The Ballet Tutu

THE BALLET TUTUBy: Allie Yancey, Nicole Gilbert, Agustina Biggio, Aimee Bridgeman, Michelle Doval

http://www.dirtandseeds.com/hey-newsweek-be-a-man-and-dance-2/

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

Ballet comes from the Italian word ballare to dance.

Ballet was started during the Italian renaissance 15-16th centuries

Spread to the French court where it was advanced

Louis the fourteenth started the paris opera which led to the debut

of the first professional ballet company, the paris opera ballet

Was not until the 20th century that the United States began to

modify ballet, through the works of Balanchine, who developed

neoclassical ballet and founded the NYC Ballet company(The History of the Ballet Tutu. 2010)


In this presentation we will be covering 1800-1900 ballerina tutus

A tutu is a skirt that could be attatched or not attached to a

bodice/leotard of some sort

Usually made up of layers of tulle and other various fabrics like

nylon and muslin attatched to a waistband and bodice

Started out as a simple dress

Russians wanted to see more of the ballerina’s intricate footwork,

leading to the creation of the romantic style tutu.(The History of the Ballet Tutu. 2010)


First tutu was worn by Marie Taglioni in La

Sylphide

Was short enough to show her elaborate footwork

Through time and advancements in the dance

culture as well as in fabric technology, tutus have

slowly become way more intricate and modern.(The History of the Ballet Tutu. 2010)


Types of tutus today: • Romantic Tutu: A three-quarter length, bell-shaped skirt made

of tulle, lands right mid-calf.• Pancake Tutu: A short, stiff skirt made with layers of netting that

extends straight outwards, has a slight volume towards the top but then extends fully out.

• Bell Tutu: A very short, stiff skirt with a slight bell shape, it is longer than a pancake tutu, yet still allows audience to see full leg.

• Balanchine Tutu: also known as the "powder puff", it is a very short skirt with no hoops, with a lot less layers of material than the classical tutus, allowing the tutu to look much fuller in shape.

• Platter Tutu: A tutu with a flat top that sticks straight out from the waistline. Full leg view, completely flat silhouette.

(The History of the Ballet Tutu. 2010)

Pancake/Platter

TUTUS OF TODAY

Romantic

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-lkbWMq8KWQk/T5HMtMzcMnI/AAAAAAAAAJo/n412RCvJtko/s320/plattertutu.jpg

http://www.dramaticflair.com/gallery_theatre/images/ClRomanticTutu.jpg

Powder-Puff

TUTUS OF TODAY

Bell

http://img1.etsystatic.com/002/0/6953000/il_fullxfull.355986913_2mee.jpg

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Ozo7z2zkqWs/S-i0QXqrgLI/AAAAAAAACXo/cmdHOfSpz3s/s1600/karinska_2_big.jpg


Tutus are worn on stage, the more elaborate ones are used

in actual performances while most professional dancers have

some sort of a “practice tutu” which usually tends to be a bell

tutu and allows the dancer to practice as if she was wearing

her costume.

Ballet Tutus are utilized all around the world. France,

Russia, United States, Argentina, everywhere ballet is danced

(The History of the Ballet Tutu. 2010)

ASPECTS OF THE TUTU

Textiles Used• Tutus are made from a variety of fabrics which

include:• Bobbinett- has a hexagonal weave with larger holes

than traditional theater scrim. It is often used on film sets where more transparency is needed

• Organza- thin, stiff, transparent fabric made from silk or a synthetic yarn

• Chiffon- A light, sheer fabric typically made of silk or nylon

(Tutu.Com - Fabrics Main Page. 2012)

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5bHEVcF-Q1Q/Tciq0HhlO5I/AAAAAAAAFv4/ZaQI5gdblSg/s1600/bobbinet+4.jpg

http://www.eventswholesale.com/catalog/tablecloth_organza2.jpg

http://image.made-in-china.com/2f0j00SCOEaIeKEbhl/50d-Chiffon-Fabric-50D-.jpg

ASPECTS OF THE TUTU

• Georgette- a sheer, lightweight, dull-finished crêpe fabric named after the early 20th century French modiste, Georgette de la Plante.

