1. THE BALLET TUTU
By: Allie Yancey, Nicole Gilbert, Agustina Biggio, Aimee Bridgeman, Michelle Doval
http://www.dirtandseeds.com/hey-newsweek-be-a-man-and-dance-2/

2. B A C K G R O U N D I N F O R M AT I O N
 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)

3. B A C K G R O U N D I N F O R M AT I O N
 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)

4. B A C K G R O U N D I N F O R M AT I O N
 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)

5. B A C K G R O U N D I N F O R M AT I O N
 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)

6. TUTUS OF TODAY
 Pancake/Platter  Romantic
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7. TUTUS OF TODAY
 Powder-Puff  Bell
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8. B A C K G R O U N D I N F O R M AT I O N
 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)

9. 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)
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Q1Q/Tciq0HhlO5I/AAAAA atalog/tablecloth_organza2.jpg china.com/2f0j00SCOEaIe
AAAFv4/ZaQI5gdblSg/s1 KEbhl/50d-Chiffon-Fabric-
600/bobbinet+4.jpg 50D-.jpg

10. 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)
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m/html/images/upload/trade wholesale.com/userimg/1/ content/uploads/2011/05/Tulle- oadfile/product_big/201231
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209.jpg

11. 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)

12. 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)

13. 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

14. TRADITION AND CHANGE
 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).

15. TRADITION AND CHANGE
 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)

16. TRADITION AND CHANGE
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)

17. TRADITION AND CHANGE
 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)

18. TRADITION AND CHANGE
 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)

19. TRADITION AND CHANGE
 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)

20. F U N C T I O N - B O T H M AT E R I A L
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)

21. F U N C T I O N - B O T H M AT E R I A L
AND IDEOLOGICAL
 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
(Chazin-Bennahum, J 2002)

22. F U N C T I O N - B O T H M AT E R I A L
AND IDEOLOGICAL
 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

23. F U N C T I O N - B O T H M AT E R I A L
AND IDEOLOGICAL
 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
(Chazin-Bennahum, J 2002)

24. F U N C T I O N - B O T H M AT E R I A L
AND IDEOLOGICAL
 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)

25. 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

26. 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