Ballerina-turned-designer reinvents Russian tutu for Korea's ballet stars

Russian ballet dancer Maria Khoreva, first soloist of the Mariinsky Ballet, dons Chung Han-ah's tutu. Courtesy of Dusha Atelier

By Park Jin-hai

• Published Apr 25, 2025 8:00 AM KST
• Updated Apr 25, 2025 8:22 AM KST

Designer Chung Han-ah is most happy when dancers shine in her creation at int'l competitions

Chung Han-ah, once a ballerina herself, now channels her artistry into designing ballet costumes rather than gracing the stage. Her elegant and charming ballet costumes are sought after not only by Korean performers but also by renowned dancers from abroad.

She has designed “La Bayadère” and “La Esmeralda” costumes for Korean ballerinas competing at various international ballet competitions. For the inaugural performance of the Busan Opera House Ballet, she wove distinctly Korean colors and motifs into her creations, earning widespread acclaim.

As Korean ballet gains global recognition, Chung notes with some regret that many original productions with overseas licenses bring in costumes made by local designers abroad, leaving Korean designers with only the fitting process.

Her greatest satisfaction comes from seeing young Korean dancers wear her creations at top competitions and hearing praise from audiences and peers alike.

“Korean dancers are now performing as soloists, principals, and company members in the world’s most renowned theaters. At major international competitions, Korean dancers consistently place in the top ten, making Korean ballet, our costumes, and our teaching and training methods a major topic of conversation in the global ballet community," the designer said during a recent interview with The Korea Times at her studio Dusha Atelier within the Seoul Arts Center.

"That’s why I feel a deep sense of responsibility in my designs — I truly believe that what we create here can set trends in the world of ballet," the designer continued, adding that a costume she designed for a dancer competing at last year’s Youth America Grand Prix (YAGP) was so well received that the performance video ranked among the top three most popular on YAGP’s official channel.

Love at first sight with Russian ballet costume

Chung's designs are crafted using the traditional Russian method of tutu-making.

She vividly recalls how, during her days at Sangmyung University, witnessing a Siegfried costume worn by a Bolshoi Ballet dancer at the International Ballet Competition in Moscow became a turning point that transformed her life forever.

“It was the Black Swan pas de deux in Act III of Swan Lake. Until that moment, I had always thought women’s ballet costumes were beautiful, but it had never occurred to me that a male dancer’s costume could be just as striking. Yet, the instant I saw that costume, everything else faded away — it was as if the entire stage dissolved and only that costume remained, magnified before my eyes," she said. "It felt like a scene from a horror film, where an object in the distance slowly zooms closer, frame by frame until it’s right in front of you."

After discovering that the costume was the work of Natalia Belubekova, who designs for students at the Bolshoi Ballet Academy, she was so captivated that she sought out the designer in person. She stayed on in Russia after a brief meeting, studying Russian and waiting for a year until, at last, she was able to apprentice under her mentor.

“When my teacher quickly whipped up a mock-up right there and had me try it on, I was absolutely stunned — as if I’d been struck by lightning. Why is this more comfortable than my practice wear? It felt even more comfortable than wearing underwear. In that moment, I realized there was an entire world I knew nothing about.”

French costumes, with their elaborate decorations, can weigh nearly 3 kilograms when made in the traditional way. Most costumes are around 2 kilograms. But Russian costumes are only about 600 to 800 grams, she said.

“Up until then, all the ballet costumes I’d worn and seen in Korea were European or American styles — stiff and uncomfortable. But after discovering Russian tutus, I thought, ‘If we bring these to Korea, ballerinas wouldn’t have to rush offstage after a pas de deux to adjust their bodices or pull their costumes out from their hips. It would be a whole new world. That’s when I resolved to master this craft," she said.

Weaving Russian heritage into Korean ballet

From 2005 to 2008, she received direct, hands-on instruction in Russian tutu construction from Belubekova. She describes Russian costumes as perhaps less detailed than their European counterparts and not always the most beautiful when viewed up close, but says the difference between how they look in up close and how they appear on stage is striking.

“When you look at French or British costumes, they’re stunning even at a glance — so delicate, with layers of lace and meticulously planned details. Every element is so thoroughly calculated. Russian costumes, on the other hand, might seem a bit unsophisticated up close, but on stage they become incredibly strikingly radiant and beautiful. That contrast always amazed me,” she said.

She explained that European costumes tend to be crafted with layers upon layers of beautiful lace and trim ribbons, resulting in a thick, weighty, and exquisitely delicate finish. However, Russian tutus are made differently: the designer sketches the pattern, embroiders it and then adds decorations all onto a single layer, resulting in tutus that, while simpler in construction, possess a vivid, bold allure on stage.

Her mentor shared every bit of her knowledge, passing down all the secrets she had mastered over the years. Chung arrived in Korea in 2009 and, since then, has remained faithful to the traditional Russian method of tutu-making, crafting each piece in her own distinctive style.

For the inaugural performance of the Busan Opera House Ballet’s “Paquita,” Chung created a tutu infused with Korean sensibility last year. The bodice evoked the brushwork of an Asian landscape painting, while the skirt rippled like ocean waves — a bold design that certainly divided opinion.

"Still, I poured my heart into capturing the sea and mountains of Busan in that costume, and I felt truly honored to have the chance to experiment in this way. I hope to see more such creative attempts, and I look forward to the day when these uniquely Korean ballets and costumes take the stage not just in Korea but abroad as well. Until then, I’ll keep working hard and waiting for that moment," she said.

She believes that costumes hold the power to let the audience truly experience the dance from beginning to end. “The visual delight of the costumes is one of the greatest pleasures of watching ballet. Unlike opera, ballet doesn’t have a sung narrative, so when we’re watching dance without dialogue, accompanied only by the orchestra, we rely on the colors of the costumes and the stage sets to interpret the story," she said.

"The length of a costume can reveal more of a ballerina’s technique, and the mood of the performance is shaped by the costumes and stage lighting — these elements allow the audience to fully immerse themselves in the experience. That’s why ballet is called a comprehensive art form, and I hope my work contributes to that magic,” she said.

Even in Russia, many tutu masters are aging, and few young people are willing to take up the craft, largely because the work is demanding and the pay is low. That’s why she feels a responsibility to preserve the skills she painstakingly learned there.

Just as her own teacher passed down the craft to her, Chung is now teaching the art of Russian-style tutu-making to a Chinese designer in her Korean studio.

“I worked so hard to learn these techniques, and I don’t want them to end with me. I believe that by passing them on, my students — armed with even greater design talent— can carry this tradition further into the world. I hope Korea becomes a center for this craft. Perhaps one day, as ballet continues to grow in countries across Southeast Asia, the roots of their tutu-making will trace back to what I learned in Russia and shared here in Korea. That’s my dream,” she said.