The beginnings of ballet can trace back to Italy in the 1400's during the time of the Renaissance. Ballet could have been considered a

competition. Dukes in Italy competed against each other by holding

parties including dancing and other forms of entertainment. The

dancers were not professionals, but noblemen and noblewomen of the

dukes.

Balthazar de Beaujoyeulx, a gifted musician, staged many ballets.

One of his ballets, Ballet Comique de la Reine, was considered the

very first ballet! It was first performed in 1581, in Paris, in honor of a

royal wedding. The ballet was based on the Greek myth about Circe, a

woman with the magical power to turn men to beasts. The ballet was

approximately 5 1/2 hours long. Because dancing technique was

limited, they depended on extraordinary costumes and sets to impress

the audience. It also included special parts for instruments, other

music, singing, and spoken parts, as well as dancing. It was a big

success and was later performed in other courts throughout Europe.