2 3 Throwback Thursday and Tutus | Ballet Webb

Thursday, September 17, 2015

Throwback Thursday and Tutus


Throwback Thursday and Tutus

The classical tutu is probably the most iconic image for ballet. But this exaggerated, super short skirt didn’t start out that way. It evolved over many, many years to become what people think of as today’s tutu.

As you know, ballet as we know it began in the French royal court of Louis XIV (I have blogged about this before). At the time, the clothing for women consisted of heavy – very heavy – skirts that concealed the legs, ankle and feet. As dance evolved, it became clear that this sort of dress wasn’t going to work out.

It was Marie Camargo who is credited with “taking the plunge” and shortening her skirt so that her ankles could be seen (gasp!). Camargo was known for her jumps and footwork so it is no surprise that she wanted her skills to be seen. An interesting side effect of this change was the fact that undergarments were now a necessity!

The evolution continued with Marie Taglioni and the emergence of the pointe shoe. The skirt length now fell between the knee and the ankle, and is often referred to as the “Romantic” tutu because it came into popular use during the Romantic period.

The upward-and-shorter trend continued with Diaghilev who not only changed the face of ballet choreographically, he also tinkered with the tutu. He added hoops to support layers and layers of tulle, and the “Classical” tutu we know today was born. The tabletop, or platter tutu is a straight-out affair, whereas the earlier versions “drooped” slightly. This droopier version can be seen in videos of Anna Pavlova performing The Dying Swan.

Today the two basic styles of tutus are the Romantic, or long tutu, and the Classical, or short tutu, and each one can encompass several different versions.

From the Big Blue Book of Ballet Secrets:

Dance History Factoid #85:  
“The costume known as the tutu evolved over many years and takes several different forms.”

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Quote of the Day:
“Simplicity is the keynote of all true elegance.”
Coco Chanel

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