History of ballet
Ballet originated in the Renaissance court as an outgrowth of court pageantry in Italy, where aristocratic weddings were lavish celebrations. Tutus, ballet slippers and pointe work were not yet used. The choreography was adapted from court dance steps. Performers dressed in fashions of the times. For women that meant formal gowns that covered their legs to the ankle. Early ballet was participatory, with the audience joining the dance towards the end.
Jillian La Valette
Jillian started ballet dancing at six years old, and took lessons wherever the family lived. Jillian’s conversion to ballroom dancing came quite late (in dance terms). It occurred when she went on her own to Ceylon (Sri Lanka) when she was 16. She went there to live at the Bradley School of Dancing, for ballet training.