Costume change for the ballet eye

Dance fashion fever: From Jewels bling to Sarah Jessica Parker's tutu, it allstarts with us

Houston Ballet members in the "Emeralds" section from "Jewels": Karina Gonzalez,from left, Joseph Walsh and Nozomi Iijima. Choreographed by George Balanchine
Photo by Amitava Sarkar
Nozomi Iijima in the Houston Ballet's production of "Divergence" choreographedby Stanton Welch
Photo by Amitava Sarkar
Whim W'him's Kylie Lewallen and Ty Cheng in "Three Seasons" wearing costumes byMichael Cepress
You know dance fashion is hot when even Sarah Jessica Parker dons a tutu.
Artists of Houston Ballet performing Mark Morris’s "Sandpaper Ballet" withcostumes designed by Isaac Mizrahi.
Photo by Amitava Sarkar
Houston Ballet corps de ballet member Jim Nowakowski in artistic directorStanton Welch’s "Clear" with costumes designed by Michael Kors
Photo by Amitava Sarkar
Houston Ballet Artistic Director Stanton Welch’s "Clear" with costumes designedby Michael Kors. Dancers: Connor Walsh, left, Barbara Bears and artists ofHouston Ballet
Photo by Amitava Sarkar
New York City Ballet Principal Jenifer Ringer looking positively smashing in J.Mendel on the cover of the August issue of "Dance Magazine"

Fashion and dance have been tightly joined in a pas de couture since Louis XIV first put his feet in fifth position. The subject is on my mind because the Houston Ballet is performing George Balanchine's masterpiece Jewels this weekend (7:30 p.m. tonight and Saturday, 2:30 p.m. Sunday) with sumptuous costumes by the legendary Russian designer Barbara Karinska.

Balanchine's bejeweled wonder rocked the ballet house in 1967 when it premiered, and does so again at the Wortham.

Karinska's contribution is as distinct as Balanchine's bold lines. Emeralds feature calf-length tulle skirts conjuring the Romantic era. Rubies' flared skirts give off a sassy, fiery energy, while Diamonds' classical tutus evoke Imperial Russia. Each ballet comes adorned with the corresponding gems. Jewels, considered Balanchine's launch of the revolutionary full-length plotless ballet, may be the quintessential match between choreographer and designer.

Who needs a story when you have this much bling?

"Although numerous designers have created costumes for Jewels, Karinska's are classic," Stanton Welch, Houston Ballet's artistic director, says. The Russian designer re-engineered the shorter, fluffier "power puff" tutu, now a standard in ballet companies around the globe.

Before Karinska turned to ballet, she crafted gowns for nightclub performers and even the wives of the Soviet elite during the Lenin era.

After leaving Russia, Karinska collaborated with the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo for Balanchine’s Cotillon. While creating numerous designs for the Ballet Russe, she still found time to dress the burlesque star Gypsy Rose Lee. In Hollywood during the 1940s, Karinska costumed such stars as Gary Cooper, Ingrid Bergman, Judy Garland and Ginger Rogers, winning a 1948 Academy Award for Joan of Arc.

Eventually, Karinska settled at New York City Ballet as Balanchine's costume muse, where she reigned for decades. Her designs, needlework and fabric choices were known for being both supremely durable and danceable.

Danceability is key when working with a fashion designer, who may not be familiar with the demands of the trade. Welch has always had a keen eye for good design.

"Working with fashion designers is really important and quite common in ballet; It's also exciting," admits Welch, who has designed costumes for several of his own ballets, including, Maninyas and Indigo. "There was a time when all the big names wanted to design for ballet. I even have a photo of my mother (Marilyn Jones) wearing a Christian Dior Black Swan tutu on my mantle."

Welch has had his own dream design teams. Vanessa Leyonhjelm made a deconstructionist statement in Welch's heavy metal ballet Divergence, which featured tutus fashioned out of mesh from air-conditioning ducts with Gaultier-like leather bra cones.

"Working with Vanessa was an extraordinary collaboration," Welch says.

To arrive at the somber tone of his post-9/11 ballet Clear, Welch turned to Michael Kors for minimalist flesh-tone body-clinging look, creating a pared-down, vulnerable atmosphere.

Welch hopes the fashion/ballet connection is making a comeback. New York City Ballet's Jenifer Ringer looked ravishing in the J. Mendel gown on the August Dance Magazine cover, while Valerie Gladstone's story chronicled the fashion pairings of such legends as Martha Graham and Halston, Twyla Tharp with Norma Kamali, Jorma Elo with Ralph Rucci, among numerous others.

Fashion action continues locally with Dominic Walsh Dance Theater dancer Rachel Meyer wearing a silk and chiffon gown from Chloe Dao’s Mini Collection when she hits the red carpet to pick up her Princess Grace Award. The dress features a black and pale pink lattice work bodice, an asymmetrical shoulder, with a low back and open sides. Dao describes the dress as "tough, cool and sexy."

In step

As dancers are young, mostly tall and gorgeous, is it any wonder that no art form has influenced fashion more than dance?

Check out the fashion-forward crop at the New York City Ballet. Stunning. Who wouldn't want to dress up like these stylish people?

