PETIPA MARATHON
Under the social and political instability of nowadays, there is a danger of losing touch with the culture of different countries and the world’s historical heritage. This risk includes losing achievements, forgetting names, and changing values, which, in turn, can lead to the loss of valuable knowledge and experience.
Belguim-based PETIPA MARATHON serves as an international centre of danse education. It is also to preserve the brilliant creativity of ballet genius Marius Petipa and presents multipal programms that reflect on his work today: PETIPA INTENSE, IN SEARCH IN THE MAESTRO, PETIPA’S SUMMER PROGRAM etc.
For nearly two centuries, the world has been captivated by the stunning choreographic works of Marius Petipa, an exceptional figure credited as the founder of classical ballet. No country has remained untouched by his artistry, which has elevated the status of ballet to a separate form of artistic expression.
Petipa’s surviving ballets, including The Sleeping Beauty, The Swan Lake, La Bayadere, Raymonda and the co-authored works The Swan Lake and The Nutcracker are true choreographic marvels. He also brilliantly carried the legacy of other great ballet masters, such as Giselle, Coppelia, Le Corsaire, and Paquita, appending his own touch of talent to these masterpieces.
Petipa’s choreography is a breathtaking artistic synergy that derives from a variety of distinguished ballet schools. His father, Jean-Antoine Petipa, and his teachers Auguste Vestris, Charles Didelot, Arthur Saint-Leon, and Jules Perrot, helped to establish the French ballet school’s influence. He drew from the Italian ballet school through the teachings of maestro Enrico Cecchetti and a constellation of invited virtuoso dancers. He integrated the Danish ballet school through his close friend Christian Johansson, a student of August Bournonville who himself became an outstanding teacher at the Imperial Ballet School. Lastly, the Russian ballet school was a significant influence on Petipa’s work, with the teachers and dancers of the St. Petersburg Imperial Ballet School leaving an indelible mark on his artistry.
PETIPA MARATHON is intended to accumulate the most important achievements of ballet practitioners and theorists who have dedicated their professional lives to the legacy of the outstanding choreographer.