Neoclassical ballet is a term describing the ballet style which uses traditional ballet vocabulary, but is generally more expansive than the classical structure allowed. For example, dancers often dance at more extreme tempos and perform more technical feats. Spacing in neoclassical ballet is ususally more modern or complex than in classical ballet. Although organization in neoclassical ballet is more varied, the focus on structure is a defining characteristic of neoclassical ballet.
Most would consider George Balanchine's Apollo in 1928 to be the first neoclassical ballet, as it represented a return to form in response to Serge Diaghilev's abstract ballets. Any ballet utilizing traditional ballet vocabulary created after Apollo can be considered neoclassical. Although classical ballets had plots and multiple acts, neoclassical ballets are not necessarily story-ballets, and are usually one-acts.
Signigicant People and Work
Although much of Balanchine's work epitomized the genre, British choreographers Frederick Ashton and Kenneth MacMillan were also great neoclassical choreographers.
