The costumes for this performance were designed by Léon Bakst, who “abandoned corseted tutus in favor of loose, sensuously suggestive dress inspired by the art of Greek antiquity” (Fitzgerald 20). 2), choreographed for the Ballets Russes by Vaslav Nijinsky, was a story of sexual awakening (Villarreal). The first section of the exhibition displays artworks that possibly influenced the astounding performance of L’Après-midi d’un Faune (1912). The company benefited from fantastic art and design talent, including artist and designer Léon Bakst (1866-1924), the iconic dancer of the early 20th century, Isadora Duncan (1877-1927), and artist Sonia Delaunay (1885-1979). Figure 1 shows Léon Bakst’s illustration for a costume design in Daphnis et Chloé. “Hymn to Apollo: The Ancient World and the Ballets Russes,” on view at the Institute for the Study of the Ancient World at New York University, explores how ancient art and mythology revolutionized not only dance, but also costume design. The Ballets Russes embodied “the ancient ideal of dance as a medium reflective of life and as an art form integrated with religious ritual” (Fitzgerald 20), and incorporated Grecian, Roman, and Egyptian styles, making a strong impact on early 20th-century fashion as well.
No technical treaties or dance notation systems have survived from ancient times to take reference from, but through ancient artifacts such as painted pottery, friezes, and reliefs, Ballets Russes choreographers and designers were able to develop their own interpretations of ancient dance.
He Ballets Russes, a Paris-based dance company led by Sergei Diaghilev (1872-1929) presented a new, modern vision of dance in the early 20th century that frequently drew inspiration from the ancient world.
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