Ballet flats, over-sized bags, wrap-around sweaters and skirts, lace-up shoes are some of the better crossover choices. Flashdance-style torn T-shirts, leg warmers, booty shorts and tutu-shaped skirts should have never left the studio. Drew Jacoby, the leggy ballerina of Jacoby & Pronk, last seen in Houston wowing Dance Salad fans, offered her opinions on the best and worst of dance fashions on her Dance Pulp blog.

She wasn't too thrilled with Bjork's feathered swan dress for the Academy Awards.

I know it's a scary thing to get fashion advice from a gal who wears sweater sets, but listen up beautiful, young Hollywood things, only ballerinas should wear tutus. OK, maybe Natalie Portman gets away with it in Black Swan, but that's only after logging in some serious hours at the barre. Even Sarah Jessica Parker couldn't pull it off during the opening credits of Sex and The City, and don't get me started on Lara Flynn Boyle's misguided tulle for the 2003 Golden Globe Awards.

If I see one more middle schooler in booty shorts I will call your mother. Those are for your jazz classes dear ones.

Welch agrees that there's a constant flow of fashion ideas from the studio to the street.

"We were just remarking that the men seem to be wearing torn T-shirts again. We used to do that. I notice a strong dance influence at the gym and in the Olympics," Welch says. "But really, I don't know what people are wearing these days on the street because I spend all my time with the dancers who are making the trends."

Listen to dancer Olivier Wevers, artistic director of Seattle-based upstart troupe Whim W'Him, who I recently wrote about along with Melody Herrera in my dance vacations story.

"Ballet is constantly creating new visuals that are relevant to the period we live in, so is fashion," says Wevers, who is also a principal at Pacific Northwest Ballet and a frequent collaborator with designers. "Both have classics that won't ever go out of style."

Jewels is just that, a timeless classic.

See Karinska's designs and hear Stanton Welch talk about Balanchine's Jewels:

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weekend event planner

Here are the top 14 things to do in Houston this Easter weekend

Photo courtesy of New Edition

New Edition will perform at the Toyota Center this Saturday.

It’s Easter weekend, which means lots of people will be gathering with their families for a special brunch.

For those parents who don’t want to take their kids to another dang Easter egg hunt, several Disney-related happenings are going down this weekend, including a chance to see Disney characters get their Alysa Liu on.

Photo courtesy of New Edition

New Edition will perform at the Toyota Center this Saturday.

Houstonians can also attend a “conspiracy theory night,” a musical adaptation of a beloved summer blockbuster, and live music from Ronnie, Bobby, Johnny, Ricky, and Mike (don’t forget about Ralph)!

Thursday, April 2

Mid Main Houston presents First Thursday Block Party
Let’s see what the folks at Mid Main Houston have geared up this month’s First Thursday Block Party. The Orange Show for Visionary Art is this month’s nonprofit partner. Mermaid Junction, Tarot Bingo, Beetle, and Alex Lambert will provide live music, while DJ Boogie Soul spins in the breezeway. Artist Abigail Simpson will be showing her solo exhibition State of Feeling at Mid Main Gallery. Also, traveling Top Chef finalist Dawn Burrell's pop-up Philly Jawn will be serving cheesesteaks at Alley Kat Bar & Lounge, with DJ Flash Gordon Parks serving up tunes. 6 pm.

Moody Center for the Arts at Rice University presents Opening Reception for Moody Project Wall: Nick Vaughan and Jake Margolin
Celebrate the opening of interdisciplinary artists Nick Vaughan and Jake Margolin’s collaborative installation at Moody Project Wall, titled I remember this one time. . . Vaughan and Margolin draw on their joint, research-driven practice, which pieces together fragments of LGBTQ+ history to uncover, reanimate, and share stories that might otherwise be lost. The installation includes personal memories, archival histories, images, objects, and ephemera collected from Rice students and the Houston area. Through Saturday, August 15. 6 pm.

Doc’s Jazz Club presents Doc’s Presents: Veronica Swift
Doc’s Jazz Club (located in the historic Montrose building that housed the Tower Theatre) celebrates its half-year milestone and Jazz Appreciation Month with a new concert series set to light up the marquee on Thursday nights. The season begins with a performance by jazz sensation Veronica Swift. A couple Thursdays from now, rising star/former The Voice contestant Wyatt Michael will join forces with The Graeme Francis Orchestra to perform the Sinatra at the Sands live album in its entirety. 7 & 9:30 pm.

Friday, April 3

CLASS Bookstore Presents: The Tin Foil Kufi Symposium - April 2026 Edition
Do you have a conspiracy theory that you’ve wanted to discuss with a group of like-minded ~~crackpots~~ thinkers? Thankfully, CLASS Bookstore now has a monthly night for people to present their theories, no matter how weird or unbelievable they may sound. So, whether you think the Illuminati is real, Tupac and Biggie are lounging on a beach somewhere, or Sydney Sweeney is a government decoy set up to lure dudebros into going MAGA (that’s one been on our minds), you now have a place to call home. 7 pm.

