I am sure you have realized, but PNB is honored to have one of the best Wardrobe Departments in the business. Each morning I pass by the Costume Shop. I am fascinated to see the repairs and constructions for the upcoming PNB performances.
At the beginning of the season when I first joined PNB, the Costume Shop was in the midst of constructing Ian Falconer’s designs for the new George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker®. The Department had expanded to every available inch of space in the Phelps Center to make the new production as lavish and incredible as it was designed to be.
I wanted to learn more about the different styles of tutus, so I have asked Larae Theige Hascall, Costume Shop Manager, to give me her insight.
Classical Tutus
- Short & stiff skirts
- Designed to show the ballerina’s legs
- Three variations on styles
Diamond Tutu
This bell-shaped tutu sticks out loosely from a dancer’s hips, but does not use a wired hoop. Sometimes a Pancake tutu is ‘tacked’ so that it takes on more of a bell shape
Examples: George Balanchine’s Divertimento #15 or Marius Petipa’s Paquita
Pancake Tutu
The Pancake Tutu has a short, stiff skirt that has a wired hoop to keep it’s shape.
Examples: George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker® (Sugar Plum) or Kiyon Ross’ Sum Stravinsky
Powder Puff Tutu
The Powder Puff Tutu is a short skirt, but does not use a wired hoop for a softer, fuller appearance.
Examples: George Balanchine’s Western Symphony or Diamonds
Romantic Tutu
- Length between knee & ankle
- Emphasizes airiness
Examples: George Balanchine’s Emeralds, The Nutcracker (Waltz of the Flowers), and Coppelia
Find more posts on PNB’s Costume Shop.
