Talk:Claude Balon

a hint
There seems to be considerable information about dances that Balon performed. See: the 1704 Feuillet collection, held in the French National Library (BNF).

For instance, on page 74 (in the original numbering) we find: "Entrée Espagnolle pour un homme et une femme. Dancée par Mr. Balon et Mlle. Subligny au Ballet de l'Europe galante". Music by André Campra. Choreography by Louis-Guillaume Pécour.

The music is a rondeau in 3 from the dance suite of the opera. This is in the form abaca, with each section 12 bars. Each section is rhythmically divided in half and the dance sequences reflect this, with 6 bar sections that often repeat the steps in the second half with variations on the first half.

Despite the fact that a great part of the music of operas in this period was for dance, currently opera articles in the Wikipedia seem only to mention the singers. --AJim (talk) 16:50, 6 July 2021 (UTC)

Going just a bit deeper, I see that the dances on pp 57, 64, 68, 74, 79, and 91 are all as performed Balon and his frequent partner Mlle. Subligny. I am sure there are more. I think these pages are available for non-commercial use. I have to ask around about the preferred method to include some of the images.

The dance on p 79, for instance, is the lovely and well-known Passacaille de Persée, performed in the version linked here by Adeline Lerme & Bruno Benne in 2013. They are in modern dress for this performance but dance a very faithful reconstruction of the choreography. The fact that the work that Balon did over 300 years ago still inspires respect today speaks to his notability. --AJim (talk) 19:49, 6 July 2021 (UTC)