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Giving it a whirl: dancers & choreographers on skirts vs.tutus.

Article Excerpt
While tutu chic may be in vogue now--French designer Christian Lacroix's latest made-to-measure gowns sport ostrich-trimmed hems and sparkly puffball skirts of organza and tulle--the archetypal ballerina costume wages war in the contemporary dance world with another fashion contender: the skirt. Indeed, "to bare (the leg) or not to bare," that is the question.

Long an aesthetic signifier, setting off a dancer's sculpted gams as she executes the iconic poses and combinations of steps that define her art form, the tutu (its name is probably derived from the French children's word "tu-tu," meaning "bottom") naturally reigns in classics such as Swan Lake and The Sleeping Beauty.

The romantic tutu made its debut in 1832 when Marie Taglioni wowed audiences by performing in a costume consisting of a tight-fitting bodice and bell-shaped skirt that fell halfway between knees and ankles. It evolved into the short classical tutu, which gained favor when ballet entered the 20th century. With wire hoops and tulle replacing tarlatan, the stiff skirt became de rigueur as a means of displaying virtuosic technique. Today, with a vast array of fabrics available--from sumptuous silks and satins to space-agey materials informed with a 21st-century sensibility--the art of choosing skirts or tutus begins with the choreographer.

For Australian-born Stanton Welch, artistic director of Houston...

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