https://youtu.be/mG1WuZViibU?si=SgB4NVQJ-WRR-Z8y

https://youtu.be/-jFETbbOoIs?si=d5YFhJxAHqPyXyrw

The Cechetti method was created and perfected by Enrico Cechetti, a ballet dancer, teacher, and mime with the Maryinsky ballet, Ballet de Russes , and Imperial School.

June 21, 1850-November 13, 1928

Enrico Cecchetti was born in a dressing room of a theatre in Rome on the 21st of June, 1850. Young Enrico's stage debut occurred as an infant in his father's arms. So he was literally born into the ballet world.

Although his parents wanted him to pursue a career in business or law, Enrico was determined to be a dancer and finally convinced his parents of his great desire and dedication.

Trained in the rudiments of ballet by his father, Enrico was sent for further training to Giovanni Lepri who prepared accomplished dancers.

He also studied with two more of his father's colleagues, Cesare Coppini, who taught at the prestigious La Scala in Milan, and Filippo Taglioni, father of the celebrated ballerina, Marie Taglioni.

This early training created a background for Enrico Cecchetti's method of teaching following the lines of Blasis' own theory.

Blasis had codified his teaching methods in the book Traite Elementaire, Technique et Practise de Art de la Danse, published in 1820.

Cecchetti began touring Europe in his late teens, and at age 20 had his debut on the stage of La Scala in Milan. He was an instant success.

At the height of his career, he migrated to St. Petersburg. While performing in Russia, he captivated his audiences with brilliant feats of batterie, amazing leaps, and multiple pirouettes.

He was hired to perform as Premier Danseur, to be Maitre de Ballet with the Maryinsky Ballet and to teach at the Imperial Ballet School (1887-1902).

So prodigious was his technique and his gifts for mime that he created and performed the virtuoso role of the Blue Bird and the mime role of Carabosse in the premiere of Petipa's The Sleeping Beauty in 1890.

Cecchetti taught at the Imperial School in St. Petersburg from 1887-1902, and from 1902-1905 he taught in Poland at the Warsaw State School.

He returned to St. Petersburg in 1905 and established a school there.

From 1907-1909, he taught Anna Pavlova exclusively until dancers from the Maryinsky pleaded with him to open his classes to them again.

When Diaghilev wanted his company, the Ballets Russes, to tour, the dancers refused because they would miss their daily classes with Cecchetti.

Diaghilev hired Enrico for the dual roles of ballet master and mime.

Cecchetti performed many mime roles which were created expressly for him by choreographers of the Ballets Russes.

He was the link between the past and the present, contributing to the birth of modern classical ballet.

The Ballets Russes toured through Europe, the United States, South America, and Australia. Tired of touring, Cecchetti settled in London, England where he opened a school to which dancers flocked.

In 1923, he returned to Italy to retire but was invited by Arturo Toscanini to resume his teaching career at La Scala, his lifelong dream.

While teaching a class, Cecchetti collapsed and was taken home where he died the following day, November 13, 1928.

Cecchetti was praised for his agility and strength in his performances, as well as his technical abilities in dance.

After Cecchetti's death, Cyril Beaumont, Stanislas Idzikowsky, Margaret Craske and Derra de Moroda decided to codify Cecchetti's method so it could continue to be used by ballet teachers to perfect the technique of ballet dancers.

Under the Cecchetti Method, dancers follow strict routines and daily exercises to develop all-around skills to support learning and performance of every kind of dance. Each day of the week is dedicated to a different step.

This training method is used by many ballet companies around the world, including The National Ballet of Canada and Mont Albert Ballet School in Melbourne, Australia.

SOURCES:

https://www.cecchetti.org/about/history/

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enrico_Cecchetti