Lee Ann Torrans sends me an email – MYRMECOS – Insect …

The art of the ballet bodice:

The English, she says, are the best classical tutu-makers in the world and it will be a pleasure to work with them on her next Royal Ballet production, a redesign of Ashton's Cinderella, this Christmas. The English know how to make the most of a ballerina's charms, she says, with a cunning combination of boning and elastic that looks well-structured and sexy but allows total freedom of movement. --

Italian Costume Designer -- Luisa Spinatelli

And that's the goal, the art, and the trick. The more advanced bodice makers may want to tighten the lining with some girdle type fabric panels for give. Always, always consider how the costume will feel on the dancer.  Fit and comfort are crucial.

Dancers have become accustomed to wonderful leotards. It is important to have the feel of a leotard on the inside with the beauty of the costume on the outside. A delicate balance must be struck. Remember, cutting on the bias provides a 'give' for the side panels.

TutusDivine - Sample Seminar Paula Drake Bodices

My Favorite Bodice Pattern

McCall's 3315 - When you purchase a pattern you must adjust it.  It is really easier just to make your own with duct tape!

Note:  Must be adjusted for hips.  Copy machine not big enough to handle that part of pattern.

Tip from the Master - Paul Drake

When making your bodice pattern Paula Drake suggests this:

I have altered most comercial patterns because with  dance bodice you only should have between 0 to 1/2" wearing ease.    Most comercial patterns  have more then that.......and the tutu can get too big while they are dancing because the heat and sweat from the dancer expands the bodice.

Take a piece of fabric and pull with the grain. You will notice very little 'give'. Now hold it diagonally and pull. You will notice a 'bias give.' You may not want to place your front center pieces on the bias but your side panels make work nicely cut on the bias. There are, however, other tricks which will be reviewed here.

Perfect fit every time for a twelve piece bodice by wrapping my dancer in duct tape.

• First, we select an old t-shirt then wrap over it horizontally in two layers.
• The back is cut first with a straight seam down the back of the bodice
• You must decide if you want a level cut or a point in the center.
• Mark under the arms and cut the side
• You may then proceed to cut with a standard bodice cut
• Add one quarter inch to each piece for  your seam

ISSUES TO CONSIDER FOR BALLET BODICE

How Many Panels?

This is always a big question. For girls who are not developed there is no reason to use more than eight panels. The more panels you use, the more exact the fit. However, the more panels you use the greater the need for fit. It is almost impossible to get a perfect fit for a twelve panel bodice without a mannequin. If you have that type of equipment and you are working on a twelve panel boned bodice you do not need this webpage other than to confirm what you already know...this is exacting construction. The more curves the dancer has the more panels you will need to obtain good support and fit.

Second Question to Answer:

How low does the bodice go?

Does it fit below the waist as in the image above from Priscilla's or will you stop at the waist and use 'petals' to cover the top of the basque. This is a good choice for the novice.

Third Question:

Does the fabric require iron on interfacing?

If it is lightweight it does require interfacing to give the fabric body and make it more stable.

Fourth Question:

How low is your decolletage.

This depends on the role and the dancer. Nylon or light weight batiste is a good choice for a low decolletage.

I do not believe you can get a good "V" decolletage without a center seam.

See image above from Priscilla's. That's about the extent of a one piece "V" decolletege with one center piece. This image truly illuminates the difficulties of using a one piece for the center.

Fifth Question:

What closure system will you use?

Hooks are always the best. Use the best you can afford.  Nickel plated closures are the Mercedes Benz.  See Below.

A zipper would be appropriate only for play wear for children. Tutus, unlike costumes for special occasions or prom tops are worn on stage. They are gotten into quickly and their use is limited. If there is going to be a malfunction it will be at a critical time. Keep this in mind at every stage of construction.

Okay, with all the flap over Janet Jackson I never saw one interview with her costume designer. Was the costume designed to have a removable flap? Yes or No. If the answer is yes, I think the conclusion is, it was intentional. I can't see Janet Jackson sewing her costume (or unsewing it) so that the piece in question could be removed. It was either designed that way or it was not. No professional costume designer would design in that option unless it had been requested. I know the Congress and everyone else in the world has an opinion but the true relevance and lesson is for costume designers. This is what you get when you are a lawyer who really wishes she had been a costume designer!

