Ballet Term
Balletomane
A balletomane is a term used to describe avid ballet fans and enthusiast. This term was invented in Russia around 1930.
A balletomane is a devoted ballet fan, the kind of person who follows companies, knows the dancers by name, and returns to the theater again and again. The word joins ballet with the ending mane, which suggests an enthusiasm bordering on obsession. It is a warm, playful label rather than a technical one.
The term is usually traced to Russia in the early twentieth century, where passionate audiences packed theaters in cities like St. Petersburg and Moscow and cheered their favorite ballerinas. Being called a balletomane is a compliment. It means you love the art form deeply, notice the small details of technique and artistry, and care about who is dancing and how. Many young dancers and dance parents become balletomanes without even trying, simply by falling in love with going to the ballet.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Where does the word balletomane come from?
It comes from combining ballet with a suffix suggesting mania or obsession, and it is generally credited to passionate Russian ballet audiences in the early twentieth century.