Petipa and the Pancake! 1889

Petipa has created a masterpiece with a Tchaikovsky score, the ballet "The Sleeping Beauty" is finally a hit. The mix of unrealistic and realistic characters, corps work and solos in combination with the music and scenery created a magical show. 

While the men jumped and turned around the stage you could see their strong muscular legs in tights and they still appeared in character in their jackets that helped to distinct who they are, and their character. The females have made another step up in the costumes, and their skirts took another step too! The long flowy tulle is now shortened for the principal roles. The tule is now in a flat circle coming out from the hips revealing the whole leg. Now we can see every articulation and movement without it being hidden by layers of tulle. 

The romantic tutu and long dresses haven't been erased completely though! Don't throw them away yet, they are still being used in the waltz scenes and ball scenes. The mix of the two has really added diversity and allows the principals and soloists to stand out on stage. 

Check it out: