ABSTRACT
Throughout the history of the British halls, programmes were diverse but there was an emphasis on song interspersed with dialogue. In songs, character roles and in the topical ballets the social classes were juxtaposed but the hierarchy was never questioned. Dance, both as part of song or comedy routine and as an act in its own right, was a vital part of music hall programmes. In Western Europe, the art form of ballet had reached a height of popularity during the Romantic period of the 1830s and 1840s. The Alhambra and the Empire employed in-house ballet masters and mistresses who were responsible for all the works presented during their tenure. The role of designers for the ballets was crucial, and far more prominent. The growth in the size and complexity of the music halls was due to a new breed of entrepreneurial manager who changed the economic basis of the system.
