20 Most Famous Ballets of All Time

20 Most Famous Ballets of All Time

The history of ballet dance goes back to the seventeenth century when Lous XIV popularized the dance by founding the Ballet Dance Academy leading to the emergence of exceptional dancers that have taken their talent to global stages. This timeless piece of entertainment is not just a dance but also a physical exercise that demands a lot from the participants. Ballet dancers are often required to have exceptional bodies, and strength to comfortably take part in ballet dancing. Often lean bodies, powerful feet, and superhuman body balance is the minimum requirement for men and women who have displayed the best ballets in history.

However, despite the strict conditions for men and women to be considered in this dance, history has witnessed several ballet dancers who have shown the world that they can be superhuman when it comes to performing on stage. From the legendary Pyotr Ilyich whose performances created Swan Lake, and The Nutcracker with her timeless beauty, combined with emotional depth and technical prowess to Romeo and Juliet, ballet dancers changed the way people viewed this underwhelming sport. As we delve into a list of some exceptional ballets, we are presented with the opportunity to appreciate the origin of ballet dance and celebrate the memorable events created by men and women who made ballet dance a worthy piece of art.

These are the twenty most famous ballets of all time:

1. The Nutcracker

anonymous Russian 19th century photographer, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

The Nutcracker is arguably one of the best ballet of all time that has a relatable story to many people in the modern world. The ballet, originally written by E.T.A Hoffman has been reinvented by many choreographers including Alexandre Pere. The Nutcracker is the story of a young girl whose dreams come to reality during the festive season. On the eve of Christmas day, this young girl gets to interact with the magical world for the first time where she meets new friends including a young prince. The Nutcracker has been choreographed by Marius Petipa whose performances make this ballet one of the best in history.

2. Swan Lake

Kalicja, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

The story about Swan Lake is interesting because despite being the greatest of all time, people did not like it when it was released. Swan Lake tells the story of a prince who is under pressure from his parents to find a wife. The young man feels unwanted and sets out to go hunting. His special prey is the swans. However, the events turn around quickly when the prince comes across one of the swans that transformed into a beautiful lady called Odette. She had been a swan because of the ancestral curse. The curse is broken and Odette becomes the wife of a king-to-be. Tchaikovsky made sure the story flowed too easily to enable people to recreate this ballet as many times as possible.

3. Giselle

Gulaghasi Mirzayev, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons

Giselle is a ballet that tells a story that many people have witnessed or heard about in the modern world despite the story being produced in the nineteenth century. Here, the Duke of Silesia is expected to marry the Duke of Courtland’s daughter. However, Duke Albrecht of Silesia has silently fallen in love with a common girl named Giselle. The story was first produced in 1842 and performed by the Italian ballerina Carlotta Grisi. Giselle was an instant hit and was loved by the audience, thanks to the talented performers.

4. Romeo and Juliet

Stella Adler, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Romeo and Juliet become so common and inseparable for centuries. The story was first written by the great Shakespeare before being translated into different forms of art. However, Sergei Prokofiev was the first person to introduce the story to ballet. The story of two love birds who prove that love knows no boundaries. Their deep love for each other cost them their lives in the end. The love story is interpreted in the best way possible as well as showing that love can cause tragedy if not nurtured properly. Sergei made Romeo and Juliet ballet a global hit.

5. The Sleeping Beauty

The Sleeping Beauty is another love story that was magically introduced in ballet by Marius Petipa’s choreography. Written by Tchaikovsky, The Sleeping Beauty follows the story of a young woman named Prince Aurora whose life is in danger during her birthday. Despite being heavily protected, the prince is cursed to fall asleep for a century and can only be awakened from her deep sleep by a handsome prince. The story is even sweeter when performed on stage, making it one of the greatest ballets.

6. La Sylphide

​English Wikipedia user Mrlopez2681, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

The best ballet is one that follows a romantic story and La Sylphide choreographed by Fillipo Taglioni and his daughter Marie Taglioni stands out. When James, a Scottish man abandons his wedding to follow the beautiful Sylph, we are reminded of unexplainable love stories. This woodland spirit must have been something special for the man to stop his wedding plans and peruse her. Although the first performances became outdated, La Sylphide was again performed by August Bourneville who brought it to life once again.

