August Bournonville
1805-1879
Expressing through dance...
August Bournonville, born in Copenhagen, Denmark, in 1805, was one of the most influential ballet masters of the 19th century. He is best known for developing a distinct style of ballet that emphasized lightness, agility, and grace. Bournonville’s technique placed a strong focus on jump work, batterie, and precise, elegant footwork. He often incorporated elements of Danish folk dance into his choreography. As the ballet master of the Royal Danish Ballet, he created numerous ballets that remain staples of the classical repertory and believed that ballet should be a reflection of natural beauty and movement, and he stressed the importance of the dancer’s emotional connection to the work. He died in 1879, leaving behind a legacy of both artistic innovation and a well-defined pedagogical approach that continues to influence ballet today.
"The beautiful always retains the freshness of novelty, while the astonishing soon grow tiresome."
The Flag of Denmark.
"It is not so much upon the number of exercises, as the care with which they are done, that progress and skill depend."
-August Bournonville
Ballet Evolved: August Bournonville 1805-1879
Bournonville: A Preserver of the Romantic Ballet Tradition
Bournonville Napoli pas de six 1st variation - Alexander Kølpin, Ulrik Birkkjær
Grand pas Classique - Alban Lendorf
Bournonville was a believer in egalitarianism: the belief of human equality. During the 1800s women were the dominant figures of ballet. Mens roles in ballets involved partnering and little showing of their own technique. Bournonville made place for male dancers to take center stage as well as female dancers. Below are two examples of men dancing with fantastic technique in the Bournonville Method as well as an example of a female solo.