The person who thinks of all the ideas and steps for a ballet is called a choreographer. Here, David Bintley is choreographing the Stars dance from Cinderella. He is one of the best-known choreographers in the world and has made ballets for many companies. The steps will be written down in a special way called a dance notation.

Most ballet companies have a notator— someone trained to read the steps and help the dancers to learn them. Dancers have to rehearse for a long time before a ballet is ready to be performed on stage. Everyone must move together and dance in the same way. The dancers who do the group dances are called the corps de ballet. This French name means “the body of the ballet.” Men and women wear makeup on stage. The color and lines on the dancers eyes and mouths help the audience to see their faces clearly.

Some roles need a special makeup to make the dancers look different. Different costumes are made for each ballet. They are often decorated with crystals and sequins to make them shine and sparkle. Dancers must rehearse in their costumes and headdresses before they perform on stage.

“Even professional dancers start each day with a class to perfect their steps.”