A Ballet Skirt Is A Necessity For Children And Adult Ballet Dancers

A ballet skirt is an integral part of every ballerina’s outfit. Young girls often dream about their first tutus from the moment they put on their ballet leotards, tights and slippers. Ballet skirts are worn mostly for performances and ballet classes; however, tutu skirts and dresses have become really fashionable for everyday wear as well. A lot of famous people, such as Rihanna and Avril Lavigne wear ballet skirts for special occasions and every day.

Tutus for children

The children’s tutu is the basic tulle ballet skirt, which doesn’t stick out as much as adult tutu skirts, giving the skirt a more feminine appearance. The skirt usually consists of several layers of tulle, which is quite rough and comes in white or pink. This type of tutus is generally not worn by adult ballet dancers and the majority of dancewear companies produce such skirts in small sizes.

Tutus for adults

Adult tutus usually differ from tutus for children mostly in their length and the degree to which a ballet skirt stands up. There are three main types of adult ballet dancers, which are ‘the classic tutu’, ‘the romantic tutu’ and ‘the bell tutu’. The long and floating romantic tutu consists of 3-5 layers of tulle and comes in 2 main types. The skirt of the first type begins at the waist, while the skirt of the second type begins at the high hip. The classical tutu also comes in 2 types. The first one is made of stiff tutu netting and represents a wide, flat ballet skirt which is hooped and tightly tacked, while the second type is not hooped and has a shorter skirt. The bell tutu combines features of both the classical and the romantic tutus; it’s shorter and has more numerous tulle layers than the romantic tutu and is longer and has less tulle layers in comparison with the classical tutu.

Ballet dresses

There are not just tutu skirts, but also tutu dresses that differ not only in the construction, but also in the material used; tutu skirts are made from stiff tulle, while tutu dresses are made from soft tulle for a romantic and ethereal appearance. A tutu dress has a long ballet skirt, which is usually right below the knee and consists of multiple layers of very fine tulle.

The variety of tutus

The variety of tutus impresses everybody today. They come in different styles, designs and colours, so every person can choose a ballet skirt or a tutu dress according to one’s preferences. Dancewear stores and specialised websites offer a wide range of tutus in classical or romantic styles and of different colours ranging from classic white, black or pink to eye-catching yellow, blue, turquoise and red. Before shopping for a ballet skirt it’s recommended to talk to the teachers of the ballet school, because they may have special requirements considering the style and the colour of the ballet uniform. In case they don’t, dancers are free to choose any ballet skirts, leotards, tights and shoes they like.