Louis XIV is the epitome of an absolute monarch. After choosing the sun as a personal emblem to represent his vital and central role in France, he ruled the nation tyrannically and planted the seeds for the horrific revolution that would occur in the centuries to come. Consolidating such power emerged from a multitude of approaches, most famously the creation of an extravagant palace at Versailles to flaunt his immense wealth. Among the less noted strategies, however, was his use of ballet to showcase himself as a God-like figure. In the process of expressing his passion for baroque dance and exerting his influence over the French population, Louis XIV codified the language of ballet–a language that prevails to this day.
The baroque style is characterized by ornate and extravagant art and architecture intended to invoke a sense of awe in its viewers. Such art was utilized both by the Catholic Church and by power-hungry monarchs such as Louis XIV to establish their wealth and project their power. Determined to show the French people that he was God-sent and destined to lead the nation, Louis XIV often put together performances that were a mix of spoken word, music, dance, and pantomime.
The art did not originate in the court of Louis XIV, but rather in the Italian Renaissance of the 15th century. It typically served as entertainment at lavish banquets and celebrations at royal courts, the main goal being to impress and entertain the noble class. But the dancers, specifically women, were restricted in their movement by the ornamented costumes meant to impress viewers. Men remained dominant in the industry, especially as the creative process was reserved exclusively for men, with women simply there to execute a man’s vision.
As the Renaissance brought a time of melding culture and cultural transfers, the waltz steps that set the foundation for ballet made their way to France when the Italian princess Catherine de Medici married King Henri II of France in 1533, introducing Italy’s ballet de cour (court dancing) to the French court. Louis XIV, the great great grandson of Henri II, appreciated the art of ballet from a young age, with his birth celebrated by Ballet de la Felicité in 1639. This passion was carefully curated and shaped as ballet master Pierre Beauchamps started his career as the personal teacher to the king. Beauchamps would come to play a key role in the development of ballet along with composer Jean-Baptiste Lully and the playwright known as Molière.
In 1653, when Louis XIV was 15, he choreographed the ballet Le Ballet de la Nuit (The Ballet of the Night), in which he fittingly placed himself in the role of the Sun God Apollo. In this piece, he was able to express his fervor for dance while simultaneously consolidating his political power. Portraying himself as a literal God while appealing to the emotions of the French population through a tragic ballet was incredibly strategic in creating an empathetic and appealing yet powerful and unquestioned image for the king.
In 1661, Louis XIV founded the first institution that was dedicated to the formal training of ballet dancers: the Académie Royale de Danse. He gave 13 men the title of “elder,” and the authority as dancing masters to establish a standard for perfection. The men met regularly to codify existing court and character dances and administered exams to public and private dance teachers. Those who passed the exams were granted the privilege of teaching at the prestigious academy.
Prior to the establishment of this academy, dance was a military art in France, similar to fencing and equestrianism, and dancers were part of a guild. The guild, controlling access to the profession and providing benefits to its members, argued that dance was not an art in itself, but rather an accompaniment of music meant to enhance celestial accords. The creation of the academy, however, and the intentions of its dancers marked a shift in ballet. There was an indication that ballet no longer served to unify man with God but rather to glorify the King. As ballet began to transition away from its prior restrictions in the military realm and towards the stage and court, it directly challenged the power of the guild, showcasing the absolute authority of the monarchy.
Pierre Beauchamps, the King’s childhood teacher, was appointed director of the academy upon its opening and ultimately developed the five basic positions of the feet that are still used today. Beauchamps was trained as both a violinist and a dancer, and often contributed both music and dance steps while working on pieces alongside composer Jean-Baptiste Lully. Beauchamps and Lully worked together for decades until Beauchamps retired in 1687 following Lully’s death.
Lully was born to Italian parents, but nonetheless quickly became one of the King’s favorite composers after moving to France. Lully composed the music for many of Louis’ ballets, and is known as the master of the French Baroque style. He collaborated with French actor and playwright Molière, also known as Jean-Baptiste Poquelin, in such works as Le Mariage forcé, La Princesse d’Élide, and Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme. Molière was known for his comedic plays, and in collaborating with Lully, the two unintentionally created the genre of comédie-ballet. The ballets in this genre were a mix between comedic performance and ballet, proving this collaboration to be a critical event in transforming ballet into something truly theatrical and plot-oriented.
In 1672, under the composer Jean-Baptiste Lully, the Académie Royale de Danse became a part of the Académie Royale de Musique, now called the Paris Opéra. The Paris Opera Ballet continues to operate and thrive to this day, employing some of the most talented and ambitious dancers from around the world. However, far beyond solely his company, Louis XIV’s legacy lives on even in the most basic ballet classes.
I began taking ballet classes at the age of two, and the very first thing we learned was the different positions, such as how to shape your arms into high versus low fifth, and how to simultaneously place your feet in fifth position. The next move we learned was a tendu, an extension of the leg in front, to the side or behind you. The word tendu comes from the French word etendre, which means “to stretch.” As I began taking more advanced classes, my ballet teachers would emphasize the translation of a step’s name. Chasse, for example, means ‘to chase.’ While the step can take many different forms, the emphasis is always on a step-together-step pattern. One leg is meant to “chase” the other leg, maintaining a brisk and effortless movement.
Recently, my ballet teacher gave my class the choice of performing royale jumps or entrechat jumps. As I prepared to start a series of the more difficult entrechat steps, she explained that the royale step was created specifically for Louis XIV as he couldn’t do the more challenging entrechat. The royale and entrechat look virtually the same to a viewer, in that they both begin from fifth position and exhibit a “beat,” or switch of the placement of the feet in the air. They differ as a royale switches which foot is in front while the entrechat maintains the same fifth position with which you started. Suffice it to say, the royale was created solely because Louis XIV could not “beat” his legs fast enough to perform an entrechat.
By no means was Louis XIV the world’s most revolutionary ballet dancer. Rather, he happened to be in the right place at the right time with enough power to manipulate something in his favor and create a lasting legacy. Despite his selfish motivations, The Sun King created the solid foundation for ballet to evolve into an outlet for expression, passion, and vitality.
Among the less noted strategies, however, was Louis XIV’s use of ballet to showcase himself as a God-like figure. In the process of expressing his passion for baroque dance and exerting his influence over the French population, Louis XIV codified the language of ballet–a language that prevails to this day.