You’ve seen them from the audience: floating and ethereal one night, stiff and spectacular the next. But how much do you actually know about the tutu? Our guest blogger, Kansas City Ballet Guild President Ron Fredman, went looking for answers, so you don’t have to.
ROMANTIC
Full: Long, soft, bell-shaped, usually 3–5 layers of tulle. Ethereal, floating, ghostly. Wilis, Giselle.
Mid-Length: Slightly shorter than Full Romantic; hits just below the knee. Corps, Les Sylphides.
Peasant: Romantic skirt paired with a fitted bodice and apron or corset. Earthy, village-girl realism. Giselle (Act I).
Degas Tutu: Shorter, softer and puffier — the tutu you see in Degas paintings. Impressionistic but not tied to one ballet.
CLASSICAL
Bell: Short but rounded; falls slightly downward. Regal but soft. Aurora in Sleeping Beauty.
Pancake: Flat, horizontal, stiff; often hooped. Showy. Odile, Swan Lake.
Platter: Pancake with a decorated “plate” on top. Grand, imperial, stage-filling. Sugar Plum Fairy, The Nutcracker.
Powder-Puff / Balanchine: Short, soft, and fluffy; no hoop; sits close to the hips. Perfect for fast footwork. Serenade.
Russian / Classical Romantic Hybrid: Slightly longer than a pancake tutu but still structured. Romantic softness with classical precision. Shades, La Bayadère.
Guest blog by Ron Fredman, 2025-2026 President, Kansas City Ballet Guild.
The Kansas City Ballet Guild is a group of more than 200 members who serve as advocates for dance and ballet in the Kansas City community.
Header image: Kansas City Ballet Dancers in romantic full tutus in Devon Carney’s Giselle. Photo by Steve Wilson.
