THE DANCER'S SPIRIT- DANCER DRESS
The ballet-inspired Dancer Dress was born of respect for dancer’s spirit. We obliged ourselves to discover the essence of dance and the spirit and attitudes of dancers in order to make a new dress which has the universal beauty of dance and reflects moderns’ personalities and attitudes.
Exploring dance-motif works of art, historic costumes and spirit in those eras, and today’s dancewear helped us create our new dress.
Find the story of our creation of Dancer Dress by looking into the relation between art works, historic costumes, and modern dancewear.
What is the essence of dance? Though you may find it in a ballet performance, it is not only a live dance itself to reveal it. For instance, art works such as paintings and sculpture can also provide you with some hints on it.
The “Dancer” in the Hermitage museum is definitely among those which render a clue to it. This marble sculpture is one of masterpieces of Antonio Canova who has created several sculptures known as “Dancer” in his life.
Antonio Canova Dancer 1811-1812, The State Hermitage Museum
This “Dancer”, with both her hands on the hips and taking a step forward, feels a sense of movement so full of vitality that we nearly forget it is made of solid marble. Why does she look as if she set to move and dance? It is not because her body and her clothes look real. We feel a sense of movement because she is on the verge of dancing, or she at the very moment is in the process of transformation from one moment to another moment.
Antonio Canova Dancer Rijiksmuseum
The Canova’s sculpture suggests that dance exhibits beauty at the moment and that the beauty exists in a momentary move or in the process of change.
Canova’s neoclassical-style sculpture echoes the early 19th century Zeitgeist. The early 19th-century lady costume, which features the high-waist silhouette, is known as empire-style dress. This simple and classic dress is inspired by the simple ancient Greco-Roman style. The neoclassical style looks so simple, quiet, and unfussy in comparison with the style of the previous era that we cannot but believe as follows. Ladies in the early 19th-century think they have discovered the beauty and visions which they could not find in the decorative “boudoir” or at the splendid “fête galante.”
Antonio Canova Danzatrice che si regge il velo ,volta a destra 1798-1799 Museo Canova
This Zeitgeist or their spirit and attitudes take shape relatively clear in fashion plates of those days. You will notice it is not uncommon that some women in the fashion plates are dancing while they usually stand still and pause in the other era’s fashion plates. The Empire style tied in with dance when seeking a fresh, airy, and unfussy spirit. While the words of “empire” and “neo-classicism” sound intimidating or conventional these days, it was an unruffled, graceful and classic-based style in those days.
Fashion Plate Evening Dress 1812 Los Angels Country Museum of Art
If there were the style of dancers in the world today, what would it be? What would you imagine when you think about a ballerina’s style? It could be a tutu or some sheer, fluttery, and graceful dance costumes. They can wear a tutu or an empire-style dress as costume. But in reality, you will find them spend more time wearing simpler, easier and comfortable clothes. They wear simple and at times sporty clothes on the street or when having lessons, in daily life.
The development of technology allowed dancers to wear up-to-date dancewear like leotard. The stretch of a fabric created by the state-of-the-art fabric technology makes them feel comfortable in their dancewear during hard exercises. And the color of the dancewear is often vivid and bright like the other modern sportswear.
Today’s dancewear is not only airy, feminine, and romantic but also simple, sporty. and athletic. We recognize that a strong will and discipline of ballet dances are hidden behind their graceful movements and that they are required for being a ballerina.
As we mentioned above, the grace of the ballet dance is not in dancers’ appearance or detail of staging and clothing. It rather resides in the essence of dance, or beauty which is portrayed as movement and change, in dancer’s spirit, or simplicity, airiness (lightsomeness), and vividness (freshness), and in dancer’s attitudes, or a strong will and discipline. And those are ubiquitous.
The sketch of Dancer Dress by designer Seiji Arie ,front view
Thus we tried to embody the abstract essence of dance, dancer’s spirit and dancer’s attitudes, which are found in art works, the early 19th century’s historic clothing, and modern dancewear, in design for one visual “dress. ”
The dress has to be something classic and uviversal while reflecting a personality of modern women.
Although it reflects the essence of dance, and dancer’s spirit and attitudes, the dress should not be just for dancers. But it should be for all persons who have dancer’s spirit and attitudes.
The sketch of Dancer Dress by designer Seiji Arie ,back view
We started with design of a silhouette of dress. The silhouette is mainly inspired by the empire style or the ancient Roman style for a classic and unfussy look except for a waistline, which features a unique curved line.
The curved waistline forms such a dress silhouette that it looks high waist on the front side and turns normal waist on the back side. It is this waistline that affords the dress a dynamic character. It makes us difficult to grasp the whole dress silhouette at a glance. Something dynamic or something making a move is always in the process of change and you cannot easily grasp the entire structure.
We have chosen the silk crepe de chine for fabric of this dress. An airy fablic flutters in the breeze, which gives movement and change to the dress.
We have selected vivid color, which is dynamic and lively, in order to reflect the personality of young dancers who often have their inner ambition. Such bright colors similar to those for sports outfits express confidence and a strong will to accomplish something.
This dress is perfect with elegant shoes, which are not necessarily high heels, on formal occasions. It will also match flat shoes like ballet flats when going out.
Dancer’s dress works over the seasons and on occasions. It pays homage to the permanent beauty of dance over the centuries.
Silk Crepe de Chine Dancer Dress Fire Red
Silk Crepe de Chine Dancer Dress Royal Blue
