The Tutu: A Living Artifact of Dance History

Say the word dance and invariably a number of images flash through your head… pointe shoes, the stage, pirouettes, an arabesque. Our inner image of dance is inseparable from the dancer, his or her adornments and movements, and most recognizably, her silhouette, marked by the unmistakable shape of the tutu. More than just an aesthetic, the tutu is the product of a rich history imbued with social change, extreme dedication and a timelessness that transcends the art form that brought it to life. To fully appreciate the tutu, one must understand the origins of dance, and so we begin…