Marie Taglioni: The Revolutionary Sylphide
Marie Taglioni was practically fated to be an artist. Born in Stockholm, Sweden in 1804 to Italian choreographer Fillipo Taglioni and Swedish ballet dancer Sophie Karsten, she came from a family that included other dancers and choreographers as well as at least one opera singer. The family moved to Vienna when Marie was very young and it was there that she began her dance training under Jean-Baptiste Coulon, who was one of the most renowned ballet teachers in Europe at the time. Even so, it was thought that her technique was not impressive enough for discerning Viennese audiences, so her father devised a rigorous – one could even say punishing – six-month training regimen for her. Every morning, she would hold various positions for 100 counts. She spent two hours focusing on leg exercises in the morning and another two in the afternoon working on adagio movements to refine her ballet poses. Taglioni’s back was a bit rounded, which gave the impression that she was perpetually leaning forward, and it’s said that she had “slightly distorted proportions.” In order to direct attention away from her physical limitations, she took great care to improve her range of motion and strength. She also worked diligently to focus on her shape and form rather than flashy tricks and pirouettes. Her first Viennese ballet performance was choreographed by her father.
Early in her career, Taglioni danced in Munich and Stuttgart. At age 23, she danced in the premiere of “La Sicilien”, another work by her father, which brought her great acclaim. In 1832, Filippo created “La Sylphide” for Marie, which made her a truly famous danseuse at the Paris Opera. The costume she wore in this ballet – a dress with a fitted bodice and diaphanous bell-like skirt – is considered the prototype of the modern tutu and it created a fashion trend for “Sylphide” gowns. This was also the first ballet in which dancing en pointe was an actual part of the choreography rather than a (sometimes awkward) stunt. She created a new style of ballet known for floating leaps and graceful arabesques.
Taglioni danced at Her Majesty’s Theatre for a time before accepting a three-year contract with the Imperial Ballet in St. Petersburg in 1837. Ballet was all the rage in Russia during this time – in 1842, at the height of the “cult of the ballerina”, a pair of her pointe shoes sold for 200 rubles, the equivalent of $4,026.99 USD today. The shoes didn’t take up residence on a collector’s shelf or in a bell jar, though – a group of balletomanes reportedly cooked them and ate them with a sauce!
In 1845, Taglioni danced in Jules Perrot’s pas de Quatre, which further showcased her ethereal qualities. Queen Victoria attended the third performance of this ballet, which was based on the lithographs of Alfred Edward Chalon. Marie retired from performing in 1847 and lived in Vienna for a time, but returned to the Paris Opera when its ballet was reorganized with stricter professional standards. Along with Lucien Petipa, the director of the new Conservatoire de Danse, and choreographer Louis Merante, Taglioni was part of the six-member jury of the first annual competition of the corps de ballet on April 13, 1860.
Taglioni only choreographed one ballet, Le Papillon, which is sadly most remembered for an onstage tragedy. In 1863, Marie’s student Emma Livry was burned to death when a gas jet – a common type of stage footlight during that era – ignited her costume. Taglioni later taught social and ballroom dance to children and society ladies in London and also accepted a select group of ballet pupils. She died in poverty in Marseille on April 22, 1884 and her body was moved to Paris. The exact location of her grave is still a matter of debate, but local dancers began leaving their worn pointe shoes on her alleged grave in Montmartre as a tribute and in gratitude.
