Balletomania

/ˌbælətoʊˈmeɪniə/ noun

Definition

Intense passion, enthusiasm, or obsession with ballet and ballet dancing.

Etymology

From 'ballet' + 'mania' (Greek for 'madness' or 'excessive enthusiasm'). This term was created in the 19th century to describe the widespread passionate interest in ballet that swept through Europe and Russia.

Kelly Says

Balletomania describes a real cultural phenomenon—in 19th-century Russia, ballet was so popular that it rivaled opera and literature in cultural importance. The Ballets Russes in the early 1900s caused absolute 'mania' across Europe!

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