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Ballet Designers


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Almost everybody agrees what a disaster the designs Tony walton and Willa Kim did for ABT's Sleeping beauty last year.Is there any active American designer at present who can design for the ballet?Except for Zack Brown and Santo Loquasto,i could not think of anyone.Any ideas?

I guess it would be too expensive to get European designers.

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:bow::toot: I was very surprised to hear about the apparent lack of Ballet designers in the USA, I think in comparison with Europe there must be quite a serous shortage. I cannot see why it would be too expensive to employ people from overseas, after all once they have details of the production, they could work at home, until it was time to oversee the manufacture of costumes, and be available for fittings and the photo parade.

A complex knowledge of how a dancers body works, where they breath from, and also very importantly the aspect of safety and decency is a very strict requirement.

However to design for Ballet is a totally different skill than for other type of productions. I can recall having to completely alter a certain designers costumes, who had the wonderful idea of stitching lots of lacy appicques to filmsy chiffon costumes. This was totally un practical, as they did not last for even one performance, by the time the dress rehearsal was half way through, the costumes were in threads.

:wub: Trying to explain to the designer was a nightmare, as she just could not understand the problems. Boys fingers were caught up in the fabric, girls nearly exposed their feminine attributes and were unhappy about wearing the said costumes, in fact we nearly had a riot. (Though certain members of the Guy's thought the girls outfits were cool!!) In the end the Designer gave up, and meekly asked me if I could sort out the mess. This was no joke, as we were on tour at the time, with the premier fast approaching. We were without a proper workshop, just a room with a sewing machine we took on tour with us, but needs must, it was my job, and I obliged. :dunno::ermm:

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