#tutus

In ballerina skirt/A tutu!

Students at the School of American Ballet, at its original location on Madison Avenue, 1936.

Cui Bono

Artist: Marion Jones (Australian, c. 1897-1977)

Date: 1922

Medium: Oil on canvas

the pancake tutu

as seen in sleeping beauty (pink) and swan lake (white)

also known as a platter tutu, the pancake is probably what you think of when you hear the word ”tutu”. it’s made of 8-16 tulle layers increasing in length from bottom to top, kept stiff with starch, stitching, and sometimes a thin wire hoop sewn in between the layers.

the romantic tutu

as seen in giselle (light blue) and chopiniana (white)

the romantic tutu is the oldest tutu style, worn as early as the late 1700s, and popularized by marie taglioni (1804-84) in 1829. it’s made of lighter tulle layers reaching to as high as just below the knee, and as low as to the ankle.

the bell tutu

as seen in the awakening of flora (four dancers) and paquita (blue)

the bell tutu is a less common variation of the pancake tutu. it uses dozens of layers of tulle without a hoop to get a fuller, lighter look when in movement. it’s more expensive and difficult to make, but completely worth the effort.

the powder-puff tutu

as seen in jewels (white), and stars and stripes (red)

the powder-puff tutu, also known as the american style tutu, was favored by american choreographer george balanchine (1904-83). it’s made of short layers of tulle that aren’t sewn together or hooped, to achieve a less structured look.