Freed Pointe shoes take on the States 1975

One of the most used shoes by professional ballet dancers gets a start here in the states by opening up a store in New York City. Many have heard of the Freed name after they created red pointe shoes worn by Moira Shearer in the motion picture classic, The Red Shoes. This just shows how the success of dance on film has a huge impact on the dance world!

And All That Jazz! 1966

Jazz is sweeping the nation by storm and bringing a unique sense of style with them. Peaking into the dance studios of Jack Coles dance workshop at Columbia Pictures in Hollywood I got a chance to see some dancers training for their roles in movies and television. What they were wearing was definitely a change from a ballet class I’d seen at New York City Ballet. Many of the male dancers were wearing pants rather than tights that seem to be popular around here. These “jazz pants” are tight around the thighs and flare into bell-bottoms starting from the knee. Men pair these pants with a tight fitting shirt and jazz shoes. Jazz shoes are different from your ballet show or heeled shoe, mostly made of leather, they lace up the front and contour the foot giving a dancer a streamlined look. Women seem to be ditching their pink tights and opting for the sexier version, fishnets. Paired with a leotard or short dress and heels these women are showing off their long lean legs while kicking them as high as their face. In Bob Fosse’s Sweet Charity you can see this popular style for women, plus it’s a great show!

Jack Cole

Fosse

Cole at Columbia Studios

Jerome Robbins, West Side Story wins an Academy Award! 1961

It’s no wonder that this broadway hit made it to film, and got an award! This show is one of my favorites with incredible songs, choreography, cinematography and of course, costumes! What is so great about Broadway shows is the use of costumes that reflect the time period, and the trends of the era while still being fit for dancing. In West Side Story the females dresses compliment their roles in the film. The Puerto Rican girls have dresses with ruffles and flare, in bright colors like red, orange and purple. They resemble flamenco dresses that would be worn in Puerto Rico. Now on the other hand, the American “Jets” have dresses that reflect their style. Peasant blouses with skirts synched at the waist is a current trend that was adapted for the film. Rather than the bright colors of the Sharks the Jets tend to wear more neutral or pastel colors. The costumes are well thought out and make each of the groups stand out while reflecting their personalities.

Sharks












                                                                                                                                                         Jets

Night Journey 1947

It was a privilege to watch the infamous Martha Graham tonight in her newest work Night Journey. Night Journey is the re-telling of the famous Grecian myth containing Oedipus and his wife Jocasta, who is also his mother. This work demonstrates Martha’s ability to take an already told story and adapt it to be expressed not only through movement but also a different way of seeing the story. The piece is focused around the moment of death of the wife and mother of Oedipus. Death is a brief moment but this work takes you on a night journey through her life leading up until her death. What made this piece so effective in my opinion was her well thought out use of props, lighting and costumes. For this piece the female lead and ensemble women were dressed in all black that gave an eerie and dark feel to the piece. The flowing skirts balanced out the stiff and clunking movement that the choreography contained. The black dresses did contain a few seams that were a contrast in color. These lines contoured the body and showed off the musculature of the dancers without having to reveal the skin. The ensemble women wearing the same dress made their movement look uniform, as if they were one unit. What I did not quite understand about the costume choice was the use of headpieces. The ensemble women had twig-like silver pieces coming out from the crown of their head while Martha had a statement headpiece. Martha’s headpiece (pictured below) was stunning and useful but the ensembles were personally distracting.

1944 Jerome Robbins and American Ballet Theatre

What a change for the ballet, with Robbins as the choreographer for ABT the ballet Fancy Free really incorporated a wonderful mix of jazz and ballet into a comedic and exciting show. Robbins chose costumes similar to what you might see in some of his famous Broadway works. Instead tights and ballet shoes dancers were wearing clothes that looked as if they had bought them off of Broadway Street in New York. The women were wearing dresses that matched the time period and the men were dancing, jumping and turning in a sailor’s outfit! Balanchine stripped away the costumes but Robbins is making it look as if the dancers walked off of the street and on to the stage!

