What is the traditional skirt worn by ballerinas called?

The history of ballet begins around 1500 in Italy. Terms like “ballet” and “ball” stem from the Italian word "ballare," which means "to dance."

When Catherine de Medici of Italy married the French King Henry II, she introduced early dance styles into court life in France.

At first, the dancers wore masks, layers upon layers of brocaded costuming, pantaloons, large headdresses, and ornaments. Such restrictive clothing was sumptuous to look at but difficult to move in. Dance steps were composed of small hops, slides, curtsies, promenades, and gentle turns. Dancing shoes had small heels and resembled formal dress shoes rather than any contemporary ballet shoe we might recognize today.

The official terminology and vocabulary of ballet was gradually codified in French over the next 100 years, and during the reign of Louis XIV, the king himself performed many of the popular dances of the time. Professional dancers were hired to perform at court functions after King Louis and fellow noblemen had stopped dancing.