Interview Research

I contacted the head of wardrobe at the Birmingham Royal Ballet, the wardrobe administrator at the English National Ballet through e-mail asking them some questions about the classical tutu and working in the professional environment. This was extremely helpful as they gave me an insight into what it is like to work in the industry, for example I found it fascinating that in general it takes 3 days to construct a whole tutu. The head of wardrobe at Birmingham Royal Ballet explained that on day 1 you would be expected to cut the basque, waistband, knickers and construct them all and also cut the widths of net. Day 2 you would shape the hem edge of the netting (scallop), join the edges of net together according to the layers, put in the gathering or pleating along the top edge, start applying the frills to the knickers, should get all frills onto knickers. Day 3 Put the knickers onto the basque, join the centre back seam of the knickers, join the crutch seam, put elastic into leg channels, join up centre back frills, stitch on waist and back fastening, put in steel into steel channels then string.

This puts it into perspective for me the speed that you have to work in the industry. It is obviously going to take me alot longer to make my tutu seeing as I have never made one before but as I am making it I will be able to think back to this and know how much longer I take compared to a professional. This has really made me realise that time is money. This has made me think about how I need to start working to prepare me for work in the industry and how to start speeding up the pace that I work.