Sixth Question:

What type boning?

How long will the costume be used and how often. If this is a professional costume you probably don't need this webpage. If this is for occasional use Dritz boning is acceptable.

If this is a masterpiece - wire boning or rubber full flex boning is required!  See Below.

Seventh Question:

What type lining?

I have been experimenting with girdle type fabric on which I place the boning and covering that with a stretchy perspiration absorbing fabric. This is a design in process. If anyone else has done this, please let me know.

Dancers want as much stretch on the inside as possible. If

for any reason you require a super stiff bodice do not hesitate to use canvas behind your fabric, but be sure to line that canvas with something extremely comfortable next to the dancer's skin, preferably coutil cloth.

Nylon Powernet is 45" wide, and the med weight is $12.00 a yard and the heaviest weight is $14.00 a yard and adds strength and stability.

Coutil cloth is the classic lining for bodices. Coutil is a tightly woven twill cloth with a herringbone pattern. It is sleek looking and has a smooth finish. It is woven tightly to inhibit penetration of bones/stays and is not inclined to stretch.

Links for Instruction and Notions

Kleins Corsetery has Boning . If you are a novice you may choose the inexpensive Dritz Packaged Boning from the notions department at most fabric stores or which can be purchased from Dritz directly.

Hancocks on line has this as well or you may find it in the store.

Rosetti Bridal and Costuming as a good page on creating corsets.

Because of the many bodice construction websites I have not attempted to detail bodice construction as closely as tutu construction.

MAKING THE BODICE

I make my patterns from scratch but it is always nice to buy a pattern and study it.

Fitting a bodice over the hips can be tricky without a mannequin, but it can be done.

Iron on interfacing has good points and bad ones. Canvas as a backing can significantly strengthen the fabric but MUST be lined with coutil cloth.

Deciding whether your fabric has sufficient 'body' can be a close call but you do not want to see the fabric of the bodice bunch on the dancer; you want it to always be smooth. That's the bottom line. Using the iron on interfacing destroys the 'give' of the bias cut for the side panels but it can avoid a bunching of the fabric.

Commercial Patterns

Vogue now has some usable patterns for bodices. There is a perfect one in the book but it is not online.

Here is one  that could be easily modified: Vogue 2810 and McCalls/Butterick.

I never want to be discouraging. However, it is incredibly difficult to fit a boned bodice without a mannequin or a very, very patient dancer who is available and willing to be fitted often.

If you are fitting a dancer who is not amenable or available for fitting often make the front then make the back. Fit the dancer and make adjustments at the side seam.

Vogue 2849 can be adjusted by making a center seam -- this creates a four piece front bodice from the pattern which shows a three piece bodice.

The boning in the McCalls/ Butterick pattern should be adjusted to go straight up over the bosom and not curve. None of these patterns are perfect but they do provide a beginning point.

Vogue

Vogue-2849

Vogue 2849 Front

McCalls/Butterick

More Links for Instruction and Notions

Kleins Corsetery and Boning

For the novice inexpensive Dritz Packaged Boning from the notions department at most fabric stores or which can be purchased from Dritz directly.

Hancocks on line has this as well or you may find it in the store.

Rosetti Bridal and Costuming as a good page on creating corsets.

Because of the many bodice construction websites I have not attempted to detail bodice construction as closely as tutu construction.

Butterick 6875

Vogue Pattern 7427 has the more traditional ballet bodice with the diagonal front
seams. This is a more difficult pattern to use. I have successfully used it
by attaching "petals" to the waistline which cover the upper portion of the
basque.

McCalls's Patterns

There was a sale on McCalls Patterns so I bought one of each of the bodice patterns 3681, 4449 and 3853.

McCalls 3681

At first blush I thought this was IT!

Be very careful. Look at that neckline. I made a fabulous long dress out of this of silk charmeuse with a strong, boned interior and a draping silk exterior for my daughter but for a tutu bodice it needs serious changes.

