November 4
Carlo Blasis
Carlo Blasis (1797-1878) was the author of Elementary, Theoretical, and Practical Treatise on the Art of the Dance in 1820, perhaps the first written systemization of ballet technique. It is he you can thank for the balanced pose on one leg with the other bent at an angle that he named attitude, which was inspired by the statue of Mercury by Giovanni da Bologna.
Also Born Today: Carolina Otero aka La Belle Otero (1868-1965) was a Spanish dancer and popular performer at the Folies Bèrgere in Paris. Modern dancer Murray Louis (1926-2016) was the creative partner of choreographer Alwin Nikolais (1910-1993). Brazilian dancer/actress Marilena Ansaldi (1934-2021) was a former ballerina and a pioneer of dance theatre in South America. She also appeared in several films in Brazil.