Ballet Fashion Show

November 28, 2001

Nureyev’s impact on ballet reaches beyond his dancing. Not only did he increase the attention paid to male dancers at a time when most audiences focused almost solely on the ballerinas, he insisted on raising the level of ballet costumes. As a blog in the SF Gate mentions, “Nureyev not only insisted on construction that allowed for freedom of movement but also pushed to incorporate a greater level of detail into costuming.” San Francisco’s de Young Fine Arts Museum is currently exhibiting “Rudolf Nureyev: A Life in Dance” featuring costumes he wore or helped design for his ballets. This Friday, the museum will host a special presentation about ballet costumes, featuring a performance by San Francisco Ballet trainees. The event, at 7 pm, is free to the public. See deyoung.famsf.org.