Award Winning Costumer, Research Paper Example

The humble beginnings of ballet with King Louis XIV originating in the Italian Renaissance. The celebrations were filled with costumes so divine that the wedding celebrations were magical as the Kings ensured the costumes were extravagant. A little known fact is King Louis XIV was a ballet dancer who was instrumental in developing the ballet art along with funding ballet in the French courts (Pittsburg Ballet Theatre, 2010). The historical story of ballet through the ages has a consistent theme, that a great ballet must have magnificent costumes to express the essence of the elegance movement performances. It is no surprise that Patricia Forelle has been given the title of historian and award winning ballet designer to teach the world about the humble beginnings of ballet from the early times of King Louis XIV to present.

Ballet is a unique form of dancing created by the physical movement of the body. The ballerina performs the dance on stage created by the chorographer along with dazzling lights, stage designs, and costumes. The traditional ballet auditorium is a large with three tiers on each side of the dance floor. The ballet is a form of storytelling or expressing an emotion that can be exciting, gloomy, provoking, or troubling. The traditional ballet has elegant costumes that reflect tell the story visually about the ballet. However, the ballerinas depend on the exquisite award winning costumes to set them apart as unique. The one that can deliver exquisite award winning ballet costumes is Patricia Forelle award winning costume designer.

The award winning costume created by Patricia Forelle is world-renown because of her exquisite costumes, design knowledge, and her role in ballet, political and social activities. Patricia has a respected background of ballet costume history dating back to the Louis XIV to Louis XVI ballet eras. In 2011, Patricia Forelle won the Bessie Award for her award winning nominated ballet costumes (Brooklyn Ballet, 2014). The most recognizable name in the ballet industry has risen to the hall of fame of costume designers. It has been documented that her life endeavors in France greatly influence how she wanted to present her exhilarating costume designs. Patricia’s goal in life was to keep the history and culture of ballet costume alive so that future civilizations could continue the preservation of the ballet design. Her award winning costumes are not only in demand, but the New York ballet community often request her lectures to educate the current and future generations on the importance of preserving this ballet art.

Patricia Forelle is a long time participant and innovator working with the Brooklyn Ballet for many years. Her reputation is so stellar that many costume design opportunities are generated from ballet companies and by request of her ballet peers. One of her peers Lynn Parkerson made a request for Patricia to design costumes for the New York City Mystery Sonatas. In addition, she inspired the costume design of elegant Baroque ballet costumes for the Lynn’s La Folia ballet (Brooklyn Ballet.org, 2014). Patricia intended on creating classic ballet costumes that would project a certain trademark of elegance that would be a new contrast to the current ballet costumes. The ballet world has the chance to learn from Patricia because she is a professional ballet lecturer that focuses on the roles of costume design while integrating the history of ballet. Her lecturers have been considered one the best historical perspectives that all those wanting to become knowledgeable about the ballet history should make it a point to attend at least one lecture.

At the tender age of three Patricia found her love for ballet. Her entire life has been dedicated to the ballet performances and ballet costume designs. She honed her ballet costumedesign skills working with the Brooklyn Ballets Lynn Parkerson specializing in romantic and classical pieces. According Patricia Forelle bio with Vimeo(2014), she earned a B.A. in Studio Art with emphasis on Figure Drawing, threeDimensional, and two Dimensional Design. This design curriculum allowed Patricia to perfect her talents for interior and televisions costume designs for over 20 years. Patricia received her humble start with Young & Rubicam as a costume designer while being groomed with a variety of television costume designer positions. These career learning design jobs provide Patricia with her first opportunities to produce professional and quality work.

Patricia did not stop at just designing costumes for television, she went on to open her own interior design company that was successful. She continued to travel the USA and Europe honing her craft and building a lifelong reputation as an ambassador for ballet costume designers worldwide. A large part of her influence comes from France because she was able to establish her ballet designs while gaining acceptance in New York. In her educational studies Patricia wanted to ensure should be able to prosper in France designing ballet costumes. However, her persistence and drive to succeed lead her to remove any barriers before embarking on Frances doorsteps. The eagerness to discuss ballet while becoming a ballet historian Patricia entered her academic writing years that assisted with her developing her creative ideas for ballet design. She aggressively pursues her dream by attending the prestigious New York University to complete her Masters in French. At this point, her career, Patricia began her illustrious ballet costume research and lecturing activities that define her today.

There many other costume designers that deserve credit for their contributions. However, Patricia has earned the respect of the ballet admirers, critics, and supports while become a main force in teaching, promoting and lecturing about the significance of ballet in our society today. In many circles in New York and in France Patricia is considered to ballet royalty that is befitting her lifelong contributes to the ballet industry as a whole. There will be arguments until the end of time of which ballet costume designer was the best of their era; however, everyone will agree Patricia is in a class all alone.

References

Brooklyn Ballet.org. Patricia Forelle. Retrieved November 18, 2014 from http://www.brooklynballet.org/news/2011/brooklyn-ballet-costume-designer-patricia-forelle-nominated-bessie-award-nyc#sthash.oCoO571K.dpuf

Pittsburg Ballet Theatre. (2010). A brief history of ballet. Retrieve November 15, 2014 from http://www.pbt.org/community-engagement/brief-history-ballet

Vimeo. (2014).Patricia Forelle. Retrieved November 18, 2014 from http://vimeo.com/patriciaforelle