What is Ballerina?
[[File:IrinaBaronova.jpg|thumb|Ballerina [[Irina Baranova]]]] A '''ballerina''' is a name given to a [[female]] [[ballet]] dancer. Only very good female ballet dancers are called ballerinas. A ballerina is a principal dancer in a classical ballet company. The highest ranking female dancer in a company was usually called the '''prima ballerina'''. Today the term 'ballerina' has gone rather out of fashion. Now they are simply called 'Principal dancers'.<ref>Crane, Debra and Mackrell, Judith 2000. ''The Oxford dictionary of dance''. Oxford University Press. p40</ref> Dancers in a company are [[rank]]ed by the company, and paid accordingly. They have to prove themselves in lesser parts before they can get promoted. Example of the ranks in a modern dance company:<ref>From the progamme of the [[Mariinsky Theatre|Mariinsky Ballet]] at the [[Royal Opera House]], [[Covent Garden]], 2011.</ref> #Corps de ballet (these do not dance named individual parts) #Coryphées (minor soloists) #Principal character artists (dance roles with significant acting) #Second soloists (dancers who take named solo roles) #First soloists (one rank up from the previous) #Principal dancers (if female, same as 'ballerinas'; they dance leading roles) #Principal guest artist (a well-known and sometimes famous dancer, usually from abroad) == References == {{commonscat|Ballerinas}} {{Reflist}} {{Ballet}} [[Category:Ballet]] [[Category:Entertainment occupations]]