Hannah Kauffman

Dressing for Show: Costume in Spectacular Ballet, 1880-1914

The late 19th century saw the emergence of different forms of spectacular entertainment, amongst these were the music hall and pantomime ballets, in which mass formations of female dancers appeared in costumes ranging from the fantastic to the ridiculous. Using a wide range of visual and textual primary-source material, this dissertation considers the subjects, performances, costume designs, costumier practice and motivations of designers within these ballet productions, and situates the phenomenon in relation to aspects of British modernity. In the spectacular ballets, costume acted as the visual means by which the anxieties and celebrations of the age were expressed, including such issues as empire, technology, capitalism, the commodity and, in particular, gender. This dissertation combines my interests in dress, gender and performance. During my first year of study I researched and wrote on the subjects of female education in the 17th century, through the study of an ornately embroidered casket, and design change in women's service uniforms in the early 20th century. I also gave a paper on the sensory experience of dance and its relationship to costume design. After completing the MA, I hope to continue researching the history of dress and theatre within a museum or university context.