March 1, 1935, American Ballet, Adelphi Theater, New York

What an amazing experience! I just saw Balanchine’s new work Serenade on it’s opening weekend at American Ballet Theatre. After Diaghileve’s death in 1929 I wasn’t sure if Balanchine’s work would continue, or be as popular. Moving to the United States was a risk but worked out well for Balanchine. Serenade is the first original ballet George Balanchine created in America and is surely going to become a timeless classic. Balanchine began the ballet as a lesson in stage technique and it then morphed into a ballet to Tchaikovsky’s beautiful score Serenade for Strings in C, Op. 48. Of course I paid particular attention the costumes. Designed by Jean Lurçat, all the females were in the same costume which was a light blue camisole leotard with long tulle skirt attached. Although the legs were covered the tulle was sheer and flowed beautifully with the movement. When the dancers would jump or kick their legs the skirt would move with them and then linger as they floated back down into place. It was gorgeous and really added something special to the piece. Another interesting aspect to this ballet regarding costumes was that all the women, even the soloists, looked the same. This uniformity lulled the audience and when a soloist would break away from the corps it came as a wonderful surprise that caught the audiences the attention.

Denishawn school performs Orientalia (Radha) 1930

Recently I had the privilege of seeing a performance from the Denishawn school. I have heard of the work that Ruth St. Dennis and Ted Shawn have been doing but I truly understood their ideas after seeing an Orientalia. Influenced by Eastern dance movement (like the majority of the training at the school) this performance was nothing like I had seen before. Incorporating aspects of East Indian movement this mini-ballet was set in a Hindu temple. The piece was titled Radha and was created to honor and explore the five senses. Radha involved exotically dressed women and adorned sets. The women were dressed in ankle length skirts that flowed as they moved through space and trailed behind them as they spun. What I found most enticing was the adornment on the upper body. The dancers wore large jeweled earrings, bracelets and headpieces along with a cropped top covered in several different strands of jewels. The costumes were extremely detailed and very closely resembled the attire of Indian ritualistic dress. Overall the piece was captivating because of both the movement and costumes. Denishawn is bringing a style of dance that not many have seen before. I look forward to seeing more from Dennis and Shawn. 

1928 Balanchine’s Apollo

Serge Diaghileve made the right decision in hiring George Balanchine. Over the past couple of years Ballet Russess has really taken a turn. Recently I saw Balanchine’s Apollo and at first I was at a loss for words! The ballet used a Stravinsky score and was based off of the Apollo, the Greek god of music, who is visited and instructed by three Muses Terpsichore, Muse of dance and song; Polyhymnia, Muse of mime; and Calliope, Muse of poetry. What I of course enjoyed most was the change in costumes. Say goodbye to the Petipa Pancake! André Bauchant was the set and costume designer for this groundbreaking ballet. The emphasis of this ballet was not on frills and excessive props or scenery, everything was kept simple and focused on the dancing. The females were even further exposed than in Petipa’s ballets. Their costumes were white camisole leotards and a white skirt that only reached their upper thigh. These costumes showed off the physicality of the females and did not in any distract from their dancing. The simplicity of the costumes is a huge change from the elaborate and adorned tutus that had been previously worn. The male in white tights and a cloth shall matched the females in simplicity and showed the strong chest of a male dancer. Overall this ballet ditched the eloborate set designs and costumes and opted for simplicity. With minimal props and costumes that highlighted the dancers body the audience really only focused on the movement and extremely skilled dancing.

The tragic death of Isadora Duncan 1927

In a freak accident the famous dancer who had just began to set a change in dance training died tragically. Although she has passed her influence will remain. I remember a few years back before Duncan started her school in Berlin, Germany I had the privilege of seeing her perform. In Chicago in 1898 I saw her perform and display her ideas about dance. Duncan had always encouraged dancers to be more natural and free and she rejected the confining structure of classical dance technique. When she performed she moved her body in a organic way not necessarily making specific positions or shapes. Her costume matched her thoughts on dance. Rather than a tight corset Duncan was seen in flowing clothes that did not cling to her body. They moved along with her and mimicked the flow and movement that her body created. Duncan was also known for her famous scarves and unfortunately her famous item led to her untimely demise. Isadora Duncan will be missed but her legacy will live on, and her choice of clothing in dance will influence others.

