Do you know why classical ballet glossary contains a lot of names of jumps with the word «cat» («chat» in French): pas de chat, enter-chat? That is because We used to be a famous ballet teacher in France 19th century, and great Edgar Degas painted Us in his magnificent «The Ballet Class»:
Edgar Degas, The Ballet Class. Learn pas de chat
Unfortunately the ballet also has his art-critics. When they saw that a Fat Cat teaches young ladies how to move in the most subtle of ways, they became furious, «C’est quoi ça? C’est degueulasse!» – they shouted, «You should never say to a young lady that she could be beautiful and graceful being not slim!» You know this type of propaganda, and you know the sad result of it – young ladies anorexia. But in 19th century nobody cared about natural beauty, and Degas was forced to paint the Fat Cat over, and draw an old man instead of him, you can see the result of it in Musee d’ Orsay:
Edar Degas, The Ballet Class, Musee d’ Orsay version
But ballet language still keeps memory about the fat cat’s dance in the name of a special jump – “pas de chat»
Learn how to make it:
N.B. Edgar Degas’ true version of «The ballet class» featuring the Fat Cat was firstly published in Our book “Fat Cat Art: Famous Masterpieces Improved by a Ginger Cat with Attitude»
There are some more never before seen images, don’t miss it!
Buy it as a Christmas gift for your cat and art loving friends and Family!