How do you broach the taboo topic of periods to market underwear technology that prevents leaks? Period-proof underwear company Thinx has found an innovative way to do so. Michiyaya Dance, a femme-identifying company based in New York City, has choreographed a piece on four phases of the menstrual cycle to highlight Thinx’s use of self-absorbing technology in dancewear such as leotards. Periods are often uncomfortable and inconvenient for dancers given the physical nature of their work and constant display of their bodies. “The function was really what drew us, that they made a product that made women dancers so comfortable that you wouldn’t have to worry about your period,” said Mitsuko Verdery, co-founder of Michiyaya Dance.
This documentary also features other recent projects and collaborations that have taken place at the intersection of fashion and dance. While most ballet dancers wear pink tights, sport top buns and are found at the barre in studios, ballerina Alexandra Jacob is frequently spotted posing around public spaces in the city while clad in multi-colored outfits or fully strapped in leather. Her tattoos speak louder than she does, and her Instagram description says, “full-time alien ballerina.” She recently graced the sheets of ten different newspapers including New York Post, Chicago Tribune and San Francisco Chronicle as she was featured in the YEEZY Season 7 “We Got Love” campaign. In this interview, she describes how her inspirations in fashion stem from rock music and her motivations for being an ethical consumer while giving us a glimpse into her closet.
This documentary includes an interview with Valerie Steele, director and chief curator of the Museum at the Fashion Institute of Technology. Steele espouses on Dutch fashion designer Iris Van Herpen’s inspiring creations for New York City Ballet. We also go backstage with ballerina Paunika Jones to explore costumes in dance by taking a look at Brooklyn Ballet’s Sugar Plum Fairy tutu.