AI Ballet Review 5 - September 1996: The Season of Silks and Sparkle

September 1996: The Season of Silks and Sparkle

Darling, my dears! Have you noticed a certain air of excitement in the wings? September whispers promises of a whirlwind of premières, and with that, the most thrilling time to see our favourite designs dancing under the stage lights. While I can’t reveal too many spoilers (you know how secretive we dancers are!), I can give you a peek into the world of costume artistry - from London’s grand stages to the vibrant studios of Tokyo, here’s the ‘à la mode’ guide to the most ravishing designs making waves this season.

Let’s be honest, darlings, a dance costume isn't just a costume. It’s the very essence of the performance, the silent language of movements, telling stories long before a single word is spoken. A magnificent ensemble can electrify, evoke passion, or convey quiet melancholy. And when crafted with artistry and precision, it transcends the boundaries of mere fabric, becoming an expression of the dancer's very soul.

London’s Royal Ballet

I simply must start with our own Royal Ballet here in London, a true jewel of sartorial excellence. The legendary designs of Christopher Bruce - now a permanent fixture in the Royal Ballet repertoire - are captivating the audience this month, particularly the shimmering sparkles he used for “ Rooster”. Imagine, darlings, a kaleidoscope of gold sequins flitting across the stage, like sunbeams dancing on a pond. I must admit, I was particularly mesmerized by the delicate, shimmering chiffon in the final scene of “ Rooster” - a delicate balance of ethereal lightness and sheer dramatic brilliance. And for those who love the classic look, we cannot forget the enduring magic of “ Swan Lake”, its pristine, timeless beauty brought to life with the elegance of white tulle and graceful cygnet feathers. It is a lesson in elegant restraint and beautiful simplicity.

Paris: An Avant-Garde Vision

Paris is always a playground of inspiration. It is the birthplace of fashion and daring design and is the only place you’d find the boldness of “Le Sacre du Printemps”, with costumes designed by the iconoclastic Jean-Paul Gaultier. The sheer boldness of those designs still sends chills down my spine; imagine roughspun fabric, starkly minimalist, and those raw, earthy colours - a vision so starkly contrasted with the refined world of traditional ballet. He brings to the stage the primal essence of the dance and is the ultimate embodiment of daring and modern beauty.

New York: Sophistication and Grace

New York always brings its signature sophistication and energy. It’s hard not to be awed by the artistry of the New York City Ballet, particularly in “The Four Temperaments.” These are the masterpieces of designers like Karinska - costumes that combine the exquisite lines of classic ballet with contemporary sensibility. You have those beautiful, geometric forms and lush, contrasting colour palettes - imagine deep sapphire blue dancing with vibrant crimson, creating visual dynamism and expressive storytelling. New York City Ballet always brings a sense of grandeur, of classic elegance, to the dance.

Tokyo: Whimsy and Delight

Oh, darlings, the artistry in Tokyo is a true feast for the eyes. And for whimsy and delightful inventiveness, I have to give my kudos to the designs in "Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland". Remember those iconic illustrations from the book? It comes to life with vibrant hues and playful designs - imagine whimsical butterflies, a mischievous Cheshire cat dancing across the stage and a Queen of Hearts’ red heart emblazoned across a crimson dress - pure theatrical delight!

Berlin: Beyond The Stage

Now, I must tell you darlings, the world of ballet is not confined to the theatre stage. It is blossoming in new spaces, like in Berlin’s iconic Tanztheater Wuppertal, where choreographer Pina Bausch sends shock waves through the contemporary ballet scene. Her productions are not mere performances but intensely theatrical experiences. Costumes, she said, are a reflection of our reality. The dancers in “ Kontakthof" sport simple clothes, and in the piece “Café Müller", the women are adorned in elegant dresses and high-heeled shoes, each design reflecting not the ballet world, but the complexities of human relationships. Now, this, my dears, is where ballet truly begins to break the mold and challenge the boundaries of the art. Bausch reminds us that a dance costume is a statement - it's about the body in motion and the human story it wishes to tell.

Now, there is more to consider than just the grand, dramatic costumes. For instance, “ Sleeping Beauty" - the most iconic and most frequently performed ballet in the world - presents us with an incredible variety of costume styles. You have those delicate pastel colours, the lavish fabrics of the ballroom scenes and the graceful gowns for the princesses. Then you have the costumes for the evil fairy Carabosse, with a black and dark purple colour scheme, embodying her sinister and powerful aura. The ballet’s costumes are truly a visual narrative - from the opulence of the royal court to the magical whimsy of the fairy kingdom, they create a visually compelling world for us to lose ourselves in.

The world of ballet costumes is always evolving. With each new season, we see innovations and interpretations, blending traditional styles with modern flair. I must mention those delicate pointe shoes - crafted from layers of thin leather and canvas - these are essential to the ballet world, evoking the graceful ballet dancer's movements. They’re considered the ultimate symbol of dedication, and with every pirouette and leap, they tell their story, a story of the ballet dancer’s artistic and physical journey.

The beauty of costume design lies in its ability to transport us to another world. It’s about the details - from the drapery of a tutu to the sheen of a sequin. These details convey emotion, elevate the performance to a higher plane. Every stitch and every seam becomes a whisper, a conversation between dancer and audience, an enchanting and captivating performance born out of the marriage of artistry, design and the grace of the human form.

As the season swirls into September, let’s raise our glasses, darlings, to those artists who breathe life into these magnificent costumes, to those devoted designers who weave magic onto the stage. The world of ballet costumes is an ever-changing, inspiring landscape where beauty and passion converge, bringing art to life under the soft light of the theatre stage, captivating audiences worldwide.