I love the yoke at the bottom! I love the back and I love the waist line. I would cut the front pieces very high -- straight across at the top and cut the actual "V" on the mannequin or dancer as in the image below from the New York City Ballet.

Belle of the Bay for bodice ideas....non-ballet bodices.

This is a nine piece bodice.

It is very hard to get the good front "V" unless you cut that into two pieces.

When you to cut it into two pieces add one half inch to each side for joinder.

Start at the bottom of the V. Or just cut straight across when cutting your pattern and cut the "V" when the pattern is on the dancer or the mannequin, which is my preferred method.

For this pattern I had to add a good bit of length at the waist because my daughter is tall, and this is notwithstanding the fact that I purchase the "tall" pattern. This was all that was left at the $1.99 sale, and what I needed anway. My point is that a "tall" is really probably an average or good for a 5'5" dancer.

Butterick 6875

For a beginner the simplest bodice pattern is an eight piece bodice, four in the front and four in the back. I originally used Butterick 6875. When I was looking for a bodice pattern that descended below the waist they did not exist. I chose This is a dress pattern rather than a pure bodice pattern. By using a dress pattern you have a pattern which allows the bodice to descend to the top of the tutu rather than stopping at the waist. However,
this pattern does need some adjustment.

The pattern places the front center portion on the fold of the bodice fabric.

I do not do this.

This piece is placed to be cut into two pieces.

I allow one half inch for joining and cut this piece in half which allows for a center front seam which creates a fitted V neckline in which illusion flesh toned net can be placed. It also allows for boning in the front center portion of the bodice up to the insertion point of the illusion net.

Designing for Fit

Regardless of the patterns available the concept of bodice modification for ballet costuming remains the same. The inside must fit incredibly tightly. This bodice must fit like a glove and move with the dancer. I always start with the back panels, make certain they fit and the underarm seam is straight and move then to the more complicated front panels.

I make the lining first and use it as a model for the more expensive exterior fabric. Lastly, once I have a bodice I like and the fit is good, I make a paper pattern from brown paper and finally I made a pattern on a plastic template once my daughter stopped growing. The second bodice is always a thousand times easier than the first! Don't give up.

Lining for Comfort and Dance

The web is full of excellent bodice instruction websites. Just remember, making a bodice for ballet is different from making a bodice for a costume or formal wear. It should be lined with perspiration absorbing fabric if at all possible and it should have strength. If you choose a flimsly light-weight fabric it is essential to use an iron on interfacing fused to your fabric to create a fabric that can stand on its own.

Note: this is in addition to the lining! This will create a fabric that does not have the bias cut give -- consequently, if you do this there is not point in using the bias cut for the side panels.

It is also necessary to cut the front much higher on the sides to allow for the traditional V shaped neckline.

In addition to cutting the fabric for the bodice I cut a lining and I stabilize the two back pieces with soft, lightweight interfacing. I also stabilize the front.

Boning

I place pockets for the boning along each seam and beside the zipper. I bone to the waistline. After the pockets are made I insert the boning and sew the insertion point closed. I prefer the non-metal, noncased boning if it can be found. I have zig-zagged this boning directly to the seams of the interfacing rather than casing the boning to the bodice. However, there is no question but that the cased boning is preferable. By creating a very tight, close fitting
lining the dancer feels secure. This allows the visible bodice to be looser and to move a bit with the dancer. It will not bunch with the lining as the dancer turns and twists but has a bit of a flow.

Think of it as a suspension bridge. The foundation is firmly embedded in the rock. That is the lining. However, the suspension bridge has some room for flexibility and movement. That is the visible, exterior bodice. (See diagram below.)

This image on the left shows a seamstress at the New York City Ballet placing the uncut bodice on the dancer before she cuts the "V". I think this is an excellent idea. This will allow the "V" to be perfectly suited to the dancer. To the right the bodice is flat

Bodice Construction

Each panel should be boned at the seam and if you use a zipper, the zipper should be boned as well. (Not using a zipper is better and safer -- zippers can come apart and there is nothing much to pin in an emergency. Anyone who has ever been backstage knows that if it can rip, if it can tear, if it can come apart -- eventually it will, and at the most inopportune time.)