• Mesh- Material made of a network of wire or thread• Tulle- A soft, fine silk, cotton, or nylon material like net,

used for making veils and dresses• Spandex- A type of stretchy polyurethane fabric(Tutu.Com - Fabrics Main Page. 2012)

http://www.zjyiwen.com/uploadfile/product_big/20123151540135593.jpg

http://tullefabric.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/Tulle-fabric.jpg

http://www.gd-wholesale.com/userimg/1/3643i3/mesh-fabric-209.jpg

http://www.globaltextiles.com/html/images/upload/tradeleads/377/376722.jpg

IDEOLOGY

Ballet was heavily influenced by the ending of the French

Revolution at the beginning of the 1800’s.

In the early 1800’s, the dress of ballet began to mark the idea of

more freedom in dress for women and the freedom of expression.

This is when the clothing of ballet shifted into the Romantic

Ballet, with more free-flowing garments. These garments were

more comfortable for the dancer to wear and allowed them to

move more freely.(Martin, D. , Gabriel, N. , 2001)

IDEOLOGY

This is where a shift occurred from ballet being a

courtly aristocratic art, to being entertainment for the

masses. Ballet was seen as an art form, a form of

expression.

The romantic ballerina symbolized purity and values,

with her garments being white and less adorned.(Martin, D. , Gabriel, N. , 2001)

TRADITION AND CHANGE

1800s

Romantic ballet

Told stories taken from ancient freak myths and dramas

People became interested in stories of dreamlike worlds and

foreign lands

Ballet technique expressed new ideas – made them look heavenly

Made women for the first time look ideal and more importance

than men


First romantic ballet was created by Italian choreographer

Filippo Taglioni• For his daughter • She danced the title role of the sylphide (fairylike being) • Costume set a new fashion for women

• Light white skirt ended halfway between knees and ankles • Arms, neck, and shoulders bare• She became the greatest star of the Paris stage because she was

the first dancer to dance on point

The tutu was made popular

(Ballet History. 2004).


Italians invented the “spotting of turns” (Ballet History 1700s, 1800s &

1900s. -2008)

Italians were the first to block the toe of pointe shoe to create

small platform

Pierina Legnani became a superstar by perfecting 32

consecutive fouettes

Costumes were evolving – romantic tutu was in vogue

Most ballet were performed in France and London(The 1800s and the Romantic Ballet. 2012)


1900s

Europe- opera houses benefitted from the

emigration of Russian dancers after the Russian

revolution (1917)

Many choreographers based works on dramatic

action(The 1800s and the Romantic Ballet. 2012)


Baroque costume – very heavy, stiff and usually ornate in the corset of

the dress, very long covered most of the legs

Prevented flexible movement of the torso, weighed down the dancer,

prevented viewers from seeing foot work of the dancer

Romantic Tutu

Corset less stiff with loss of ornate designs

Dancers could bend backwards and do circular movements with torso

The skirt cut above ankles to allow audience to see foot work, consisted

of 3 layer of light material (tulle or muslin) this eliminated weight

(Field, A. 2011)


Classical tutu

Skirt started at hips and came out horizontally on a diagonal ending

above the knee

Skirt consisted of more layers than the romantic; the material used

now was a net like material making a shape of a “bell”

Bell tutu

Mix of romantic and classical

Skirt has more layers of fabric and is shorter than romantic tutu the

material used was could be either tulle or net or both (Field, A. 2011)


Today

All the tutus are in use, the romantic and the

classical tutus have two main styles: The two

romantic styles are called Romantic tutu and

romantic tutu with Basque, the two main classical

are called Platter classical tutu and the powder puff

classical tutu(Field, A. 2011)

