Megan Gulla is the Head of Women’s Wardrobe at San Francisco Ballet, one of the leading ballet companies in the United States which currently employs over eighty dancers.
Megan works behind the scenes with an expert team to dress the company from pointe shoes to tiara. Spending her day ensuring the current show goes without a hitch all while prepping for the following week’s program, her routine is much like a dancer’s schedule for a long season; rehearse for next week’s ballets during the day, jump into the current ballet’s roles in the evening.
I joined Megan in the middle of SFB’s lengthy Spring season which ran from February through early May, consisting of six distinct programs and two full length ballets.
The mechanics of backstage life is a choreography of its own, which I was grateful to glimpse. At times, up to seven dressers may be needed for the women alone and there is always someone stitching, fixing headpieces, or laundering.
Overflowing with tulle or a fiery burst of colorful bodices against a backdrop of never ending storage bins, entering the different wardrobe rooms was like stepping into that seamster’s mini world.
In an entire room dedicated solely to tutus, the seamstresses excitedly asked if I would like to see a tutu up close. Pulling down an enchanting, mint-green number, they laid out the delicate layered garment, a constellation of glimmering crystals and meticulous patterns, and we all peered at it in a moment of communal reverie.
The beauty of ballet is often centralized to the conversation between stage and audience but perhaps the beauty blossoms from the inside, sprung from the coterie of individuals propelling a show forward.
Thank you to San Francisco Ballet who graciously permitted me to shadow Megan (especially during a phase dictated by strict sanitary protocols) and to Megan for patiently answering my questions throughout her narration… she’s a brilliant multitasker!
A Day in the Life of Megan Gulla
- 9:00 AM
The day starts with a staff briefing on Zoom – I do this from home. During the meeting I announce that I am a new member of the Cultural Competency and Equity Coalition!
- 10:00 AM
Hop in my car and start my drive to the San Francisco War Memorial Opera House.
- 11:00 AM
Prep for fittings! I pull the required costumes and get them across the street to the ballet building – how convenient! And yes, that means I am often seen rolling a rack of fluffy costumes through an intersection.
NV: Tell me about your ballet experience.
MG: I grew up dancing at the Ballet School of Chapel Hill and went to East Carolina University. I was a modern dancer but like any good modern dancer, I took mostly ballet. Foot injuries and ultimately an ankle surgery led to a pivot, and I double majored in Dance and Costume Design.
- 12:00 PM
Fit two dancers – this means measuring and taking notes and making sure the dancers feel comfortable in their costumes. I also need to keep tabs on which costumes might work better on other dancers and how I can make that work for multiple casts. I record everything in my book of measurements, this book is the key to my staying organized.
- 1:00 PM
Take those tutus back to the Opera House, label with dancers’ names and put costumes back where they belong. I also take this time to check in with the crew who arrived while I was in fittings and get them the casting updates for tonight.
- 2:00 PM
I pull tutus for the next round of fittings and get them across the street to the ballet building.
NV: How do you think your ballet experience has helped you in your job?
MG: It helps me every day. It is very different from… everything. What is required for dancers to do on stage, in costumes, in a ballet is unique… I know how things are supposed to feel and that makes it easier, I think, to fit costumes because I’ve worn them myself. It also helps with anything relating to shoes, like where a hemline is based on how that works with your footwear.
Or if a dancer needs to step up off the floor and you’re wearing a long skirt, that is something I will have somebody try in a fitting.
Also, if I need to paint shoes or anything like that… I know a timeline of when I need to do that to give it back to the dancer so they can break that shoe in just in case I’ve made them stiffer.
- 2:30 - 4:00 PM
Fit four dancers.
- 4:00 PM
Make the trip back to the Opera House with those costumes, ensure they are labeled and put back as well. We use these great sliding storage containers that our crew built. It allows us to stack a bunch of tutus without them getting in contact with each other, and they lay perfectly flat (which is very important to maintain their structure).
- 5:00 PM
Dinner break! San Francisco has a lot of great food options close to the Opera House. Tacos today!
- 6:00 PM
Next, I type up the notes from today’s fittings for my crew members so everyone can work on the necessary alterations. I also check in with dressers before the show and make sure everyone has everything they need for that evening. The dressers are integral to a performance, ensuring everyone has the right costume and that any quick changes go smoothly.
NV: What has been a rewarding aspect of working with a company as the Head of Women’s Wardrobe?
MG: I think working at a ballet company that is connected to a school means that even in the short three years that I’ve been there, I’ve seen kids go from students to apprentices to corps members and getting to see their progress is so meaningful.
And having them really know that you are there to support them and make them feel comfortable. And they know that they can come to you not only for their wardrobe needs but also just if ballet feels extra hard that day. I really enjoy being a part of that.
- 7:00 PM
A lot of my time is spent prepping for future shows. Now I am dyeing shoes to match dancers’ skin tones for shows this upcoming weekend.
- 7:30 PM
Curtain up!
NV: Any advice for aspiring costume designers or people who want to work in the wardrobe field?
MG: Try to learn as much as you can. Try to help each other out in the business. I have always gotten jobs through people that I know, and it has been such a wonderful network of supportive individuals. So, learn from each other, lean on each other, and you will be able to get to do what you love.
- 8:30 - 10:00 PM
Throughout the show I pop backstage between pieces to make sure everyone is ready. I also watch the monitor to make sure everything looks good (meaning no loose strings or costume mishaps). I also begin pulling more costumes for my next round of fittings.
- 10:45 PM
I make sure my book of measurements is safe on my desk. I finish the night by leaving a note for my closing crew – in case I need to leave a specific reminder about a costume but mostly just to thank for them for their hard work!
Featured photo of Megan Gulla by Corrida Godbold. All others by Nadia Vostrikov.
Megan Gulla is one of the most talented, professional, dedicated people I’ve ever known! Her vivacious personality, sense of humor and love of life in general make her the perfect person for this vitally important and demanding job! Congratulations, Megan on this lovely tribute to you and your profession.
Megan, having watched you dance since you were a little girl, it is wonderful to see where you have wound up and what a marvelous contribution you are making to the ballet world.