Histoires

Entre cours et jardins d’illusion : le ballet en europe (1515-1715)

In 2014 the prize of the ‘Société d’étude du XVIIe siècle’ was awarded to Nathalie Lecomte for her book Entre cours et jardins d’illusion: le ballet en Europe (1515-1715) published by the CN D in 2014. 

This book features some of the key milestones in the history of ballet: its emergence in the broader context of the Renaissance humanist movement, at a time when Italian culture forced its way into the court of Louis XIV; its heyday in the age of enlightenment and how it spread its influence to European courts; its decline after the death of Louis XIV, as other types of danced shows had already taken its place and the court was no longer the prime setting. This study also unveils the world in which show dances arise, evolve and create an illusion, for the dancer embodies the social and moral values of his times. Whether during celebrations at court or in the Italian-style theatre and stage, he is a player in a world “putting on a show”.