7. Coppélia

Gilda N. Squire Gildasquire, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

During the romantic ballet period, Arthur Saint Leon choreographed this timeless ballet that is still interesting to watch today. Performed in the 1870s, Coppélia follows the love story of a young man named Franz who falls in love with a doll that just came to life. The ballet shows the stories of magic and mysterious things that happen in the human environment including the supernatural. Coppélia is one of the best ballets you would see today.

8. The Right of Spring

When The Right of Spring premiered in 1913, many people knew that it would cause a scandal because of its revolutionary approach. Choreographed by the talented Vaslav Nijinsky, The Right of Spring follows the story of a young girl who is made to dance until she dies. Her death was a sacrifice that would usher in the spring season. The ballet is famous because of the powerful topics that are embodied in the story. Its experimental nature makes this ballet one to put in the archives and remember forever.

9. La Bayadere

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La Bayadere is another ballet that tells the love story of a temple dancer called Nikiya who falls in love with Solor the warrior. However, Solor’s parents do not approve of the romantic relationship because they want him to marry someone they chose, the Rajah’s daughter. However, their love is so strong that Solor sees the visions of Nikiya whenever he smokes opium. The ballet was performed by none other than Marius Petipa who is known to bring life to ballet through performances.

10. Don Quixote

Don Quixote is an adaptation of Miguel de Cervantes’s novel of the same name. The ballet premiered in the 1860s in Russia where Murius Petipa’s choreography took center stage. Ludwig Minkus’s contribution to music made this ballet one of a kind. The story revolves around two young lovebirds Kitri and Basilio whose love story is at risk. While Kitri’s parents want her to get married to a wealthy Spanish man, her unwavering love is for the young and poor Basilio. Don Quixote comes into the story when he gets involved with the young lovers’ story. The ballet has elements of classical ballet techniques that focus on Spanish tradition.

11. Cinderella

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Cinderella is a timeless ballet that has been reinvented for centuries to meet the needs of the audience. However, the choreographer Frederick Ashton’s performance is highly regarded and considered one of the best ballet of all time. The ballet tells the story of a young woman who goes from zero to hero in a short period. Cinderella is a young and beautiful woman who is mistreated by people around her. However, with the help of her Fairy Godmother, Cinderella is transformed into an amazing woman and made to attend a function at the royal house. She impresses the prince who falls in love with her overnight. The ballet is known for telling a love story alongside several other themes such as magical transformation.

12. The Firebird

Unknown photographer for the Ballets Russes., Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

The early twentieth century introduced a new level of ballet and The Firebird in 1910 was on top of the list of the best ballets in the century. Choreographed by several talented men such as Igor Stravinsky and Michel Fokine, this ballet recorded the highest score during its time of release. The story revolves around a young Prince Ivan who captures a mystical Firebird that has beautiful feathers. The bird begs to be released and gives the prince one of her luminous feathers. Along the journey, the prince comes across an evil man named Kostchei who has taken young princesses captive. With the help of the feather, the prince defeats the man and sets the young girls free. The incredible story has led to the creation of incredible performances making The Firebird one of the most memorable ballets.

13. Symphony in C

Although Symphony in C does not have a specific storyline or characters, the ballet is one of the most celebrated in history. Also referred to as Palais de Crystal, Symphony in C was brought to life by the legendary George Balanchine. The ballet focuses on the essentials of a classic ballet including precise dance movements, clarity, and perfect patterns that combine to make a special ballet. Symphony in C is one of the greatest ballet in history not just for its unique approach but also being performed by the best men in the industry.

14. Onegin

Ballets are known for telling love stories differently and Onegin had a special storyline. The ballet, extracted from Alexander Pushkin’s novel tells the story of a man named Eugene Onegin whose love life takes a twist when he rejects a young woman’s declaration of love. Eugene Onegin realizes his mistake and wishes to turn back to the young woman but it is too late for that. John Cranko as the choreographer is remembered for telling the story through dance and music. Onegin’s blend of characters and different themes in the story including love, regret, and drama makes it one of the best ballets in history.

