Ballerinas are known for their elegant, ethereal costumes that allow them to move gracefully across the stage. A key component of the traditional ballerina outfit is the wrap skirt, which flows out from the waist and creates beautiful lines as the dancer spins and leaps. But why exactly do ballerinas wear these wrap skirts? There are several practical and aesthetic reasons behind this classic ballerina attire.
Allows Full Range of Motion
One of the main reasons ballerinas wear wrap skirts is the full range of motion this style provides. Ballet requires dancers to extend their legs high in moves like arabesques and developpés. Wrap skirts wrap snugly around the waist but then flow out freely from the hips down. This allows ballerinas to open their legs fully without restriction from the fabric. A narrow pencil skirt would constrict leg extensions. The wrap style gives ballerinas the ability to execute challenging ballet sequences with ease.
Accentuates Ballet’s Ethereal Quality
Ballet seeks to create an ethereal, graceful mood on stage. Much of this airy quality comes from the ballerina’s movements and costumes. As ballerinas spin and leap across the stage, wrap skirts accentuate their jumps and flows across the floor. The skirt floats around the dancer, creating beautiful extended lines and accentuating the light, airy nature of ballet. The wrap skirt helps enhance the elegant, floating aesthetic that is signature of ballet as an artform.
Emphasizes Ballet’s Athleticism
While ballet appears light and effortless, it actually requires immense strength, flexibility and control. The wrap skirt highlights the athleticism and precision of ballet by showcasing the dancer’s legs and feet. In motions like pirouettes, the skirt flows out to reveal the ballerina’s rapid legwork and the technique required to spin smoothly. The wrap skirt puts the ballerina’s leg muscles, extension and footwork on display, emphasizing the athletic skill needed for ballet.
Provides Flattering Silhouette
In addition to the functional benefits, wrap skirts are flattering on a ballerina’s physique. The snug bodice paired with the flowing skirt creates a vision of a long, lean silhouette. The ballerina appears both strong yet graceful. The wrap style flatters the ballerina’s athletic body type required for professional ballet. The elongating effect suits the ballet aesthetic well.
History of the Ballerina Wrap Skirt
The wrap skirt wasn’t always part of the ballerina’s costume repertoire. Let’s take a look at how this iconic look developed over ballet history.
Early Ballet Costumes
In the 1600s, when ballet first originated in the royal courts of France and Italy, early ballet costumes were opulent, heavy and ornamental. Women wore floor-length dresses with corsets, petticoats, high heels and wigs. The movement was very limited, as dancing upright in a women’s court dress from this era would be very restrictive. As ballet technique developed and choreographers wanted more complex footwork and jumps, lighter costumes became necessary.
Romantic Era and Tutus
During the Romantic era of ballet in the 1800s, costumes transitioned to the lightweight, ethereal tutu style we now associate with ballerinas. Skirts shortened to showcase pointe work and the tutu allowed ballerinas to execute more challenging steps and jumps. But early tutus lacked the wrap panel in the front and could still restrict leg lifts and extensions.
Birth of the Wrap Skirt
It was in the early 20th century that the wrap skirt emerged. Choreographer Michel Fokine pioneered using a more streamlined skirt with a wide wrap panel at the waist for greater range of motion. The style suited his groundbreaking modern choreography that demanded more athleticism. Famous dances like The Dying Swan and Les Sylphides feature knee-length wrap skirts.
Balanchine Era
When George Balanchine founded the New York City Ballet, he famously preferred his ballerinas in the simple black leotard and pink tights uniform. But Balanchine’s works like Serenade did utilize the wrap skirt as well for roles like the Waltz Girl. At New York City Ballet, the versatile wrap skirt remains popular today for its movement and flattering silhouette.
Fabrics Used for Wrap Skirts
It’s not just the wrap style that allows ballerinas to dance so gracefully – it’s also the fabrics used to construct the skirts. Different materials are chosen for their weight, drape and ability to flow.