The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston presents Mr Nobody Against Putin
Pasha Talankin is a beloved Russian primary-school teacher, mentor, and prankster. After Russia invaded Ukraine, Talankin is forced to promote state-sanctioned messages and is horrified by the transformation of his school and community. He soon becomes an international whistleblower, documenting the rise of militarized children’s groups, repressive laws, and fervent nationalism. Winner of multiple film-festival awards, Mr Nobody Against Putin also won the Oscar for Best Documentary Feature at this year’s Academy Awards. 7 pm (5 pm Sunday).

Houston Symphony presents Disney’s Fantasia In Concert
Let’s say you convinced your fam to see Disney’s 1940 masterwork Fantasia back when you were eight. But since the movie’s music is mostly classical, you dipped out during the dancing-hippos section and never finished watching it. Here's the chance to rectify the situation. Stunning animation will fill the giant screen at Jones Hall while the Houston Symphony brings the soundtrack to life, including favorites like Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony, Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker Suite, and The Sorcerer’s Apprentice. 7:30 pm (2 & 7:30 pm Saturday).

Theatre Under the Stars presents Back to the Future the Musical
Back to the Future, the beloved cinematic classic, is now a Broadway musical. When Marty McFly finds himself transported back to 1955 in a time machine built by the eccentric scientist Doc Brown, he accidentally changes the course of history. Now, he’s in a race against time to fix the present, escape the past, and send himself… back to the future. The production features original music by Alan Silvestri and Glen Ballard alongside hit songs from the movie. 8 pm (7:30 pm Thursday; 2 & 8 pm Saturday; 2 & 7:30 pm Sunday).

Saturday, April 4

Disney On Ice: Jump In!
In Disney On Ice: Jump In!, classic characters Mickey, Minnie, Donald, and Goofy use the Magical MousePad to journey into the heart of other Disney tales, including Moana 2 and Inside Out 2 — bringing new characters like Anxiety to the ice for the first time. Audiences will also see Stitch from Lilo & Stitch, the bustling metropolis of Zootopia, the icy realms of Frozen, the playful universe of Toy Story, the vibrant world of Encanto, and Disney princesses like Ariel, Jasmine, Rapunzel, and Tiana. 11 am, 3 & 7 pm (7 pm Thursday; 11 am, 3 & 7 pm Friday; 3 pm Sunday).

Karbach Brewing Co. and Space Center Houston present Space News & Brews
Karbach Brewing Co. will team up with Space Center Houston for an unforgettable afternoon of craft beer and cosmic conversation. Mingle with fellow space enthusiasts and enjoy an exclusive ask-me-anything session with NASA astronaut Toni Antonelli and space expert Chris Matty. Attendees will be able to immerse themselves in a pub-style discussion with space experts about important space science and exploration news they may have missed, plus what’s coming up that they'll want to learn about. 2 pm.

Cactus Music presents George Ducas – In-Store Performance
Galveston-born, Grammy-nominated country singer George Ducas has had multiple Billboard chart hits, including his signature breakout “Lipstick Promises," and has even written hit records for all-timers like George Jones, Garth Brooks, The Chicks, and Trisha Yearwood. After dropping his 2024 effort Long Way From Home, Ducas is now that person moving the sound forward, while always respecting what has come before him. He’ll be performing songs from Home and others during a live performance at Cactus Music this weekend. 3 pm.

New Edition in concert with Boyz II Men and Toni Braxton
The New Edition Way Tour brings together three of music’s most enduring and influential acts: New Edition, Boyz II Men, and Toni Braxton. The concert celebrates music, legacy, and connection, offering fans an opportunity to experience the legendary artists performing together. New Edition stands as the ultimate supergroup, paving the way for the modern boy band phenomenon that inspired groups like New Kids on the Block, Backstreet Boys, and the K-pop phenomenon. 8 pm.

Sunday, April 5

Bunnies on the Bayou 47
Bunnies on the Bayou returns to Sesquintennial Park in downtown Houston, celebrating its 47th year with a bold affirmation of life, love, and collective power under the 2026 theme, Resistance in Bloom. The park will transform into an outdoor celebration of music, movement, and community. People can expect live DJs on the main stage, dancing, sponsor activations, drinks, food for purchase, and shared moments that remind us why gathering still matters. This is a 21+ event with no exceptions. 1 pm.

Rooftop Cinema Club Uptown presents Zootopia 2
Hop on over to Rooftop Cinema Club Uptown for an Easter celebration that’s big on magic and even bigger on fun. Enjoy the springtime atmosphere at the outdoor venue, where kids get to meet the Easter Bunny when the doors open. It all leads up to a rooftop screening of the recent hit sequel Zootopia 2, featuring everyone’s favorite bunny detective, Judy Hopps. Seating is first-come-first-serve, and no outside food or drink allowed. 3 pm.

Houston Polo Club 2026 Season
The Houston Polo Club returns with world-class play, champagne moments, and a social scene unlike anywhere else in the city. Its 2026 season features 10 spring matches and 10 fall matches, each of which features a player parade, expert announcing, live music, a champagne divot stomp at halftime, and a special trophy presentation. Things will kick off this weekend with the Spring Cup, where kids can bring their Easter baskets for a candy toss at halftime. 5 pm.

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