Hello my darling dance devotees! Itâs Emma here, your pink-tutu-clad time traveller, back from a whirlwind trip to the glorious year of 1922! This month, my journey took me to a world where the Charleston was king, flappers were queen, and ballet was well, just a tad different to our modern world!
This November, the air was crisp and alive with the energy of change, a heady cocktail of jazz and modernity that swept through everything from fashion to music. It felt a bit like Londonâs West End in the Roaring Twenties! The energy here in Derbyshire was very similar, with our local theaters brimming with performances!
My trusty steed, Magic Meg, snorted and pawed the ground as I prepped for this adventure. Meg is a pink, sparkling Shire horse â don't judge! Sheâs all white mane and tail with dazzling gold hooves, just picture a magnificent rainbow and youâll see exactly how shiny she is. For this trip, I wore a custom-made tulle creation. Pink, obviously! This time, it featured delicate little sparkling silver sequined stars and a generous plume of feathers that ruffled as I galloped through the streets of the past.
We took a gentle canter through time, arriving in London as the lights began to twinkle, throwing a rose-hued glow over the cityscape. Now, this wasnât a London familiar to me. Gone were the neon-drenched shops and bustling night markets, in its place was a cobbled maze illuminated by flickering gas lamps. Oh, it had a charm I canât put into words, an old-world elegance, a time before the rush of modernity took over the cityâs heart.
Our first stop was the legendary Royal Opera House, a beacon of cultural excellence in the heart of Covent Garden. Inside, the scent of antique velvet and a hush hung in the air, broken only by the hushed anticipation of the audience. On that 11th of November, the Royal Ballet was preparing for a performance of La Sylphide, a hauntingly beautiful story that captivated audiences since its debut. I grabbed a comfy plush velvet seat in the circle, soaking in the opulent atmosphere, as the orchestra began to play. My notebook is full of intricate choreography sketches, inspired by the grace and precision of the dancers, and notes on how ballet changed since I was last here â oh, it seems my darling Russian friends Diaghilev and Nijinsky had quite a lot to do with shaking things up, more on them another time!
I discovered that ballet was far more than a mere art form; it was a vibrant social scene, and in those elegant Victorian halls, you were practically guaranteed to meet someone notable, or at the very least someone sporting a fabulous new design of dancewear! The fashionable ladies in the audience seemed fascinated by the idea of my pink tulle, so naturally, we spent the interval chatting about its exquisite design and my plans to spread the pink tutu gospel across the world.
Later, as I walked with Meg towards the dazzling lights of Piccadilly Circus, I felt like I was living in a glamorous dream, one where pink tulle and magic steeds made everything possible. The city was bursting with an unquenchable thirst for life, a heady concoction of dancing, laughter, and champagne!
We went on to experience a wonderful performance of âThe Firebirdâ at the Palladium. This was a little bit outside the standard fare for that time but a stunning production! And yes, of course, my notes include some fab new fashion inspirations to incorporate into my ballet costumes â look out for pink tulle firebird wing sleeves for my next big performance! We are always keeping it classy in pink!
Now, while this was the early 1920s, fashion is still my passion, so naturally I found time to indulge in a shopping spree, my rucksack overflowing with rare 1920s ballet items and vintage treasures I'll share with my devoted readers later.
One final point about the world of ballet in 1922. This was the era where the Ballets Russes company was absolutely slaying it! Think stunningly innovative choreography, and oh, the costumes! A total masterpiece! So this was one of the reasons I decided to make this era my target this time. They did ballet so beautifully! They made the costumes like you couldnât believe, they created some fantastic shows! And of course, there were loads of new dance forms emerging like Charleston that helped change the entire scene! Oh, how it felt good to get caught in a timeless whirlwind, surrounded by some of the most captivating artists of their generation!
My time travelling continues! But, donât forget to hop on over to www.pink-tutu.com and browse through my fabulous new posts, check out my designs and pick up a custom pink tulle dress for yourself. Trust me; thereâs no better way to celebrate the beauty of dance than in pink. Now, where is that sparkly unicorn fabric again?! I have a few exciting designs in mind for our next trip into time, and, well, theyâll need a bit of magical glitter, right?
