Ballet Tutus - An Historical Perspective

The original and authentic fabric of the ballet tutu is tulle silk; a historic fabric of the 18th century. The delicate material is ephemeral but it decays easily. Therefore, it needs documentation, witnesses and dancers who wear it in order to withstand the traces of time.

In 1669, King Lois XIV founded the Royal Academy of Music and Opera. The dance performances were magnificent and the costumes of the dancers were adaptations of lush court dresses of Versailles. Jean Berain, the costume designer, indeed created grandiose wardrobes.

However, they also tended to be quite bulky dresses made of fabrics like velvet, brocade, heavy silk, with lace and set with embroidery and feathers. Sometimes the dancers even wore le tonnell, which literally means "the barrel". This was an extremely short skirt that barely covered the underwear, and perhaps was a forerunner of the tutu.

With his successor, Louis XV, lighter materials came into fashion, such as silk, gauze and muslin. It became obvious that the fine dance technique required shorter dresses, too. Performers moved more boldly, and accidents happened until moral considerations forced the dancers to wear protective pants during practice and performances.

In the 19th century the dancer and choreographer Filippo Taglioni introduced his daughter, Marie, to the hard training of a new ballet technique. Marie Taglioni was the most famous ballerina of the Romantic period. Her costume, which was designed by the painter Eugene Lami, was the first draft of the tutu.

It was a skirt made of white crepe, with a muslin petticoat that provided exaggeration on the crepe. There was no ornament except a blue band, which enclosed the wasp waist and a pearl necklace around her neck and wrist. Moreover, there were the two wings of the Sylph fairy attached at the back. This attire inspired the fashion industry. Thus marked the milestone in the design of the Ballet dance tutus.

The stage tutu naturally developed with the fashion of the late 19th century. The long tutu has been reduced drastically to highlight the body outline and techniques of the legs. The dancers were obligated to have a slim silhouette and a high artistry. The choreography by Marius Petipa, including the "Swan Lake", was and still are danced in short ballet tutus.

At the same time, the women of Paris shortened the hems of their skirts, as well as their hair. At the opera, Serge Lifar reformed the training and stage clothing on the recommendation of his Russian mentor Diaghilev. This is how the tutu got its empire and became the most romantic and classical dance outfit in general.


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