Abstract

The article focuses on the social and political implications of the ballet and social dance of the 17th and early 18th centuries. By the end of the 1660s, the idea of demonstration of French power through the allegorical ballets lost its importance, and the court dance functions were transferred to the balls. There, the dancers had to present themselves according to the social hierarchy, and in the manner appropriate to their rank. The fact that the dance ideal, which developed from the late 16th century, and reached its peak during the reign of Louis XIV, applied for the social dance deep into the 18th century, showed itself not only in the period ways of dance music performance, but also in its development.