的發展

　　Ballet is a dance form that has a long history. The fact that it survives to this day shows that it has adjusted as times have changed.

　　芭蕾舞是一種歷史悠久的舞蹈形式。事實上芭蕾舞延續至今說明了其隨著時代的變化而有所調整。

　　Ballet began in the royal courts during the Renaissance. At that time it became common for kings and queens，as well as other nobility，to participate in pageants that included music，poetry，and dance. As these entertainments moved from the Italian courts to the French ones，court ladies began participating in them. Though their long dresses prevented much movement，they were able to perform elaborate walking patterns. It was not until the 1600s that women dancers shortened their skirts，changed to flat shoes，and began doing some of the leaps and turns performed by men.

　　在文藝復興時期，芭蕾舞開始于皇家宮廷。在那時，芭蕾舞在國王、王后以及貴族之間變得普遍，并且與音樂、詩歌以及舞蹈一起參與盛會的表演。當這些娛樂形式從意大利宮廷流傳到法國宮廷的時候，宮女們開始參與進來。雖然她們的長裙子阻礙了很多的動作，但是她們能夠表演復雜的步伐。直到17世紀女舞者縮短了她們的裙子，改穿平底鞋，并且開始做一些男舞者表演的跳躍和轉圈動作。

　　It was also in the 1600s that professional ballet began. King Louis XIV of France，himself a devoted dancer，founded the Royal Academy of Dance. The five basic feet positions from which all ballet steps begin were finalized. In the late 1700s another important change occurred. Ballet began to tell a story on its own. It was no longer simply dance to be performed between acts of plays. Elaborate wigs and costumes were eliminated. By the early 1800s dancers learned to rise on their toes to make it appear that they were floating.

　　而且也是在17世紀，專業的芭蕾舞舞蹈團應運而生。法國國王路易十四建立了皇家舞蹈學院，而他本身就是一個芭蕾舞愛好者。由此正式確定了腳的5個基本位置，這5個外開的位置成為發展芭蕾舞技術的基礎。18世紀末，發生了另一個重要的改變。芭蕾舞開始通過自己的表演來講述故事。它再也不僅僅是幕間表演的插舞。精致的假發和服裝被淘汰。在19世紀初，舞者學會了用腳尖站立使其看起來像是在漂浮。

　　Classical ballet as we know it today was influenced primarily by Russian dancing. The Russians remained interested in ballet when it declined in other European countries in the mid -1800s. One of the most influential figures of the early 20th century was Sergei Diaghilev. His dance company，the Ballets Russes，brought a new energy and excitement to ballet. One of his chief assistants，George Balanchine，went on to found the New York City Ballet in 1948 and to influence new generations of dancers.

　　正如我們所知，現如今古典芭蕾主要受到了俄羅斯舞蹈的影響。在19世紀中葉，當歐洲其他國家對于芭蕾舞的興趣有所減少時，俄羅斯人始終保持著對芭蕾舞的興趣。在20世紀初，最有影響力的人物之一便是謝爾蓋?基列夫。他的舞蹈公司俄羅斯芭蕾舞團，為芭蕾帶來了新的動力與活力。他的主要助手之一，喬治?巴蘭欽，在1948年建立了紐約市芭蕾舞舞蹈團并影響了新一代的舞者。

　　詞匯:

　　adjust / ə' dʒʌst/v. 調整 eliminate /i'limineit/ v. 淘汰

　　pageant / 'pædʒ ənt / n. 盛會 influential / influ'enʃəl/adj. 有影響力的

　　注釋:

　　1. At that time it became common for kings and queens，as well as other nobility，to participate in pageants that included music，poetry，and dance. 在那時，芭蕾舞在國王、王后以及貴族之間變得普遍，并且與音樂、詩歌以及舞蹈一起參與到盛會的表演。

　　2. It was not until the 1600s that women dancers shortened their skirts，changed to flat shoes，and began doing some of the leaps and turns performed by men. 直到17世紀女舞者縮短了她們的裙子，改穿平底鞋，并且通過男舞者的幫助開始做一些跳躍和轉圈動作。

　　3. The five basic feet positions from which all ballet steps begin were finalized. 由此正式確定了 腳的5個基本位置，這 5個外開的位置成為發展芭蕾舞技術的基礎。

　　練習:

　　1. This passage deals mainly with _____.

　　A) famous names in ballet

　　B) French versus Russian ballet

　　C) the way ballet developed

　　D) why ballet is no longer popular

　　2. An important influence in early ballet was_____.

　　A) Balanchine

　　B) Marie Antoinette

　　C) Diaghilev

　　D) Louis XIV

　　3. You can conclude from this passage that ballet_____.

　　A) is a dying art

　　B) will continue to change as new people and ideas influence it

　　C) is only currently performed in Russia and the United States

　　D) is often performed by dancers with little training

　　4. The information in this passage is presented_____.

　　A) through the story of one dancer

　　B) by describing various positions and steps

　　C) by listing reasons why ballet has succeeded

　　D) in chronological order

　　5. The word pageants means_____.

　　A) dances

　　B) instructors

　　C) kings

　　D) elaborate shows

　　答案與題解:

　　1. C 本題問的是:這篇文章主要講述的是，A、B、D 選項都是文章的一部分，而本文主要講的就是芭蕾舞的發展，因此 C 是正確答案。

　　2. D 本題問的是:對于早期芭蕾舞最重要的影響是，本文第三段提到“在 17 世紀，專業的芭蕾舞蹈團應運而生”“法國國王路易十四建立了皇家舞蹈學院”，因此 D 是正確答案。

　　3. B 本題問的是:從這篇文章你可以總結出芭蕾，A 、C、D 選項在文中沒有提到，結合本文最后一段可以看出 B 選項是正確的，芭蕾將隨著新的人物和新的想法而改變。

　　4. D 本題問的是:本文的信息是通過何種方式介紹的。本文從芭蕾舞的起源開始一直介紹到 芭蕾舞的現況，因此選擇 D，按照時間前后的順序。

　　5. D 本題問的是:單詞 pageant 的漢語意思是什么，正確答案是 D ，盛大的表演。