22 Swans a dancing

Ithaca ballet Swan lake

Not just swanning around here: creating 22 Swans

As I wrote in a previous post, this year I ended up creating  22 swan tutus for Swan lake, plus two stunning bodices and headpiece for Odette and Odile. On a whim I also made the queen mother a new Titian inspired dress and re-purposed the crown I had originally made for Cinderella fairy Autumn  for Siegfried's mother.

Before starting Cinderella I had purchased 4 bolts of white tutu net, a bolt of ivory net and we had a bolt of bridal illusion in wardrobe. The initial plan was for 16 corps de ballet swans and one swan queen but by November the numbers had grown to 18 corps de ballet, a swan queen and a black swan and after Christmas it was finally decided that 20 corps swan tutus were needed, plus two tutus for the principle dancer, plus new headpieces and bodices.
Way back in the summer I had made a start at cutting and dagging (cutting into points) layers of white tutu net. As time went by I had more and more bags of tutu net and thousands of little net triangles all over my sewing room and house.
There is nothing more sticky or itchy than tulle and tutu net. Imagine finding scraps stuck to clothing, the carpet, the furniture and even the cat. Once in a while, I or a family member would be driving crazy by intense itching. At first we thought it was some scary dermatological condition but no: it was a triangle of tutu net.
By the time I was ready to start sewing the tutus, I had cut and dagged 1100 pieces of tutu net. Let me spell that out eleven hundred pieces or 220 yards of tutu net. No matter how you spell it that is a lot  of tutu net.
Once pleated up, it took up two large plastic boxes. All 9 layers of each corps de ballet tutu was cut into points to simulate the feathers. The top layers were triple hand-pleated ivory and white bridal illusion tulle to give the tutus a  little depth and so that they had a soft look because apart from that they were to be without any ornamentation.
Once sewn up I was able to stack the tutus floor to ceiling before steaming and tacking, then the stack shrunk considerably.

Twelve white swan tutus before steaming and tacking

four white swan tutus after steaming and tacking

I managed to finish the tutus well in time and so was able to take them to the studio for the dancers to rehearse in. If you have never worn a properly made, classical tutu it can be very tricky at first. Each tutu is 12 inches in diameter, which creates a little space around each dancer. The dancers need to learn how to space themselves so as not to bump into the next girl. The dancer also cannot see her own feet and so has to be very careful what she does.

22 Swan lake tutus waiting for rehearsal at Ithaca ballet

Getting in and out of a tutu can also be tricky, you need some help getting the hooks done up. The girls came up with a very clever way of getting into their tutus quickly.

Ithaca ballet dancers getting ready for Swan lake rehearsal

I made two new patterns and designs for Odette and Odile's bodices. I designed the Odette bodice as a long line bodice, with a deep, pointed neckline and a low back.

Odette bodice in an off-white bengaline with a hand beaded overlay

The Odile bodice, would have a point front and back, sit below the waist, have a low cut neckline and a low back. Both bodices had hand beaded lace appliques for decorations. I am offering them for sale in my Etsy shop.

Back of Odile bodice

Odile bodice, corps tutu

Black velvet Odile bodice, with hand beaded lace applique

 I also made two simple wing shaped plates, according to Claudia Folts instructions in her book Finishing Touches.  I used white and ivory satin, silk and charmeuse "feathers" appliqued with silver thread to a white sparkle tulle plate for Odette. For Odile, I made black velvet, turned black silver satin and black silver mesh feathers, which I appliqued onto a black mesh wing shape with silver thread. Leila Drake of State Street Ballet graciously offered to model the costumes for me.

Leila Drake as Odette
Ithaca ballet Swan lake

Leila Drake of State Street Ballet as Odette

 

 

 

Leila Drake as Odile
Ithaca ballet Swan lake

 

 Only the tutu and headpiece were to be used for Ithaca Ballet's performance of Swan lake, so I did not sew the bodice and tutu together. One of the things I still find very difficult is getting photographs that do the costumes justice. Finally I made headpieces for Odette and Odile. The description of how these were made is posted under, topping it off.

To see Swan lake on stage click on the link.