Women’s ensembles are usually the ones that get the attention, whether that’s a ballet tutu or an 18th century robe a la française.
But men’s ensembles can be just as intricate, sometimes even more so. This costume, worn by Christophe Duquenne, is a great example of this. The beautiful embroidery and crystals on beautiful jacquard, the gathers in the back…
Of course the bottoms are always plain. The dancer’s legs shouldn’t have to compete with a bunch of detailing. Standard men’s dance tights are worn that allow very free movement, and very free admiration of the hard work male dancers do in perfecting their bodies. It’s one thing to be lean, but another to sculpt their bodies the way they do. Sparkles and tons of textures would draw attention away from them getting to show off. And let’s face it. If you’re a male dancer, you want to show off what you’ve built just as much as you want to show off your skill. Take it from me and every gym rat I know–it’s far easier to get lean than to build muscle mass to show off. Continue reading “Paris Opera Ballet’s Sleeping Beauty’s Prince”