If you do not use a zipper but use fasteners the end pieces of the bodice should be boned. Boning comes in different compositions and widths. The easiest boning to use is the polyester/plastic boning (Dritz) which can be sewn (I zigzag) directly into the lining. It comes in white and black and is easily found at hobby stores and fabric stores.

Metal boning comes in its own casing and can be sewn into either the bodice or the lining.

This is easy to find at most fabric stores. If this is something with which you are unfamiliar you may want to look at a proper corsetery store and examine the options.

Kleins is the best online. There is also the standard of Dritz...best for the beginner.

FullflexRubber Boning

Klein's

Standard Basque Closure

While the front panels should be cut with the grain of the fabric the side panels should be cut on the bias or the diagonal. This allows some 'give' for the dancer.

The bodice should be tight, tight, tight. Do NOT make it loose as though it were the top to a prom dress.  This is for stage and it should fit like a second skin.

BONING HOW TO

Boning is essential, there is no way around that one. This diagram is designed to help you be your best when it comes to boning. In engineering this would be the steel frame of a skyscraper or the piers of a bridge. It's everything! And remember if you cut the side panels of the bodice on the diagonal they will have 'give.' Also remember that it is possible that under the stage lights they will appear a different shade from the panels not sewn on the diagonal. It's a trade off.

"V" Necklines

The safest (as in no Janet Jackson mishaps) and most modest way to obtain a plunging decolletege is to use nylon nude fabric. Most professional tutu designers use this. This image shows a light weight batiste.

Image Courtesy Dancewear.com

Bodice Websites:

Period Costume for Stage and Screen by Jean Hunnisett

The Renaissance Tailor

How to Make a Bodice Pattern -- using duct tape?!?!?

Self Supporting Bodices -- great for European Costume look

RosettiBridal and Costume

Gallery of Wearable Art

If you find more send them and I will use them

STUNNING Embroidery for Bodice:

I like subtlety. To me this embroidery is a stunning option.

Embroidery itself, particulary with silk thread picks up the light. Then you may add Austrian crystals or small jewels.

I do not care for over-done tutus. This is all a matter of personal taste, but the older I get the more I appreciate the understanding of subtlety and its impact.  That being said, it is always crucial to 'catch the light.'  This can be done with the fabulous crystals.  However, Karinska proves me wrong every time!  If you can design like Karinska, and NOT over do in a garish way but over do tastefully, go for it.  This is ultimately, the great art in tutu design: the balance.  For example, Karl Lagerfeld had no crystals in his stunning Swan Lake bodice creation.

PRIZMA EMBROIDERY

Pattern from Reader

McCall's Sewing Pattern (no longer available)

Thank you to Chris who forwarded this information on the Tutu Sewing Pattern
..."(It is a) McCalls "American Ballet Theater" pattern available in the 70's
or 80's. I actually have one of these, and have never been able to find any
more. Fabulous pattern and very professional looking final product. Below is
one I made 15 years ago. I have ever since been trying to find other copies
of the pattern, to no avail. I finally took the single pattern I have and expand
and reduce the size on muslin to make other patterns for different size dancers.
Pattern also has romantic length instructions." ------------------------------------------------>>>>

Thank you so much to the reader who sent her original pattern.
I love the petals and have done that. With vivid colors it makes quite a statement!
I prefer one row of petals. I think for a drawing the two rows look great on
paper, but the one row works best in fabric. Sometimes less is more!

Mom Tip:

Mom's with growing girls, this is so easy...just make the back
an inch longer than necessary. Use hooks for closure and move them over next
year! Hurray for growing girls. When my daughter was a toddler and lived at
the pool I always bought swimsuits two sizes too large. I took them up in the
crotch the first year, let it out a little the next and completely the third.
She always had a large assortment of swimsuits and her favorites from the year
before were still wearable. I miss those days at the pool! ENJOY IT! When I
was at tennis camp and very young I heard a women in her seventies say, "When
my children were young, I was the happiest." I always remembered that...and
think I might agree. There is nothing in this world to compare...no job, no
recognition.