How did Michel Fokine combine movement, music, and design in his ballets?

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Peasant Dance by Pieter Bruegel the Elder shows villagers dancing, drinking, and socializing outdoors near rustic buildings, with musicians playing in the foreground. — dance *Peasant Dance*, oil on wood by Pieter Bruegel the Elder, c. 1568; in the Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna.

Michel Fokine revolutionized classical ballet by advocating for the complete equality and artistic unity of dance, music, and scenic design.1

His approach was defined by several core principles:

Unified Creation: Fokine believed that every element of a ballet—movement, music, and design—should be inextricably linked to the subject, period, and character of the work.1
Expressive Movement: He argued that dance and mime must serve dramatic action. He moved away from conventional, static mime, insisting that meaning should be expressed through the movement of the entire body, extending from individual solos to the entire ensemble.1
Collaborative Synthesis: As chief choreographer for the Ballets Russes, Fokine acted as the vital link between composers like Igor Stravinsky and designers such as Alexandre Benois and Léon Bakst. This collaboration resulted in highly integrated productions like The Firebird and Petrushka.1

Fokine’s own background as a student of music and painting allowed him to approach choreography with a comprehensive vision, ensuring that the visual and auditory components of a ballet were as essential as the dance itself.1