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!
Dance History Factoid #4:
“Jean Balon may be the
reason dancers who jump well are said to have ‘good balon’.”
Link of the Day:
Quote
of the Day:
“Everything is hard before it is easy.”
-Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
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