Classic construction

Ballerinas dancing about are the inspiration in R320, a highly complex costume construction class in the Costume Construction Technology Program (CCT). The class is one of a series where students learn behind-the-scenes techniques and costuming for operas and the stage. In this particular class, the students are constructing ballerina tutus. Making tutus is a time-consuming skill that not many people learn in school and fewer people perfect.\nMary Grusak, assistant professor and co-director of CCT, said IU is one the few schools that teaches such a complex skill. \n"As far as I know, our program is the only place that teaches students how to build a classical tutu," she said. \nNot only is the skill complex, but it also takes a lot of time and patience to make one. The tutu for this particular class is a cartwheel tutu, which usually has eleven layers of tulle, panties and a bodice attached, such as a corset. \nRachel Aspy, a sophomore in the CCT program, said the process was tedious. \nJunior Yuri Cataldo said the experience was rather unique. \n"It was like giving birth to a baby," Cataldo said. "Putting it together was the hardest."\nThe students had two months to make the tutus, but the actual creative process took much longer. The students get to decide the specifics behind the tutu, Grusak said.\n"I actually have the students draw names out of a hat, and then they are responsible for doing research on the \nballet and choosing which characters to design for," she said. "I feel this is better than letting them pick ballets that they know so they are exposed to something new." \nThe ballets picked ranged from "Cinderella" and "Don Quixote" to "The Nutcracker" and "Swan Lake." Many students used the ballet to express their own style while following the basic instructions. \n"I am always amazed at the mix of traditional and modern tutus," Grusak said. "The styles fit the students' personalities."\nDanica Cornelius, a senior, is constructing a tutu for the character Odile in "Swan Lake." She was inspired by a dress the musical artist Bjork wore at the MTV Video Music Awards, she said.\nMany of her classmates took different approaches, and made tutus inspired by Spanish culture, snowflakes and femininity.\n"I am doing Paquita from the ballet 'Paquita.' I was inspired by flamenco dancers and punk. My tutu has fish nets and garters, but it's also kinda like a gypsy," Aspy said. \nThe students got a month to research the ballets and then made models of their tutu designs. \n"It's such a transformation of fabric," she said. "It's interesting to see flat fabric turned into an elaborate tutu."\nBrittany Byron, a junior, was also excited about the class.\n"I was really interested in Costume Design and taking a ballet and building a design around it," she said.\nLearning how to make a tutu is specialized, but it gives the students a skill that is highly marketable, Grusak said.\n"The students leave IU with a liberal arts background with a specialization in one area, which I think makes them very marketable," she said.\nThe types of jobs students end up taking are varied, but most students find work in their respective field, she said. \n"We have had at least one student go on to work first at a professional ballet company in the costume shop, and she now works for a dance wear company in Indianapolis," Grusak said. "Most go into some sort of retail position, but we have had a few end up as designers, design assistants and some go into theater costume design or costume shop positions." \nOut of the 50 students in the program, many said they would like to go into designing costumes for a living. Aspy and Cornelius both said they want to work for costume departments in the future.\nThe tutus are strictly a class project, but many of the students take it seriously, Grusak said. Grusak encourages the students to use real ballerinas as models for the tutus. She also supplies most of the materials needed. \n"I supply the basic materials to the students for the tutu -- scrim, the tulle, boning, elastic and hook and eyes," she said. \nAll of the materials amount to about $30, but the students provide the fashion fabric, which is usually satin. Some students went as far as Louisville to get the necessary fabric. \nThough the project can be a costly one, students can also make their money back by selling the tutus for a good price. Occasionally the ballerinas ask to purchase the tutus. This year, Wingate is going to sell her tutu to a ballerina for at least $250.\n"Tutus can sell anywhere from $200 to $2000. Some companies sell basic tutus for practice that are in the $200 range, but fancier more decorated tutus are more expensive," Grusak said. \nAfter the students were finished modeling their tutus and handing in their renderings and outlines, many said they were satisfied with the outcome. \n"I loved it, and I think it's really pretty," Byron said.