Ballet Dress

Before the establishment of the Academie Nationale de Musique et de Danse in 1661 by King Louis XIV, ballet dancers in royal courts were forced to wear stiff, elaborate clothing and uncomfortable corsets that limited range of movement. Although the dance wear worn at the Academie were slightly more freeing than what was previously worn, dancers often still had trouble dancing in such heavy garments. A ballet dancer named Marie Camargo was the first dancer to dare to wear shorter skirts. Dancer Marie Salle quickly followed suite, challenging her audience's expectations by dancing in only a white muslin dress. In 1826, the Paris Opera dancers swapped long trousers for short breeches or silk tights when performing. The women wore long, multilayer skirts, known as "bouffant skirts", which were made of layers of gauzy material. By the end of the 19th century, however, the tutu took the place of the bouffant skirt. In the 20th century, the leotard was developed, completing the look of today's modern ballerina, who we are all undoubtedly familiar with.