15. Jewels

Ravello Festival, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons

George Balanchine was yet on the stage for this abstract ballet, Jewels in 1967. Jewels is a ballet that is structured to have three acts with each act representing different themes, colors, and evoking emotions. There are the Emeralds, Rubies, and Diamonds with each act having different music and colors of costumes. For example, the Rubies is set to Stravinsky’s score and dancers are expected to show energy during the performance. Jewels is a unique ballet that shows diversity. Balanchine had the best opportunity to showcase his ability in Jewels.

16. Apollo

Ravello Festival, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons

Apollo was a twentieth-century ballet that introduced a new style of storytelling in ballet. Choreographed by the legendary George Balanchine combined with Igor Stravinsky’s music, Apollo became a hit upon its release. The ballet tells the story of the Greek god, Apollo and his journey from being a boy to becoming a grown man, and eventually a god. In Apollo, the audiences are entertained with different themes including transformation, and artistic growth. Stravinsky and Balanchine teamed up for the first time to create a masterpiece in Apollo and went on to work together for several years. Apollo remains one of the most important ballets in history for developing modern ballet.

17. La Fille Mal Gardée

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La Fille Mal Gardée which is translated as ‘The Wayward Daughter’ is a love story about a young girl named Lisa whose love for Colas would not let her marry Alain, a preferred candidate because of his wealth. The young lovebirds go through hard times as they overcome obstacles created by the girl’s mother. The most memorable performance for La Fille Mal Gardée was done by Frederick Ashton with Ferdinand Herold as the composer for the 1960 production. The ballet is remembered for setting themes such as youth rebellion, love, and victory through hard times.

18. Les Sylphides

Danie Coetzee, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Les Sylphides is an enduring piece of art that was first choreographed by Michel Fokine. The ballet is also abstract as it does not follow a specific storyline, but rather, was created as a tribute to the legendary composer Frederic Chopin. Les Sylphides is also referred to as ‘Chopiniana’ and has one act. The main theme in Les Sylphides is the relationship between the male protagonist and the forest floating spirits. Fokine uses his ability to showcase his male dance moves as he is pursued by a group of sylphs. The ballet evokes emotions and imaginations watching the white floating sylphs.

19. La Esmeralda

La Esmeralda was inspired by Victor Hugo’s novel called The Hunchback of Notre Dame and focuses on the character Esmeralda. As choreographed by Marius Petipa, La Esmeralda tells the story of a gypsy dancer who falls in love with Quasimodo, a bell ringer at Notre Dame Cathedral. A third party, Captain Phoebus is introduced as he gets entangled in the love triangle. The ballet explores the themes of love, jealousy, and social segregation where people would not interact freely. Marius showed his prowess in La Esmeralda because it demanded strong character and skills.

20. The Green Table

Who would have imagined that ballet would be used to push for peace at a time when war dominated the world? The Green Table was a ballet created by German choreographer Kurt Jooss to push for a peaceful existence among nations. The ballet’s characters include political leaders, soldiers, and diplomats who are expected to sit at a table to discuss matters of war and peace. However, everyone perished through the horrors of war as people killed each other during the First World War. The movements in the ballet evoke fear as they represent the chaos of war.

Looking back in the history of ballet dance has shown us the men and women who dedicated their lives to entertaining the crowds by creating exceptional ballets. We can also appreciate that some works of art are not easy to perform as they require special talents and abilities to make the crowds happy. The most famous ballets of all time are evidence of the enduring power that people possess as they try to express themselves through dance. Even though some of the performances were done centuries ago, ballet lovers can connect with these historic performances. Even though the original purpose of ballet has completely changed, ballet is still celebrated in the modern world after many years of transformation to suit modern society. Today, ballet is more than just a performance as they are used to express human emotion, creativity, and grace. The dance moves, leaps, and turns performed on the stage have left audiences yearning for more performances. We are reminded of the enduring legacy of ballet that made people happy more than three centuries ago and still do today.