Marie Taglioni was born on 23 April 1804 into ‘an extraordinary dynasty of dancers’,1 a dynasty spanning four generations. Marie’s grandfather, Carlo Taglioni, was a dancer and choreographer in the late 1700s. Her mother, Sophie Karsten, was a Swedish ballerina and artist. Both her father, Filippo Taglioni, and her uncle Salvatore Taglioni were notable choreographers.2 Marie, however, faced significant challenges in establishing herself as a respected ballerina. Born with physical limitations, including a rounded back that caused her natural posture to lean slightly forward, she was ridiculed by critics and classmates alike for her perceived abnormalities.3 Perhaps to her further disadvantage, Taglioni’s predecessor, the Frenchwoman Marie Anne de Cupis de Camargo (1710–1770), considered ‘the first great virtuoso ballerina of the Paris Opera’4, was renowned as an exquisite example of poise and perfection. Camargo’s ‘lightness’ was one of her most commendable qualities. In contrast, Taglioni’s muscularity, irregular postural alignment, and long limbs were seen as compromising her beauty and consequent dance aesthetic.5Two decades after her initial dismissal by teachers and critics, Marie secured the lead role in the ballet La Sylphide (1832). The ballet was choreographed by her father, Filippo Taglioni, specifically to ‘showcase his daughter’s talent’.6 The featured rounded ports de bras and tilted upper body line were not mere coincidences but a deliberate optimisation of Marie’s previously perceived weaknesses, now transformed into strengths.As Filippo Taglioni worked on the design for La Sylphide, Europe of the early 1830s was at the height of the Romantic movement, with literature, music, and the visual arts already deeply under its influence. Romanticism had emerged in the late 1700s as a reaction against the order and harmony of Classicism (and later Neoclassicism), as well as the rationalist philosophy of the Enlightenment. It upheld emotion, individualism, and the divine power of nature as its primary virtues.In literature, key figures such as William Wordsworth and Samuel Taylor Coleridge expressed the importance of nature and personal experience in their seminal work, Lyrical Ballads (1798), which marked a turning point in English poetry. The movement also embraced the exploration of the human psyche, exemplified by Mary Shelley’s novel Frankenstein (1818). In the visual arts, French artists such as Baron Antoine-Jean Gros, Anne-Louis Girodet-Trioson, and Eugène Delacroix explored the emotional depth of historical and exotic subjects, with Delacroix’s Liberty Leading the People (1830) representing a key work in the genre. The Englishman JMW Turner and the German Caspar David Friedrich in turn created the transcendent landscapes of Romanticism. In music, Ludwig van Beethoven played a crucial role in the transition from Classicism, with his later works embodying emotional depth and innovation. Composers like Frédéric Chopin, Robert Schumann, and Hector Berlioz further explored new forms, favouring personal expression over traditional conventions. This era marked a shift towards programmatic music, where composers sought to convey stories and emotions, as opposed to music for the sake of form and structure.La Sylphide is set to the music of Jean Schnietzhoeffer and depicts the tragic demise of James, a Scottish villager. Despite being betrothed to a local girl, he becomes entranced by a beautiful sylph (a supernatural and delicate spirit of the air). Led by desire and seduction, he pursues la sylph, who loves him but knows she will die if embraced by him. In desperation, James follows a sorceress’ advice and uses a magic scarf to capture the sylph, only to witness her wings falling away and her tragic death. The ballet concludes with James collapsing into unconsciousness.7In the ballet Marie’s role is styled by soft, rounded ports de bras (general arm movements), a tilted upper body, and elongated arabesque lines (where the dancer stands on one leg, with the other leg held out straight behind). Previously, ballet typically required an upright torso, head poised directly above the shoulders, and precise arm and leg lines. Although subtle, these adjustments in posture and alignment created a transcendental atmosphere with increased gentleness and fluidity. Ballerinas from then on would appear more mystical and delicate. Enhancing this was Marie's dark hair and contrastingly pale skin which added to the desired atmosphere. Her idyllic, ethereal image was mirrored in the fashion of the time, when young women were ‘drinking vinegar and water to make themselves look pale and interesting’.8Such delicacy should not be mistaken for simplicity, as the newly developed pointe work was both technically demanding and physically arduous. Marie Taglioni is credited as the first dancer to rise onto the very tips of her toes to dance en pointe.9 This innovation created an image of weightlessness, allowing her to appear as though she were floating across the stage in an unearthly manner. The design of knee-length tutus further complemented this effect, as the exposure of the lower leg and ankle facilitated freer movement.The technically demanding elements of La Sylphide would have necessitated considerable dedication from Marie, particularly in overcoming her physical limitations and transforming them into strengths. It is said that she trained rigorously for up to six hours per day,10 developing exceptional vigour, which demonstrated a striking contrast between impressive musculature and ethereal grace. This quality of movement, crafted by both Marie and Filippo, combined with the costume and setting (diaphanous tutus and eerie lighting), ensured that La Sylphide — encompassing everyone from corps de ballet (the groups of dancers who support the principals) to principal ballerina — was alluringly sublime. The image of Marie Taglioni as La Sylph became iconic. Contemporary depictions in art, such as in Alfred Edward Chalon’s Marie Taglioni in ‘La Sylphide’ (1845)11, are now recognised as emblematic of the emerging Romanticism in ballet — echoing earlier developments in the literature, art, and music of the time. Marie’s performance as the protagonist epitomised Romantic ideals: her ‘heavy muscularity’ became an asset, enhancing her mastery of pointe work while her ‘unusual strength and endurance’12 allowed her to glide effortlessly across the stage, captivating audiences with a sense of the fantastical. Combined with the newfound softness in choreography, which highlighted her grace, beauty, and technical prowess, Taglioni mesmerised audiences, satisfying the desire of the time for sentiment and passion at the forefront of storytelling.Filippo and Marie’s collaboration in creating and performing La Sylphide marked the dawn of Romantic ballet. This era spawned a series of iconic works (for example, Giselle (1841) and Pas de Quatre (1845)), many of which continue to be performed today in various adaptations by companies around the world.