Ever wonder how a cat-loving Canadian mom with an art degree and a bookkeeping side hustle ended up creating breathtaking tutus worn by dancers from Ontario to Taiwan?

This week on the Tutu Artists Studio Podcast, we sit down with the ever-talented Michelle Weatherdon Fountain, the creative force behind Pas de Chat Costumes.

From her home studio (where her four cats double as “pattern weights”), Michelle shares how she transitioned from dance teacher to costume designer for YAGP dancers and professionals alike—including the incredible story of building her daughter’s first tutu all the way to USA IBC!

We talk stretch tutus, structure vs. spandex, working with velvet (the love/hate saga), and the beauty of trusting your maker.

This one’s for every dance mom, costume maker, and tutu-lover out there! Listen in and share with a tutu artist who needs to hear Michelle’s story.

Dance Opens Doors… and Olivia Mason walked right through.
From childhood sewing sessions with her mom to designing for world-class stages, Olivia’s story is stitched with passion, resilience, and creativity.

In this episode of the Tutu Artists Studio Podcast, we follow Olivia Mason’s inspiring path—from costuming high school musicals to selling her first leotards in college, and eventually working on the world premiere of Sleeping Beauty at Pacific Northwest Ballet under the legendary Paul Tazewell’s designs.

An unexpected injury could have closed the curtain on her dance journey—but instead, it opened the door to a flourishing career in costume design.

Listen in as Olivia shares her evolution from dancer to costume technician, to Draper—and the beauty of finding your calling where you least expect it.

Because sometimes…
Dance opens doors

In this episode, the Tutu Artists talk to Lauren Carmen. Lauren Carmen is a NYC-based costume designer with a twist! With roots as a professional ballet dancer and an MFA from NYU Tisch, Lauren infuses her designs with whimsy and beauty—whether for dance, opera, or film. Her work has graced stages from The Joyce Theater to Radio City and appeared in Tribeca films. When not designing, she teaches at Marymount Manhattan College and Pace University, and occasionally graces the stage in ballet productions.

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In this episode, Michelle talks about the Summer Declutter Challenge. She reviews the tasks the Tutu Artists' Studio recommends to tackle as a way to declutter and organize your sewing space.

#TutuArtistsStudioPodcast #Ballet #CostumeDesign #BehindTheScenes #DanceMagic #BalletPreparation #TutuArtistsStudioPodcast #talkeverythingtutus #laughcaffeinatetutu #tutuartistsstudiopodcast #TutuArtistsStudio #tutartistsstudio #whatsunderyourneedle #BusinessAdaptation #keeplearning #ThrivingNotJustSurviving #SummerDeclutterChallenge

How to Contact Us:

Like and subscribe to our podcast.

Follow us on social media! @ tutuartistsstudio on facebook and instagram

Casey online at tidewaterdancewear.com and on instagram and facebook @TidewaterDancewear.

Michelle on Etsy, Instagram, and Facebook @IcantIhavedanceshop

Emma online at tutusceleste.com and on social media @tutus_celeste

Reach out to us to share your experiences, questions, and ideas by direct message, comment or by email at Tutuartistsstudio@gmail.com

In this exciting episode, we're thrilled to welcome the incredibly talented David King — an influential figure in the ballet world, writer, illustrator, and founder of A Ballet Education. Join us as we explore his inspiring journey, innovative work, and vision for the future of ballet.

**About Our Guest:**
- Classical training at Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet
- Academic credentials: BA and MFA in Comparative Literature and Cultural Studies
- Founder of The Ballet Clinic in Scottsdale, Arizona—a high-level boutique ballet school
- Creator of A Ballet Education — a comprehensive online platform featuring articles, technique guides, illustrations, and industry insights
- Host of Ballet Talk podcast and digital magazine
- Author of *The Illustrated Fundamentals of Classical Ballet for Everyone*
- Advocate for dancers’ education and financial support through a dedicated non-profit scholarship fund

**Key Topics Covered in this Episode:**
- David’s journey from classical training to becoming a multifaceted industry influencer
- The philosophy behind The Ballet Clinic’s personalized approach
- Some thoughts about YAGP and competition costuming

- His insights on the future of ballet and supporting rising talent

**Tune in to Gain Insights On:**
- Navigating ballet training and career paths
- The importance of education and mentorship
- How creativity and analysis intersect in ballet advocacy

How to Contact Us:

Like and subscribe to our podcast.