Free Flowing fabric

1892 Louie Fuller at Folies Bergeres in a Parisien Burlesque show

Although Burlesque isn’t Ballet I really enjoyed seeing Folies Bergeres show today in Paris. What especially fascinated me were the skirt dances. Using large circular skirts the performers moved and dazzled the audience with this alluring dance. In the darkened theater the girls manipulated their long, layered skirts with their arms to create a motion of flowing fabric. Their skirts were illuminated with colored light projectors highlighting the patterns of they created. I talked to a designer after the show and he confessed that it took almost 100 yards of fabric to create these skirts. That’s insane! But I’m glad they put time in to create these skirts because it really was amazing to see. Although these Burlesque dancers were not classically trained they moved in free way that was beautiful to watch. Overall skirt dancing is truly a talent that is growing in popularity all across Europe.

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:

The boys are back! 1826

It seems like the female has been stealing the spotlight from the men in our world of Ballet, but some boys are about to change that!

August Bournonville, a danish dancer with the Paris Opéra is opting for simple practical practice garments in dance. Men are no longer seen in long loose trousers, instead they are sporting knee breeches and silk hose. Because these long trousers are gone technique is of the upmost importance, any mistake can be seen, and can be corrected to make a better dancer with less faults! Also Bournonville has a slipper of his own! They are quite stylish black slippers and have a white, V-shaped vamp in the front. This V-shape gives the impression of a long pointed ballet foot, the ideal look! 

Just look at these men:

Giselle a masterpiece. 1841

Carlotta Grisi is a star! 

Last night I saw Giselle, the most wonderful of all the Romantic Ballets I have seen thus far. The story, the set, the lighting, the choreography, everything as a whole made the production wonderful.

But, as always, my focus was on the exquisite costumes! 

Perrot's choreography had a focus on delicate port de bras, effortless foot work and quick jumps. The romantic tutu could not have fit the ballet better.

When Carlotta lifted her leg the skirt would float into the air and linger as she moved onto the next movement. Her upper body had some freedom to move and be expressive but it still displayed a beautiful detailed bodice complimenting the tulle skirt beneath. The head piece was simple so no to get in the way of turning or jumps. 

I was in awe! You have seen more of the ballerina then ever before, but without the shortened skirt you wouldn't be able to see the pointe work.

The costumes of the first act were just as wonderful as the willis tutu's in the second act. They resembled peasant dresses of the era while still being moveable to show off the phenomenal corps work. 

Dancers on the Up and Up! 1830

Up and up on their toes that is. The stunning Marie Taglioni has created yet another standard for dancers to strive to, dancing on their toes! Marie has been seen balancing and elevating to the tips of her toes for brief moments of time. This "pointe work" is being done by adding extra fabric to the tips of the ballet slippers. Because of this it seems like the ballet skirts and layers or tulle are getting shorter and shorter to show off the feet.

Take a look at Marie:

Ouch! The price of grace and beauty is sore toes. 

Watch out, here comes the BALLERINAS!

I didn't know female dancers could do so much! 1735

Watch out world, there are two star ballerinas competing for the spotlight! If you haven't noticed, females seem to be taking over the ballet world by storm. Francoise Prevost paved the way in Lully's "Aty's" Opera in 1699. Her precision and grace really showed what ballet was all about. She even brought in mime and dramatics that date all the way back to the Greeks. When she began teaching and the Opera's school two other dancers Prevost trained made their way up to the top of the charts!

Marie Salle 

The expressive dancer, with dramatic performances filled with leaps and technique

Marie Camargo 

The dancer with endless energy and virtuosity as well as strong technique

The one thing these dancers have in common is their change on what the Ballerina used to wear! Because these two women are such wonderful dancers, they needed to show it off!

Marie Camargo's new trend!
Ditch those heeled hard shoes and wear slippers, its much easier to show of your feet. Also it makes large jumps and quick foot work easier! Now that you have feet to show off, it's time to hike up your hemlines ladies! Camargo has been seen performing in a calf-length skirt. When your skirt is just above the ankles the audience won't be able to tear their eyes away, 

It seems a bit scandalous, but women are taking the ballet world by storm, and they are making changes along the way. Now with soft slippers and shorter skirts ladies can show off their skills. 