FUNCTION - BOTH MATERIAL AND IDEOLOGICAL

Neoclassicism of the late eighteenth and early nineteenth

centuries featured a shift from heavy embellished embroidery,

long skirts, and defined waists to transparent, flowy tunics • The new style replaced that of the styles that appealed to the

higher class aristocracy in France• The tunics were similar to Greek chitons that also have an

indented material

Aesthetically, this gave the dancer more leg movement and

enhanced the shape of the female body

(Chazin-Bennahum, J 2002)


The tunic’s soft fabric and definition without corsets

emphasized that women’s bodies were becoming more sensual,

and clothing material was becoming more comfortable• Evolving from aspects of Greek and Roman political and social

life, the ballet costume was reinvented to be more revealing and simple

• On stage the light, filmy tunic exposed the woman’s body showing a more idealized sexual appeal

• The simpler uniform brought more attention to dance technique and expression



In the 1800’s during the Romantic Movement, the

tutu length developed to be a calf length skirt.• Made of layers of white tulle to show off the

elaborate footwork(Wagner, C. 2002)

http://highfashionupdate.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/ballet-tutu-romantic.jpg


Ballet shoes of the 18th century were small heeled

or heelless slippers with satin ribbons that tied

around the ankle resembling a Greek sandal• Young girls from an early age learned to endure the

wearing of a shoe that was smaller than their natural size

• The slippers began to be worn in ballet studios; soon after the point shoe was developed and became popular



The continuing change of the different types of shoes reflected

how women’s feet appeared to society as well as how they were

able to move and dance.• The soft, satiny slippers provided flexibility and increased

movement of their feet, allowing them to spin, turn, jump, and to point and arch the foot to elongate the length of the leg

• Point shoes supported the feet and allowed the ballerina to perform pirouettes and appear more graceful in movement

Neoclassical aestheticians believed the ballet dress of the time

emanated the classical notions of simplicity and purity(Chazin-Bennahum, J 2002)

CITATIONS

The History of the Ballet Tutu. (2010). EzineArticles Submission -

Submit Your Best Quality Original Articles For Massive Exposure, Ezine

Publishers Get 25 Free Article Reprints. Retrieved November 6, 2012,

from http://ezinearticles.com/?The-History-of-the-Ballet-Tutu&id=4038345

Tutu.Com - Fabrics Main Page. (2012). Tutu.Com Home - Specializing in

All Things Ballet!. Retrieved November 6, 2012, from

http://www.tutu.com/fabric.html#SampCards

Martin, D. , Gabriel, N. , 2001. An ‘Informalizing Spurt’ in Clothing Regimes: Court

Ballet and the Civilizing Process. In Dressed to Impress. Retrieved 28 Nov. 2012, from

http://www.bergfashionlibrary.com/view/DRSIMPRS/chapter-DRSIMPRS0008.xml

CITATIONS

Ballet History. (2004). A Ballerina's World. Retrieved November 6,

2012, from http://bongbaby86.tripod.com/id34.html

Ballet History - 1700s, 1800s & 1900s. (2008). Just Ballet. Retrieved

November 6, 2012, from justballet.webs.com/history1700s1800s1900s.htm

The 1800s and the Romantic Ballet. (2012). Everything You Want to Know

About Ballet | Wish Upon a Ballet. Retrieved November 6, 2012, from

http://wish-upon-a-ballet.com/ballet-history/the-1800s-and-the-romantic-ballet/

Field, A. (2011). How The Ballet Tutu Has Changed Over Time. ArticleSnatch. Retrieved November 28, 2012, from

http://www.articlesnatch.com/Article/How--The-Ballet-Tutu-Has-Changed-Over-Time/2467905#.ULa_XKzLRgM

Chazin-Bennahum, J (2002). A Longing for Perfection: Neoclassic

Fashion and Ballet. Fashion Theory, 6(4), 369 - 386.

Wagner, C. (2002). Ballet costumes: Historical development. Historical Boy’s Clothing. Retrieved November 27, 2012., from

http://histclo.com/act/dance/bal/cos/bc-hist.html

The Ballet Tutu

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