ballet
ballet — noun
1. a graceful style of dance, usually performed on stage, in which dancers use prec
a graceful style of dance, usually performed on stage, in which dancers use precise steps, jumps, and arm positions to communicate feelings or tell a tale.
Nikolai started learning ballet when he was four years old.
uncountable: study/learn ballet
Russia is famous around the world for its tradition of classical ballet.
collocation: classical ballet
Hiroshi prefers modern ballet to the older nineteenth-century style.
Many young dancers train for hours every day to become good at ballet.
Ms. Chen makes the six-year-olds practice ballet at the barre every Saturday morning.
- dance
much broader; ballet is one specific style of dance
用法筆記
Uncountable when it refers to the art form itself; takes no article when treated as a school subject or activity (study ballet, teach ballet). Distinguish from sense 2, which is countable and refers to a specific staged work.
常見錯誤
2. a single show on stage that presents a story through ballet dancing, usually wit
a single show on stage that presents a story through ballet dancing, usually with an orchestra playing music but no spoken or sung words.
Tchaikovsky wrote three famous ballets, including Swan Lake and The Nutcracker.
countable: a/three ballet(s)
We saw a beautiful ballet at the Royal Opera House last Saturday.
see / watch / attend a ballet
The new ballet is based on a short story by Kafka.
Emma cried during the sad final scene of the ballet.
Tickets for the opening-night ballet sold out within two hours.
- dance production
more general; covers any kind of staged dance work, not only ballet
- show
very general everyday word; loses the artistic and musical meaning
用法筆記
Countable in this sense: 'a ballet', 'two ballets'. Often paired with verbs like stage, perform, choreograph, or watch. Distinguish from sense 1: here ballet refers to one specific work (e.g. Swan Lake), not the art form in general.
常見錯誤
3. the piece of music that a composer creates so that dancers can perform a ballet
the piece of music that a composer creates so that dancers can perform a ballet to it.
Stravinsky's ballet The Rite of Spring shocked listeners at its 1913 Paris premiere.
composer + 's ballet + title
The orchestra recorded a new version of the ballet for the radio show.
Greta played part of a Tchaikovsky ballet on the piano during the recital.
Music students often study the rhythm and harmony of famous ballets.
- ballet score
more precise term used by musicians and critics
- ballet music
everyday wording for the same idea
用法筆記
Refers to the musical score, not the staged dance. Common in music criticism and academic writing. Often the same title (e.g. Swan Lake) covers both senses 2 and 3, so context decides whether the speaker means the show or the music.
4. an organized group of professional dancers who train, rehearse, and put on balle
an organized group of professional dancers who train, rehearse, and put on ballet shows together, often under one famous name.
The Paris Opera Ballet is one of the oldest dance companies in Europe.
proper noun: [City] Ballet
Mira joined the New York City Ballet straight after finishing dance school.
join / leave a ballet
The Royal Ballet are touring China and Japan this autumn.
A small regional ballet performs every spring in our town hall.
- ballet company
the most common everyday phrase; clearer than bare 'ballet'
- troupe
any travelling performance group, not only dancers
用法筆記
Often part of a proper name: the Royal Ballet, the Bolshoi Ballet. British English commonly uses a plural verb ('the Royal Ballet are touring'); American English usually keeps the singular verb. Distinguish from sense 2: here ballet means the troupe, not a single show.