FASHION Magazine

Arguably the “most” favourite of favourite ballets, Swan Lake has been a serious crowd-pleaser long before it became synonymous with Natalie Portman/Mila Kunis’s portrayal of the (in)famous characters. Premiered by the Bolshoi Ballet in 1877 in Moscow, the show has had more than a century to evolve into various renditions, and the one presented at […]

The post An Exclusive Behind-the-Scenes Look at the National Ballet of Canada’s <em>Swan Lake</em> appeared first on FASHION Magazine.

The life of a ballerina never ceases to inspire and amaze us—whether we’re talking how a dancer does her makeup or how he/she warms up backstage, we just want to be a part of that beauty. When it comes to the costumes, it’s basically a fashion girl’s dream come true to visit the wardrobe room […]

The post Ballerina Greta Hodgkinson’s Favourite Costumes of All Time appeared first on FASHION Magazine.

Go behind the scenes with Evan McKie »

Being a ballet dancer is just about as intense as it gets. Despite making it all look like a hop, skip and a jump on stage (no pun intended), behind the scenes, it’s hours upon hours of gruelling practice. And while we’re sure not everyone goes full on Black Swan crazy, we know it takes plenty to get it into “it was perfect” territory. For a peek into that world, we caught up with the National Ballet of Canada’s principal guest dancer, Evan McKie, while he practiced for two of his upcoming roles.

As a principal dancer with Germany’s Stuttgart Ballet and a guest artist everywhere from Paris to Tokyo, Toronto can count itself lucky that McKie has returned to the National Ballet after his triumphant guest residency back in 2011. Currently a Principal Guest Artist with the National Ballet of Canada, McKie is starring as Prince Siegfried in the classic Swan Lake and later this month as Vladimir Lensky in the Russian narrative ballet Onegin. With two major productions to simultaneously prepare for, McKie has to ensure his body is in prime condition at all times. No cheat days for this danseur.

See the ballet dancers on the street »

On stage, the connection between ballet and fashion has always been clear. From the tutus to the tiaras, costumes are like cinematic tools, laying the groundwork for dance masterpieces to unfold. Off stage, the connection is just as present: “As a ballet dancer you develop a strong instinct for aesthetics,” says National Ballet of Canada principal dancer Heather Ogden. “The line of a leg or the angle of your arms is really important. We are very body aware and you learn what looks good on you and I think that applies to fashion too.” Last month, photographer David Pike visited the National Ballet to capture dancers in everyday gear while in rehearsal for the current production of Swan Lake. The grande dame of ballet is amongst the most difficult to perform for the principals, soloists and corps, which would explain comfort being of the utmost importance for all the company’s dancers. “I have to be able to move, and I have to like the way my body looks in whatever I’m wearing,” says second soloist Dylan Tedaldi. With that in mind, let’s view this batch of ballet street style as a lesson in how to look good all winter long.

Earlier this month, Brit master of quirk Giles Deacon popped by our fair city to take part in the first annual Lunch with Margaret and George, raising money for the Princess Margaret Foundation (the sold-out event collected a cool $200,000 for the cause). While at a trunk show the next day—and while the moneyed ladies […]

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