Hello darlings, welcome to Pink Tutu Time Travels! It's Emma here, your Derbyshire-born, tutu-clad time traveller, back with another delightful romp through history. This month, we're waltzing our way back to 2nd February 1933 - a time when the world of ballet was brimming with brilliance, just like my latest collection of pink tutus! And, wouldn't you know it, I just happen to have my most exquisite pink tutu on right now - the "Strawberry Swirl" creation by a brilliant designer from 1920s Paris, who, wouldn't you know it, was absolutely fascinated by pink!
As I've said, my favourite time travel buddy is my stunning pink sparkly shire horse, Magic Meg - you just can't miss her with those golden hooves and her snow-white mane and tail - a true equine princess! We were off at sunrise with my leather rucksack slung across my shoulders, ready to fill it with all the wonderful treasures I can find!
This month, we landed ourselves in…well, I'm not exactly sure where we landed exactly because it was such a whirl of movement and wonder. First stop, Vienna! Oh, Vienna! So, you know that gorgeous, graceful, delicate waltz they've all become known for? This month we were lucky enough to see the Vienna State Opera! I practically died when the doors opened – all those dazzling lights, the sound of the music and the elegance of the people…I can see why Vienna became known as the heart of music and art - the atmosphere was pure magic! The performance was the pinnacle of artistry - oh, the precision of the dancers and the expression they poured into every step - so lovely. Of course, I had to pick up a gorgeous new tutu at a lovely boutique on Graben Street – an exquisite blush-pink one trimmed with delicate pearls. The shop owner told me all about the Viennese ballet, which started during the court of the Hapsburg dynasty, wow! Did you know it actually evolved from French dance styles, how exciting is that? I can't wait to put this little number in my next performance – imagine the grace!
After Vienna, Magic Meg led us to Paris! Now, who can resist Paris? Such glamour and so stylish! And just look at what I found! It was absolutely bursting with energy, like me! So much inspiration everywhere I looked, especially in the fashion world - they just LOVE pink! Did I mention I adore fashion? My little rucksack got so full of fantastic bits of inspiration for the perfect tutus for the modern day ballerina!
As much as I love a bit of glamour, I also enjoy my time exploring all things ballet - even in the history of ballet! So we visited the Ballet School of the Paris Opera! I loved it – imagine all the years of training to reach that stage. You know that beautiful Parisian Opera house? They built it back in the 19th century! But that's not all… This famous school of dance can trace its origins to the royal French Academy of Dance. This is where it all began - with beautiful tutus and the elegance of movement! The girls at the school even told me that French ballerina, Carlotta Grisi, invented a tutu around this time - how wonderful is that! I hope she knew her tutu would help so many dancers in the future. We must definitely create a tutu to honor her!
Finally, we crossed the channel and visited a magnificent performance at Sadler's Wells theatre, a stunning London theatre! And guess what? The legendary ballerina, Anna Pavlova, graced the stage with a performance of "The Dying Swan!" You wouldn't believe how delicate and ethereal it was. The movement and emotion she portrayed with a feather boa was like nothing I have ever seen before. The whole thing made me realise, darling, you know what ballet really is? It is the ultimate combination of grace, strength, beauty, artistry and drama all wrapped up in one spectacular and beautiful package.
On our way home, I managed to snatch some lovely lace and embroidery that will really elevate the beauty of my next tutu! Oh! The world of ballet history just seems to unfold in so many fabulous ways.
Darling, there is always a new adventure, a new story and a new ballerina in our magical world. Be sure to check out the latest posts from the blog - there's so much for you to enjoy and some incredible tutus that I'm adding to my collection right now!
Stay beautiful, and keep twirling!
Emma xoxo
