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What’s the point(e) of ballet? - Ming Luke

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TEDEd Animation

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A baby cursed at birth. A fierce battle of good and evil. A true love awoken with a kiss. Since premiering in 1890, “The Sleeping Beauty” has become one of the most frequently staged ballets in history. So what makes this piece so beloved? And what exactly does ballet bring to this— or any other— story? Ming Luke shares what makes ballet the perfect medium for stories old and new.

In the opening of The Sleeping Beauty, the choreographer created gestures and movements that reflect and work in harmony with the music such as the dancers walking on tip-toe while the violins are plucking their strings. What other examples can you give of how music and movement are related in The Sleeping Beauty?

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Meet The Creators

  • Director Mateus Moretto
  • Educator Ming Luke
  • Narrator Addison Anderson
  • Storyboard Artist Mateus Moretto, Luciano do Amaral
  • Animator Luciano do Amaral
  • Art Director Mateus Moretto
  • Music Jarrett Farkas
  • Director of Production Gerta Xhelo
  • Editorial Producer Alex Rosenthal
  • Producer Bethany Cutmore-Scott
  • Associate Editorial Producer Dan Kwartler
  • Fact-Checker Eden Girma
  • Ballet Consultant Sasha de Sola
  • Special Thanks Jenny Hunt

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