As a dancer and an avid follower of fashion, whenever I see an overlap of these disciplines it immediately stands out. Many designers pull from the elegance and movement of dance to produce a garment that dancers and nondancers alike would want to wear. Some designers specifically create mobile attire made to dance or move around in.

In an effort to analyze the line between these two interconnected forms of art, I talked to fashion design instructor and founder of Boston Fashion week, Jay Calderin and Emerson Dance Company member and choreographer Victoria Torres ‘21. “The relationship between dance and fashion has a long history. Designers, choreographers, and dancers have collabed for a very long time” says Calderin.

The pairing of dance and fashion is nothing new. Madeleine Vionnet, a 1920s designer, was inspired by modern dancer Isadora Duncan and created Grecian-style dresses that were softly draped and flowed when in movement. “I think it's a natural connection. Clothing is this outer layer that people wear and people are always in motion. I think designers are well versed in how the body moves and what's comfortable and it’s sort of a natural tie-in to dance,” says Calderin.

There seems to be a fine line between what is considered a dance costume and what is considered a dance-inspired clothing piece. Essentially it’s the consumer of the product that matters. Will a dancer wear something that suppresses a leg extension while on stage? In the same way, will a nondancer wear a traditional tutu out on the town? Although these are completely different spectrums, there is an overlap.

“I've started to see a lot more flexibility in what is considered a dance costume. Now people's regular clothes and streetwear clothes are becoming dance costumes,” says Torres. “The biggest distinction [between] a dance costume [and] a dance-inspired clothing piece is the mobility aspect of it. Can you dance in it?”

Dance has a special way of executing movement and fashion by interpreting those movements. Fashion designer Issey Miyake showcases this through his collection PLEATS PLEASE where dancers posed in his skillfully pleated garments that accentuate movement. Miyake was not inspired by dance, and these garments are in no way costumes, but he used dancers to better show the effect that movement had on his clothing.

“If we can learn from how costumes or athleisure wear are made I think that's gonna be something that helps people in general,” says Calderin “Its valuable information that would make our clothing more comfortable and more agile and it reflects more of our lifestyles.” This translates directly into the dance world where the way a piece of clothing moves affects the overall choreography. It flips the narrative of not just everyday movement, but exaggerated and intentional movement. “Clothing changes when you move it and not just when you move because everyone moves, but when you move it in very specific and tactful ways,” says Torres.

Perhaps with the convergence of these arts, dance and fashion will both have a bigger platform, allowing for creative exploration. Accessibility is often overlooked, especially when the fine arts aren’t something on one's radar. “I think if designers can put [dance] into the mainstream and make it more accessible, it's beneficial to the dance world,” says Torres. Although this collaboration is a good way to bring exposure and attention to the dance world, there are also lines in terms of what is a misappropriation of dance culture. “It could be done really tastefully but it could also be done in a way that I'm like hmm I see that you're trying really hard to make that look like a pointe shoe,” says Torres. “There is a fine line because again to me dance is so beautiful and impactful so are you drawing from that or does it feel gimmicky.”

There is no question on whether this overlap of dance and fashion exists; it is evident that the two have interacted for years. The question to tackle now: is this a beneficial intersection? “It opens up an audience, says Calderin. For people in dance who don't know about fashion, it exposes them to that. For people in dance that don't know about fashion, it works the other way. But then for the person who doesn't know about either area, it gives them choices on how to access this creative product.”

Dance and Fashion