2 3 Throwback Thursday and Balon | Ballet Webb

Thursday, December 5, 2013

Throwback Thursday and Balon



Throwback Thursday and Balon
Dancers are familiar with the phrase: “You have wonderful balon”.  This is a compliment that means they jump well.  But most dancers do not realize that the word’ balon’ is not a dance step.  It is probably a person.
Jean Balon (1676-1739), (sometimes spelled Ballon) was a French dancer known for his amazing ability to jump beautifully. Thus, it is believed that his name was used whenever one was referring to a dancer with an extraordinary ability to jump.
Of course, there is also the French word ‘ballon’ which means balloon, so that could also have played into the current use of the word.  Interesting that a dancer who jumped well happened to have a name that meant balloon! 

From the Big Blue Book of Ballet Secrets:

Dance History Factoid #4:  
“Jean Balon may be the reason dancers who jump well are said to have ‘good balon’.”

 
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Quote of the Day:

“Everything is hard before it is easy.”
-Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

 

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