Coppélia Ballet Explained: A Guide for Young Dancers and Parents

The Ballet Academy
51 minutes ago
3 min read

Coppélia is a light-hearted classical ballet that blends comedy with strong character work. Unlike many traditional ballets filled with tragedy and heartbreak, Coppélia focuses on humour, clarity, and expressive storytelling.

The story centres around a life-like doll named Coppélia, a curious young girl named Swanilda, and how Swanilda ultimately saves her relationship through intelligence and courage.

Because of its accessible narrative and playful style, Coppélia is often one of the first story ballets introduced to young dancers.

Why Coppélia Is Perfect for Young Dancers

One of the best things about Coppélia for young dancers is that the story is easy to follow. You don’t have to work hard to understand what’s happening on stage.

The humour and emotions come through clearly in the dancers’ movements and facial expressions. This is an important lesson for children learning ballet:

Ballet is not just about learning steps — it is about telling a story through movement.

Character Through Movement

Every character in Coppélia is instantly recognisable by the way they move. This makes it a wonderful teaching example for ballet students.

Swanilda

Her movements are quick, playful, and full of personality. Even without words, you can tell she is clever, curious, and confident.

Coppélia

Francesca Hayward as Swanilda and Gary Avis as Dr Coppelius. (c) ROH, 2019. Photographed by Bill Cooper.

She moves like a mechanical doll — stiff, precise, and controlled. Her gestures are sharp and unnatural, clearly different from the human characters.

Franz

Franz is characterised by light jumps and youthful energy. His dancing feels buoyant and slightly mischievous.

The clear contrast in movement quality helps young dancers understand how technique and dynamics create character on stage. Ballet is not just about looking pretty — it’s about showing who you are through how you move.

Fun Facts About Coppélia

1. Coppélia Isn’t Human

Coppélia is actually a life-sized mechanical doll (automaton), although the villagers believe she is real.

2. It’s One of the Few Truly Comedic Classical Ballets

Many famous ballets involve tragedy, curses, or heartbreak. Coppélia is different — it is full of misunderstandings, playful chaos, and humour. Think of it as a romantic comedy in tutu form.

3. The Ballerina Plays Two Roles

The principal female dancer performs both Swanilda and Coppélia. Watching the same dancer switch between natural, lively movement and stiff, mechanical doll movement is part of the magic.

4. No One Dies

This is rare in classical ballet. No curses. No ghosts. No tragic ending. Everyone lives — and everyone dances.

Try This at Home: Ballet Exercises for Young Dancers

Here are a few simple exercises inspired by Coppélia that children can safely try at home:

Doll Walk

Pretend you are a mechanical doll walking slowly. Keep your body tall and straight. Make each movement stiff and controlled.

Focus: posture, balance, and body awareness.

Slow Relevés

Stand in first position (heels together, toes turned out). Slowly rise onto demi-pointe (the balls of your feet), then lower down with control. Repeat 6–8 times.

Focus: ankle strength, turnout control, and alignment.

Mirror Expressions

Stand in front of a mirror in a simple ballet pose. Practise showing different facial expressions — curious, surprised, playful.

Focus: confidence, performance quality, and expressive movement.

Watch Coppélia Live on Stage

There’s nothing quite like experiencing a classical ballet in the theatre. Watching Coppélia live allows young dancers to see storytelling, musicality, technique, and character work come together in a way that no video can fully capture.

This year, Singapore Ballet is bringing Coppélia back to the stage, and we’re so excited for our students to experience this joyful classical ballet live in the theatre!

With lively choreography and Léo Delibes’ sparkling music, Coppélia is a wonderful introduction to classical ballet for young dancers and families. It’s light-hearted, easy to follow, and a great opportunity for students to see storytelling and technique come alive on stage.

✨ We are currently offering Coppélia tickets at a special price exclusively for our TBA students.