But what is a tutu anyway?

So, I keep on talking and babbling about tutus. But what is a tutu anyway?

I know, I know, I can hear you say it, "Have you gone, turlututu? Don't be ridiculous, you know what a tutu is". Well, I may do so - or at least have my little idea about it - but there actually seems to be quit some confusion with some of the budding ballerinas and their parents.

Now that September is here, classes have started again and so whole loads of exited little girls are lining up impatiently to actually start taking real ballet lessons. And of course, in those school where a uniform is not required, one can assist to a free live fashion show.

As any loving and respecting parent, you seriously can not put your girl on ballet without a tutu, right? Because mummy all of the other girls have one. And so it happens that a lot of different styles and colors - alright, mostly pink - sparkling or not, pass the revue, Hello Kitty's and princesses included, all screaming for their part of the attention.

             

However,

most are not actually tutus in the proper sense of the word. They are tulle, polyester or spandex skirts or ruffles, either attached to a leotard or to be used as a wrap skirt.

                      


I have had a hard time explaining to my girls when they started that while everyone else in class was calling theirs a tutu, well actually they were not. They finally admitted to it once they had a "real" tutu on their twirling bodies, here posing at home in them. Obviously, this is not something to wear in class.

By the way, my little one here is actually wearing her polyester ballet wrap skirt around her shoulders, how is that for multifunctional!

So, for all those that may be a little confused by now I thought to check in a few dictionaries and found the following definitions.

Tutu
tew-TEW
This is the short classical  ballet skirt made of many  layers of tarlatan or net. The romantic tutu is the long skirt  reaching below the calf.  http://www.abt.org/education/dictionary/index.html


tutu, noun
a very short, full, projecting skirt worn by ballerinas
Origin: Fr, orig. baby talk alteration < cul, bottom, backside
Webster's New World College Dictionary
tu·tu noun \ˈtü-(ˌ)tü\
a short projecting skirt worn by a ballerina Origin French, from (baby talk) tutu backside
First Known Use: 1913
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tutu

tutu,  standard skirt worn by female ballet dancers, consisting of four or five layers of silk or nylon frills; the skirt is attached to a sleek-fitting bodice. (Originally tutu designated a short, trouser like petticoat worn under a dancer’s costume.)  http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/610691/tutu

And then of course not to forget Wikipedia, where there actually is a list of the different types. A tutu is a skirt worn as a costume in a ballet performance, often with attached bodice. It might be single layer, hanging down, or multiple layers starched and jutting out.

So, in conclusion?

Well, let's just say that a tutu can be of any length, single or multiple layered, sticking out at the hips or hanging down, but the common thread is that it should be made from net or tulle.

Personally however, I feel that a tutu should have ruffled frills or pleated net or tulle. Period.
Although they can be really beautiful, I do not consider tulle strips knotted around or sewn on an elastic to be technically speaking a "real" ballet tutu to the contrary of what you can find on the net.

It can still make a very nice costume though, as here in our latest performance where my eldest is impersonating the world's evil released from Pandora's box. Her very nice costume was made by one of our dedicated dancing dance moms.

Oh, and in case you are wondering, the disobedient Pandora in question trying to put the evil back in the box after realising her terrible mistake is indeed yours faithfully. Didn't succeed yet.... Any tips, anyone?