She taught Queen Mary of England how to curtsy. Victor Hugo dedicated a book to 'her feet, to her wings.' Yet her French ballet teacher complained: "Will that little hunchback ever learn to dance?" He also called her an 'ugly duckling' and rejected her at the age of six.
Certainly Marie Taglioni was not a beauty - she was very plain - yet she became one of the most famous Italian ballerinas. She did have a head start, however. The Taglioni family founded by Carlo and his wife, Maria, in the late 1700's was a well-known dancing family. Two of his sons, Filippo, whose wife was Swedish, and Salvatore, became choreographers. Filippo had two children, Marie and Paul.
After her unfortunate rejection by her Parisian teacher, Filippo decided to train his young daughter himself. He put her through six hours of rigorous practice each day and at night she was reportedly so exhausted that someone had to undress her and put her into bed!
At the age of twenty in 1822 Taglioni made her debut as a dancer in Vienna to great acclaim. She soon became famous across Europe, especially for her starring role in La Sylphide set in romantic Scotland. She performed this at the Paris Opera. The ballet's fey story about forest fairies and witches appealed greatly to audiences in this Romantic age of Keats and Byron. Choreographed especially for Marie by her famous father, Filippo, it originated the style of the romantic ballet. Marie in her long, white tutu dancing lightly on her pointe shoes became the new image of the romantic ballerina and began a new fashion, replacing the classical style. The transparent fairy wings that she wore would have helped her bewitch her audience even more. Women copied her hairstyle, and little girls bought La Sylphide dolls. Even Queen Victoria had a La Sylphide doll.When the prima ballerina was faced with a younger rival in Fanny Ellsler she is said to have cried when she first watched her dance at the Paris Opera House.
Marie Taglioni wasnt set to go far as her teacher rejected her and didn't believe in her. She was not the stereotypical ballerina and was said to be very plain and simple.
ReplyDeleteMarie however proved everybody wrong and is one of the most famous ballerinas of all time. She also came from a famous family, as her parents were already choreographers.
Even though her teacher didn't believe in her, her father decided to train her instead, as he could see the potential.
Marie came recognised at a very early age of 20 when she became a debut dancer in Vienna. Her father choreographed her dances.
Marie started the new trend, as she began to dance on pointe and wore a different type of tutu. This set of the new romantic image, as Marie replaced the classical ballet style.
She wore fairy wings, which would of made the performance even more magical to watch.
She was admired by women and children, who copied her style.
Her rivalry with Fanny Essler, was huge when she watched her dance for the first time, as she found her a threat.