Use these ladies as an example:

Check out Salle's neck line! Throw out those ruffs and let your head and shoulders to be free and dance with you! 

Louis and Lully

This week while in France I got to witness ballets newest fad, the court ballet.  This performance had men and women dancing together and demonstrating more advanced footwork than the previous eras of ballet.  In order to show off this new type of dancing, the women wore dresses and skirts that showed off their ankles and 1"-2" heels.  The tops of their dresses were form fitting while the skirt puffed out with an emphasis on the hips.  The men wore tight pants tucked into boots with long jackets that went down to about their knees.  Both of these costumes were created so that the audience could see that intricate steps that the dancers were doing.  Many of them were wearing elaborate and tall hats that did not allow them to use their port de bras and made the dancers utilize their posture. Although they seemed a little scandalous and revealing to me, I think that they were necessary to show off all the advances that King Louis XIV and Lully made to the art of ballet. 

The dances were spectatcular sights and the costumes were extravagant, especially the headwear that King Louis XIV wore. He also introduced positions of the feet that I observed every dancer had practiced, and good thing they did because the feet and ankles were the highlight of the show because of the costumes worn. 

The Renaissance

A Rebirth, 1581

I'm not sure about you, but I was so excited for Catherine De Medici to marry Henri II! Catherine is so invested in the arts, especially in dance! I think her idea to use dance as a way to take our minds off of war and hard times! Her other great idea was hiring Balthasar de Beaujoyeaulx as the court dance master. 

Recently I was lucky enough to be an honored guest at a Magnifique by Beaujoyeux. Le Ballet Comique de la Reine was stunning! It was a grande celebration with thousands of guest and hours of entertainment for the marriage Duc de Joyeaux and Margerite of Lorraine!

I of course, could not stop staring and the costumes of the dancers! The movement that was choreographed was stunning, the dancers went in and out of complex formations and lines all while surrounded by beautiful music and scenery. Now, back to the COSTUMES! 

As you can see in these photos, the dresses were quite large, and not only big but also very heavy! Most of the quick footwork came from the men because you had a clearer view of their feet. The women's movement was much more restricted, especially in the upper body because of the corsets and ruffs. Even the men wore very tight fitting and restrictive coats. They did not use much of their upper body or head while moving across the dance floor. That's why there was so much focus on the patterns and lines the dancers created. This way they could show off the dresses they were wearing as well as show off their dancing skills.

Overall the ballet was wonderful and so were the costumes! 

Peasant Love and Dancing

I arrived in Greece yesterday and was greeted by the peasants joyfully dancing throughout the village.  They were dancing with one another while singing and their friends and family were clapping along beside them.  They were wearing every day attire because these sorts of events happen spontaneously and they don't plan their outfits accordingly.  The women wore long, low cut floor length dresses that were cinched around the waist while the men wore tight pants and tunics.  Their everyday attire allowed them to move freely and dance with one another.  

Also while in Greece, I was able to go see a Court Dance.  This type of dancing was much more formal and based off the principals of courtly love and chivalry.  The costumes they wore had a similar pattern to what the peasants wore, however their costumes were more intricate and formal.  They had more embellishment and the many of the women had long coats on top of their dresses.  The dancing did not require much leg work because the costumes were large and heavy and you could not see their legs. It focused more on gestures and patterned movement because most of the body was covered. 

MASKS

It's 450BC, what are you wearing?

What’s in the season?

MASKS!

As I travel around Greece I can't help but marvel at all the amazing theaters being built! Have you seen the Theatre of Epidaurus? It's amazing! I can only imagine how many wonderful Tragedies and Comedies are going to be performed in it!

Check it out:

Epidaurus

When I saw a play there I couldn't help but notice all the beautiful masks. Then I thought, to be the ideal person you want to be, reach perfection, and be worshiped for beauty the secret must be...MASKS!

Greek theatre has really taken off, and the stars of the theatre are all wearing masks. Have you seen a show yet? If you haven’t then it’s a must, but it you have I’m sure you took a notice to the masks of the chorus.

For the next festival of Dionysus show up like one of the chorus members.

Check out these awesome masks: 

 Greek Theatre is all about theatrics and performance these days, why not add some of that to your life!