How do they use Period Corsets® line of historic undergarments, besides keeping them in their costume stocks for performances?
Since Period Corsets® garments cover the historic eras from c. 1560 to c. 1950 , they are a great hands-on way of teaching about history. As well as being a lesson in the history of costume, these garments come in handy in acting and movement classes. (There is nothing like trying on a corset to convince you of the wonderful freedoms we have gained in our modern era, only having to wear spandex and “Spanx”.)
Both men and women in the movement and acting classes try them on and get to feel first hand how it was "back in the old days". Depending on the era and style of the corset, you could be extremely to slightly restricted in your range of motion.
Roosevelt University added to their collection of Period Corsets® this year for their movement class. They wanted to be able to compare and contrast different era’s ranging from 17th to the 19th centuries. They chose our basic hourglass shape lightly boned c. 1860 Julia corset and the more heavily boned, with off the shoulder straps c. 1660 Kristina corset.
Both of these corset styles impact how a performer walks, stands, sits, and dances, including posture and arm movement. In each of these styles, the torso is well supported by the boning, which demands an erect posture. The c. 1860 Julia also supports the lower back, giving a distinct look when sitting down. With the shoulder straps in the c. 1660 Kristina, the elbows can only be raised to shoulder height, and certainly cannot be raised over the head.
It is an invaluable experience for someone training for a performance career to have the opportunity to move in historic-inspired garments.
Roosevelt University
The Theatre Conservatory 2009-10 Season
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