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How did Michel Fokine challenge the symmetrical groupings of classical ballet?

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Western dance Egyptian dancing, detail from a tomb painting from Shaykh ʿAbd al-Qurnah, Egypt, c. 1400 bce; in the British Museum, London.

Michel Fokine challenged the traditional symmetrical groupings of classical ballet by advocating for artistic unity and dramatic naturalism.12

In the early 20th century, classical ballet was characterized by rigid, formal arrangements where dancers were typically positioned in symmetrical lines or circles, often serving merely to frame principal performers. Fokine argued that this reliance on formal symmetry was detrimental to the dramatic expression of the work.2

To reform this, Fokine championed the idea that movement should correspond directly to the subject, period, and character of the music. He insisted that expressiveness should extend beyond the soloist to the entire ensemble, ensuring that groups were integrated into the dramatic action rather than serving as artificial decoration. By moving away from rigid, conventional patterns, Fokine’s choreography encouraged the use of less artificial and more fluid, asymmetrical groupings, which paved the way for the dramatic naturalism seen in the works of later choreographers like Kenneth MacMillan.12