Follow us on social media! @ tutuartistsstudio on facebook and instagram

Casey online at tidewaterdancewear.com and on instagram and facebook @TidewaterDancewear.

Michelle on Etsy, Instagram, and Facebook @IcantIhavedanceshop

Emma online at tutusceleste.com and on social media @tutus_celeste

Reach out to us to share your experiences, questions, and ideas by direct message, comment or by email at Tutuartistsstudio@gmail.com

In this inspiring episode of Tutu Artists' Studio, we sit down with Rachel Ford, owner and CEO of Made Institute in Philadelphia. Rachel shares her dynamic journey from fashion school graduate to working in local theater and a major retail corporation, ultimately leading to the founding of one of Philadelphia’s most innovative fashion education hubs.

Rachel opens up about the importance of growing and evolving within your career, highlighting how her hands-on training with the Philadelphia Opera and real-world experience shaped her approach to design and education. What started as a single corset-making class in her apartment has blossomed into a fully accredited design program that supports emerging fashion designers and makers through a mix of entrepreneurship and skill development.

Whether you’re a costume designer, aspiring fashion entrepreneur, or creative professional looking for your next step, Rachel’s story is packed with insight, encouragement, and practical wisdom on building something meaningful from the ground up.

Rachel Ford is the founder and CEO of Made Institute, a Philadelphia-based fashion school offering professional-level courses in design, construction, and entrepreneurship. With a mission to empower designers to create sustainable and successful careers, Made Institute bridges the gap between technical training and real-world application.

Visit made-institute.com
Follow Made Institute on Instagram: @made_institute

How to Contact Us:

Like and subscribe to our podcast.

Follow us on social media! @ tutuartistsstudio on facebook and instagram

Casey online at tidewaterdancewear.com and on instagram and facebook @TidewaterDancewear.

Michelle on Etsy, Instagram, and Facebook @IcantIhavedanceshop

Emma online at tutusceleste.com and on social media @tutus_celeste

Reach out to us to share your experiences, questions, and ideas by direct message, comment or by email at Tutuartistsstudio@gmail.com

Tariffs and duties can have a big impact on small businesses like tutu makers. On this week’s show we discuss potential impacts faced by increased costs of materials, availability of materials, and tariff fees going into and out of Canada and the US. There are a lot of unknowns, but Michelle, Casey and Emma discuss their strategies for what may lie ahead. What strategies are you using to plan for the upcoming costume season?

White House statement on de minimus tariffs

https://www.whitehouse.gov/fact-sheets/2025/04/fact-sheet-president-donald-j-trump-closes-de-minimis-exemptions-to-combat-chinas-role-in-americas-synthetic-opioid-crisis/

Wired.com story on de-minimus tariffs

https://www.wired.com/story/tariffs-temu-shein-trump-de-minimis

Canada’s import and export tariffs

https://www.canada.ca/en/department-finance/programs/international-trade-finance-policy/canadas-response-us-tariffs.html

How to Contact Us:

Like and subscribe to our podcast.

Follow us on social media! @ tutuartistsstudio on facebook and instagram

Casey online at tidewaterdancewear.com and on instagram and facebook @TidewaterDancewear.

Michelle on Etsy, Instagram, and Facebook @IcantIhavedanceshop

Emma online at tutusceleste.com and on social media @tutus_celeste

Reach out to us to share your experiences, questions, and ideas by direct message, comment or by email at Tutuartistsstudio@gmail.com

Join us as we talk to Jarod Lewis to talk about the design process at New York City Ballet. We also discuss the creation of the new costumes for Mystic Familiar and Paquita. The costumes for these two ballets were built simultaneously and couldn’t be more different! The costumes for Mystic Familiar were reminiscent of streetwear rather than a classical ballet costume such as in Paquita.