As a performing arts company, we are in the business of telling stories. Every element, from choreography and music, to sets and lighting, thoughtfully woven together to create a masterpiece. For dance especially, one of the key elements of that storytelling is costumes.
Costumes, however, are one of the most expensive and time-consuming aspects of a production. When it comes to full-length ballets, like Swan Lake and The Sleeping Beauty, it is very rare for companies, including Ballet Arizona, to own their own sets and costumes, and instead, opt to rent from other companies around the world.
Throughout the past decade, as Ballet Arizona has grown, in both location and repertoire, costumes have provided a path for investment and furthering our artistic goals. With an in-house costume shop of our size and caliber, we can create costumes from scratch for short new works and reimagined storybook ballets.
The long-term investment strategy will reduce rental costs while adding to our costume inventory. This will provide Ballet Arizona with opportunities to generate revenue in future years through rentals to other companies.
Since 2019, Ballet Arizona has remastered three full-length ballets. A collaborative effort between Artistic Director, Ib Andersen, Costume Director, Leonor Texidor, and designers such as Fabio Toblini and Carla Fernández, each production has had anywhere between 48-85 new, handmade costumes. Here is a look at the costs of each of those costume builds:
Juan Gabriel
2022
70-80 Costumes
Designer: Carla Fernández
Total Cost: $192,037
A Midsummer Night’s Dream
2020
85 Costumes
Designer: Fabio Toblini
Total Cost: $201,240
The Firebird
2019
48 Costumes
Designer: Fabio Toblini
Total Cost: $172,127
