Billy Elliot's father may have been outraged to discover his son had a passion for ballet rather than boxing, but his reaction might have been different if he knew that in the early years it was danced only by men.
In the 300 years since Louis XIV of France began influencing the dance, many changes have taken place. So, distilling the entire history of ballet into a 2 1/2-hour visual crash course of its milestones is quite a task.
Presented by the Hong Kong Ballet, The Evolution of Ballet - winner of Hong Kong Dance Awards 2009 - portrays ballet's development from court entertainment to a platform for modern creativity.
The show will focus on Louis XIV and the influence of Catherine de' Medici of Italy in the 16th century. The latter took the genesis of ballet in the 15th century from her home country to France, staging Ballet Comique de la Reine in 1581 - the world's first ballet.
'Few know that ballet is from Italy, not France,' says Shirley Loong, Hong Kong Ballet's director of the education and outreach department.
In 1661, ballet steps were developed and refined in the courts of Louis XIV's palace. The king's passion led him to found the Paris Opera in 1669. At that time, all dancers were male until the first premier danseuse Mlle de Lafontaine appeared in 1681.
In the 19th century, ballerinas first started dancing en pointe - on the tips of their toes, a typical balletic move known for its difficulty. Pointe shoes were invented.