By the very nature of the dance, ballet is very romantic.  The graceful dancers, beautiful costumes, the amazing movements, all of these naturally lend themselves to a romantic storyline.  Not all ballets have a romantic theme, though.  But some stand out from the crowd for being the most romantic ballets you can watch.

With Valentine’s Day just around the corner here is a quick list of some of the most romantic ballets.

Romantic Ballet – Romeo and Juliet

The tragic story of two young lovers is well known as a romantic tale since Shakespeare created it.  Its transformation into a ballet has further enhanced the story.  The dance means you can really feel all of those key moments.  From the couple meeting and falling in love to their secret marriage, the dance showcases the emotions.

Then the tragedy begins.  The killing of Mercutio, Romeo’s friend, and his duel with Juliet’s cousin.  Romeo’s banishment and Juliet’s plan to follow him by faking her death.  His mistake was thinking she was dead and his suicide.  Her awakening to find him dead and joining him.  All of these acts are perfect for a romantic ballet that is why it remains one of the most popular.

Romantic Ballet – Giselle

Giselle is the story of a love triangle, revenge madness and even some ghosts.  There is a lot contained in one dance and the actual ballet itself is one of the most challenging that a ballerina can attempt on a technical front.

Giselle is a peasant girl in poor health who is loved by a local prince.  He disguises himself to present himself to her and is helped by another village who also loves Giselle.  During the story, Giselle is driven mad and ends up killing herself but returns as a ghost to save the prince from a vengeful spirit of girls who die before their wedding day.

Romantic Ballet – Swan Lake

Swan Lake is an interesting ballet because it was created specifically as a dance, as opposed to being interpreted into dance from a book.  This means that while there is a clear story to tell, it is best seen in the dance.

In the story, Prince Siegfried meets the Swan Queen and falls in love with her.  She is under a spell by a sorcerer which will be broken if she finds true love.  The sorcerer tries to side-track the prince by using his daughter in the Swan Queen’s place.  But their love wins through and she escapes the curse to live with him.

Romantic Ballet – Cinderella

Cinderella is a classic romantic tale that has been made into an amazing ballet.  The story of the young girl who wins the heart of a prince with a little help from her fairy godmother is well-known.  The ballet version from Sergei Prokofiev adds the drama and a little comedy to the tale.

The story is one that is enhanced by the beauty of ballet, bringing out key moments such as the glass slipper and the prince searching for Cinderella after the ball.  It is also one of the few romantic ballets that has a happy ending, with the prince finding Cinderella in the end.