Tulle
The most iconic ballet skirt fabric is tulle, a very lightweight mesh material. Made primarily from silk, nylon or rayon, tulle is used for the romantic tutus in ballets like Swan Lake and The Nutcracker. The ultra fine mesh creates a dreamy, ethereal effect as the ballerina dances. Tulle allows the fabric to billow out but is delicate and prone to tearing.
Silk
Liquid and luxurious, silk is another common fabric for wrap skirts. Silk flows and drapes beautifully with the dancer’s movements. It creates smooth, uninterrupted lines that enhance the balletic, graceful effect. Silk is also very strong and durable despite its delicate appearance, so it holds up well to repeated wearings and washings. However, silk is more expensive and requires gentle cleaning.
Cotton Voile
A popular choice for practice skirts is cotton voile. The lightweight, semi-sheer cotton has great drape and moveability. It’s also more affordable and easier to care for than silk. Cotton voile wrap skirts are a great option for students and rehearsals. The front wrap panel style can translate well to solid cotton voile for versatility.
Jersey
For very athletic, fast-paced choreography, a jersey knit wrap skirt allows the most freedom of movement. Stretch jersey has a subtle sheen and hugs the dancer’s legs smoothly as she moves. The stretchy fabric won’t restrict even the highest battement kicks and grandest jetés. Jersey provides comfort and mobility during intense dance rehearsals and shows.
How Wrap Skirts are Constructed
A ballerina’s wrap skirt is crafted with precision to allow for beauty of movement. What goes into designing the perfect wrap skirt?
The Waist Band
The waistband is cut a few inches wide to wrap snugly in place around the dancer’s midsection. It may have elastic, a set of small snaps, or ribbon ties to secure it. The snug fit prevents it from sliding down while allowing the dancer to bend freely. Some ballet companies sew ribbons along the inside waist that the ballerina can tie for a customizable fit.
The Wrap Front Panel
The signature wrap panel extends from the left hip to right hip and overlaps across the front. When cut on the bias, the fabric hangs smoothly as the dancer moves. The wrap panel is often around 18 inches wide – wide enough to allow breathtaking extensions but not so wide that it gaps open. The panel may fasten with snaps or velcro at the waist.
The Skirt Back Panels
The rest of the skirt is divided into back panels that flow out from the waistband. Between 2-5 gored panels allow the skirt to twirl freely. They are cut wider at the hemline than the waist for a flattering shape. Additional width or underlayers can be added for more volume and flare.
The Length
Wrap skirt length varies based on the dancer’s height and choreography needs. Knee-length, calf-length or ankle-length are all popular options. Shorter lengths showcase fast footwork while longer skirts create a sweeping effect for turns. For ballets needing many different looks, the skirts may have detachable under-skirts to easily modify the silhouette.
Signature Ballet Costumes Featuring Wrap Skirts
Many famous ballet dances utilize the wrap skirt to accentuate the mood and movements of the choreography. Here are some of the most legendary performances featuring this ballerina wardrobe staple:
Black Swan Tutu from Swan Lake
This iconic ballet centers around the prima ballerina dancing the lead dual roles of the White Swan and Black Swan. Her black tutu features a dramatic above-the-hip tulle wrap skirt that flares out as she performs the intense 32 fouettés. The short wrap style allows powerful jumps and kicks.
Sylph Costume from La Sylphide
In this ballet featuring mythological sylphs, the lead sylph wears an airy knee-length wrap skirt made of silk or fine mesh. As she bourrées across the stage pursued by the male lead James, her skirt floats elegantly, emphasizing the sylph’s otherworldliness.
Peasant Pas de Deux from Giselle
In the Peasant Pas de Deux, Giselle wears a flowing ankle-length wrap skirt made of lightweight cotton or voile. The romantic wrap skirt swirls around her legs as she performs graceful hops and turns in this sweet duet set in a country village.
