This site will discuss costuming in dance from the origins of dance to modern day, focusing mostly on the 20th century. Costuming is an important part in dance; it allows for the dancer to become a character and to be transferred to another world. Costumes are an important part of performance and have an effect on the dancers’ movements. As will be shown in this site, there have been many changed to dance costuming, adapting costumes to fit the dance of the time.
This site begins with the origins of dance and ends with dance in the modern world. Because of the drastic differences of dance costuming the 20th century, the section on modern dance is divided by dancer. It gives a short description of many of the important dancers then displays pictures showing their use of costumes.
Following this will be several examples of how costumes are used in various other dance forms. The lower part of the right column of this site will explain how the invention of several fabrics and costume pieces has affected dance costuming.
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Exhibition Poster
Sydney Williams
Dance Costuming
Exhibition Poster
Important Inventions for Dance Costuming
Corset
The term “corset” came into use in the late 18th century. This garment was developed to give women an hour glass figure. Corsets stayed in fashion until the 1920’s when a very plain silhouette became the fashion. In dance corset were used as well. Although they shaped the body, they did so by constraining it and limiting movement. After the corset was removed from dance costumes, many more, larger movements in dance became possible. Women could bend over farther and lift their legs higher.
Romantic Tutu
First used in the Romantic ballet La Sylphide, Romantic tutus are full skirts that fall just above the ankles. When women at the time were encouraged to lengthen their dresses to the floor, ballet costuming rebelled. The skirt was shortened to better show off the dancer’s foot work yet still hide most of the body.
Pointe Shoe
When women began to appear on stage in 1681, dance shoes had heels. Shoes without heals were first used in the mid 18th century by Marie Camargo. After the French Revolution heels were eliminated from ballet.
In 1795 Charles Didelot developed a dance shoe with a hard toe that allowed women to go on pointe for a few seconds. Marie Taglioni was the first dancer to dance on pointe. In La Sylphide her pointe-work gave her the appearance of flying across stage. From that point on the pointe shoe has been popular in both romantic and classical ballet.
Classical Tutu
Developed in the 18th and 19th century, classical ballet focuses on precise, graceful, flowing movements, turn out of the leg, and pointe work. While the dance was being developed, such developed the need for the classical tutu, a much shorter, full shirt. This above the knee shirt allows for no obstruction from the line of the dancer’s leg. This skirt was a great contrast from the dress of the time, as women were still wearing floor length skirts.
Nylon
Nylon is a synthetic material first produced in 1935. Its invention was a revolution in dance. In the 1940’s stockings began to e made of this material and dancers were no longer forced to wear warm, itchy wool tights. Wearing stockings certainly became more comfortable. Today stockings continue to be made out if this material.
Spandex
Spandex is a synthetic fiber developed in 1959. It has great elasticity and is stronger than rubber. The fiber can be mixed with cotton and other materials to form clothing with stretch to it. Since its invention Spandex has been used in dance leggings and leotards. The material is form-fitting and comfortable to move in, thus very desirable in dance. The material allows for the full line of the body to be seen. Leotards with spandex are seen in many forms of dance including modern and ballet.
The term “corset” came into use in the late 18th century. This garment was developed to give women an hour glass figure. Corsets stayed in fashion until the 1920’s when a very plain silhouette became the fashion. In dance corset were used as well. Although they shaped the body, they did so by constraining it and limiting movement. After the corset was removed from dance costumes, many more, larger movements in dance became possible. Women could bend over farther and lift their legs higher.
Romantic Tutu
First used in the Romantic ballet La Sylphide, Romantic tutus are full skirts that fall just above the ankles. When women at the time were encouraged to lengthen their dresses to the floor, ballet costuming rebelled. The skirt was shortened to better show off the dancer’s foot work yet still hide most of the body.
Pointe Shoe
When women began to appear on stage in 1681, dance shoes had heels. Shoes without heals were first used in the mid 18th century by Marie Camargo. After the French Revolution heels were eliminated from ballet.
In 1795 Charles Didelot developed a dance shoe with a hard toe that allowed women to go on pointe for a few seconds. Marie Taglioni was the first dancer to dance on pointe. In La Sylphide her pointe-work gave her the appearance of flying across stage. From that point on the pointe shoe has been popular in both romantic and classical ballet.
Classical Tutu
Developed in the 18th and 19th century, classical ballet focuses on precise, graceful, flowing movements, turn out of the leg, and pointe work. While the dance was being developed, such developed the need for the classical tutu, a much shorter, full shirt. This above the knee shirt allows for no obstruction from the line of the dancer’s leg. This skirt was a great contrast from the dress of the time, as women were still wearing floor length skirts.
Nylon
Nylon is a synthetic material first produced in 1935. Its invention was a revolution in dance. In the 1940’s stockings began to e made of this material and dancers were no longer forced to wear warm, itchy wool tights. Wearing stockings certainly became more comfortable. Today stockings continue to be made out if this material.
Spandex
Spandex is a synthetic fiber developed in 1959. It has great elasticity and is stronger than rubber. The fiber can be mixed with cotton and other materials to form clothing with stretch to it. Since its invention Spandex has been used in dance leggings and leotards. The material is form-fitting and comfortable to move in, thus very desirable in dance. The material allows for the full line of the body to be seen. Leotards with spandex are seen in many forms of dance including modern and ballet.