Liberia, which means "Land of the Free," was founded as an independent nation with support of the American government, for free-born and formerly enslaved Blacks and thus, is only one of two nations in Africa (along with Ethiopia) that didn't fall under European domination. Ballet originated in the Renaissance court as an outgrowth of court pageantry in Italy. The 18th century was a period of vast advancement in the technical standards of ballet and the period when ballet became a serious dramatic art form on par with the opera.