Waltz Girl Tutu from Serenade
Balanchine’s Serenade uses wrap-style short tutus on the corps dancers like the Waltz Girl. As she is lifted and partnered in flowing choreography, her wrap tutu provides complete freedom of movement and shows off the technical skill involved.
Sylph Costumes from Les Sylphides
Fokine’s groundbreaking Les Sylphides featured new wrap-style romantic skirts. The sylphs wear pastel wrap tutus that allow them to dance Fokine’s new modern choreography with seamless leg extensions and fluidity. The wrap skirt perfectly complements the ballet’s dreamy, floating style.
Proper Care for Wrap Skirts
As an essential part of a ballerina’s costume, wrap skirts must be properly cared for. How can dancers extend the life of their delicate performance skirts?
Follow Fabric Care Instructions
Read garment labels and care for the wrap skirt according to fabric content. Most can be hand washed gently in cold water with mild soap then laid flat to dry. Do not wring or twist the fabric. Use distilled white vinegar instead of fabric softener, which can degrade fibers over time.
Inspect and Repair Small Holes
Inspect skirt seams and hems regularly for small holes or tears so they can be repaired promptly. Fixing tiny holes prevents them from expanding into bigger damage. Use a needle and matching thread color to close any small seams or runs in the fabric.
Remove Stains Gently
Treat stains right away with gentle cleaners designed for delicate fabrics. Avoid vigorously rubbing as this can damage the fabric. For tough grease stains, use a small amount of diluted mild dish soap. Rinse thoroughly. For makeup stains, dab gently with a makeup remover-soaked cotton pad.
Air Out and Freshen Between Wearings
After performances, allow the skirt to fully air out before storing to prevent odor-causing bacteria growth. To freshen between wears, hang outside in fresh air or spray lightly with vodka or witch hazel then allow to fully dry.
Store Flat and Evenly Folded
After airing, store wrap skirts folded neatly in a garment bag or acid-free tissue paper. Avoid hanging as the weight can stretch out the waist. Don’t store anything heavy on top that could crush the skirt fabric.
The Future of the Wrap Skirt in Ballet
The wrap skirt has come a long way from the heavy costumes of 17th century court ballet to the ethereal modern tutus of today. How might this ballet wardrobe staple continue to evolve in the future?
New Technical Fabrics
Advancements in athletic wear fabrics like moisture-wicking microfiber may influence ballet skirt design. A microfiber wrap skirt could provide cool comfort and sweat absorption during intense training and stage lights without losing that desirable flowy drape.
Digitally Printed Designs
Digital printing technology could allow more elaborate or custom designs to be directly printed onto wrap skirts. Ballet companies could print gradients, patterns, scenery images or even logos directly onto wrap skirt fabric.
Innovative Silhouettes
While the essential wrap shape endures, skirt lengths, volume and embellishments may shift with changing tastes. We may see more bold variations like hi-low hems, removable overskirts, or sculptural shapes integrated into wrap designs.
Costuming for New Ballet Styles
Ballet continues to evolve by incorporating more modern dance forms. The athleisure trend and street styles may influence future wrap skirt looks. Looser, asymmetrical, deconstructed or layering options could appear for contemporary choreographies.
The classic wrap skirt has defined the ballerina aesthetic for over a century. With its striking silhouette and functional design, this ballet wardrobe staple is sure to endure as a symbol of beauty in motion. dancers continue to keep tradition alive while innovating the artform.
Conclusion
The ballerina’s wrap skirt has remained iconic across eras of ballet for its flattering, ethereal effect as the dancer moves. But under the graceful aesthetic lies thoughtful design allowing full mobility. The wrap skirt’s origins stem from pioneers of modern ballet who realized dancers needed fewer constrictions. Its unique cut and fabrication allows ballerinas to extend their legs and hold balances while conjuring an otherworldly vision. As ballet continues to advance, so too will this essential costume, remaining both strikingly elegant and functionally ideal for dancers pursuing both artistry and athleticism. The beloved wrap skirt captures everything that makes ballet one of the most beautiful, demanding and transcendent art forms.