Day 4

Cesare Negri (c. 1535 – c. 1605), nicknamed "il Trombone" for his tendency toward self-promotion, was a pioneering Italian dancer and choreographer. Based in Milan, he established a dance academy there in 1554 and served as a court choreographer for the local nobility.

His most significant contribution to dance history came through his theoretical writings. In 1602, he published "Le Grazie d'Amore" (The Graces of Love), which was later revised and republished in 1604 as "Nuove Inventioni di Balli" (New Inventions of the Dance). This work is particularly notable as it contains the first written description of the five basic positions that would become fundamental to classical ballet.

The treatise is divided into three parts, with the second section outlining 55 technical rules and the third providing detailed choreographic descriptions. Negri introduced several innovative dance movements, including the "leap of fiocco," where dancers would jump to touch a ribbon suspended from the ceiling with their foot. Significantly, he was the first to advocate for turned-out feet (known as "en dehors" in modern ballet), a position that became a cornerstone of classical technique.

Negri's work describes technically demanding steps that remain relevant in contemporary dance, such as single-footed pirouettes and aerial turns. He also included important pedagogical elements, explaining how certain basic steps could serve as preparation for more advanced movements, and advocating for the use of a support bar during practice – a technique still employed in modern dance training.

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