Oh darling, how utterly divine to be back here at the glorious www.pink-tutu.com for another peek into the extraordinary world of ballet through time! As always, my trusty steed, Magic Meg, the pinkest shire with the most dazzling golden hooves, is chomping at the bit, raring to go. I've been itching to whisk you back to the fabulous 1950s, my loves. Think vintage charm, frothy tulle, and that irresistible joie de vivre. Oh, the fashion! My heart skips a beat every time.
It's all thanks to the incredible success of my recent ballet performance at The Royal Albert Hall, I'm absolutely brimming with joy after all that applause and of course, the lovely financial reward to fund my time travels! Letâs just say the costumes and make-up I wore were... utterly divine!
Now, on with the journey! I've packed my little leather rucksack â I've always felt the back-to-school vibe perfectly suits a pink tutu. (Itâs in a classic rose pink with sparkling white stitching and has a little ballerina dancing on a pearl-encrusted clasp.) Itâs a must-have when exploring different eras for ballet history and collecting little treasures to add to my collection at home â like an old, forgotten programme, a faded ballet shoe, or a tattered photograph. Oh, and let's not forget a cuppa for later, because darling, my little self loves her a good gossip and cuppa.
I settled Magic Megâs saddle blanket, a luxurious, baby pink silk number, with sparkling pink horse hair tassels. Then I put on my lucky pair of cherry blossom-scented gloves - perfect for keeping the reins nice and cosy while traversing through the ages! Then it was just one more good look at myself in the mirror (donât judge, a pink tutu-clad ballerina must always have an extra dash of confidence before stepping out.) The final touches â a feather boa for extra sass, a pink fascinator just because... and the pink ballet shoes I'd designed myself. I had to ensure every last detail was immaculate!
"Off we go, Magic Meg!" I exclaimed, patting the magical creatureâs shimmering white mane.
It didnât take much to travel back through time. All it took was my signature wink to Magic Meg, a playful skip of her hooves, and the swirling of her pink mane. Whoosh, she whisked us away. We travelled back through time with a magical sparkly light show. What a thrill! Magic Meg is quite the performer herself. Just what every ballet aficionado wants to see.
When we landed it was almost impossible not to sigh in awe, I love it when I travel back in time, even just a little.
April 4th, 1955, A Magical Ballet Trip Back In Time:
I hopped down, landing in a sunny little garden behind the most adorable pink and white striped house youâve ever seen. There, nestled on a sunny patch, was a little whitewashed summerhouse, and from within it came the sounds of twirling and laughter. How splendid! What ballet marvels awaited?
Let's see what the world of ballet had to offer on this day, my dears!
As I drew closer to the summerhouse, a little girl emerged with a delicate smile and her face aglow with delight. Her light brown pigtails bounced around her head as she hummed a merry little tune. Oh, the charm! And what were those she held? In her tiny hands were two miniature pink satin ballet shoes with sparkling golden ribbons! I'll bet they're just a bit bigger than my thumb.
âExcuse me,â I said with a graceful curtsy, adjusting the pink boa that draped elegantly over my shoulders. âYou have quite the beautiful ballet shoes!â I continued with my own sparkling smile. âCould you possibly tell me if there are any exciting ballet events going on today?â
The girlâs eyes grew wide as she gasped and dropped her miniature shoes! Then, with a joyous, melodic giggle, she clapped her hands. "Oh my, are you a real ballerina?â
"Why, yes, dear! Thatâs me.â I responded, feeling as happy as she was, giving her the tiniest ballet curtsey in return. "Can you tell me where I can see some lovely ballet?." I whispered, hoping to charm the little girl into sharing her secrets.
âI donât know what the ballerina does, but my mummy is a ballerina teacher! Sheâs showing the other ladies how to make tutus today! My little friend, Sammy, will be helping." she chirped with a charming wave.
My breath hitched! A tutu-making workshop? The most glorious of dreams. I simply had to know more!
My new ballet buddy gave me directions. The girl explained that her ballet teacherâs name was Ms. Rosamond, who had rented this delightful pink and white striped house. It had a glorious, large pink-covered dance studio at the back for their little ballet classes and workshops. Apparently, they held ballet workshops here regularly.
After a warm hug goodbye to the little ballerina, I galloped Magic Meg to the studio â which, I might add, is right beside the largest most opulent rose garden, with rows and rows of pink and white roses, the scent was absolutely magical.
This 1955 home is in a lovely spot in Derbyshire, a mere ten minutes' walk from a little village where Iâd enjoyed an absolutely divine picnic earlier. What was to become of the lovely little town? Well, you will have to wait for my next time travel blog, thatâs the exciting mystery for next month!
Inside the dance studio, Ms Rosamond was all smiles and rosy cheeks! As for the pink tulle, the ribbons, the scissors and the needles, and of course, those beautiful fabric roses with all their glitterâŚit all felt like a lovely ballerina wonderland.
I loved the air of gentle camaraderie in the dance studio as the students all diligently learned the craft of creating the perfect pink tutu. My dear! A group of the most divine ladies (some wearing ballet slippers and lovely white petticoats and all so lovely in vintage styles), were hard at work creating these gorgeous tutus, some with a dazzling variety of frills.
It seemed that some were just learning, while some were experienced. Some of the students even used hand-sewn satin roses to create unique and individual styles for each tutu. I was truly taken by the creative spark of these talented dancers, and I was particularly enamored by Ms. Rosamond, the sweet old soul who seemed to be the heart of their dance family.
Ms Rosamond shared her story â how, even in her later years, she still had a passion for dance. "Itâs a lifelong affair!" She explained with a twinkle in her eye. âAnd darling, even now, there are new challenges to learn all the time."
Ms. Rosamondâs enthusiasm was truly inspiring, especially for me who feels as if a lifetime is a mere second in the ever-shifting timeline of dance and fashion. I shared with her some tips and techniques that we now use today, how ballet tutus can incorporate so many styles of modern dancing from a little hip hop, some swing, or even some ballet street in combination with classical ballet. My goodness! I felt her eyes gleam as she was taken by the creative energy and vibrance of it all!
The women around us giggled, mesmerised, but also feeling as though we were entering a glorious new age. My heart fluttered in such a sweet, charming moment as I knew I'd witnessed the passing of a dance baton between the past and the present, with all its enchanting beauty. It is lovely to know the craft is continuing on. I mean really! The sheer beauty and elegance of the dance styles combined are irresistible.
Later that day, we watched the ballet teacher lead the lovely students in a demonstration. What a joy! I simply had to share the stage with the teacher and the lovely dancers â with Magic Meg providing her own magical and whimsical stage show, she stamped a lovely golden-hoof footprint. Oh, my, it seemed like everyone agreed that even Magic Meg had been charmed. She looked so pleased and proud!
I was so happy with my day! Ms. Rosamond presented me with a beautifully handmade little pink ballet shoe made from pink and white floral lace ribbon, that I carefully stored away in my special pink satin ballet shoe bag that had beautiful sequins sewn across it. I also had the joy of adding a gorgeous ballerina pin and an early copy of a âBallet Quarterlyâ, to my special leather rucksack that day.
My dear readers, a few hours back in 1955 gave me so much happiness. Itâs good to see that even then, the world of ballet was just as delightful and glamorous! It makes me realise the eternal and evolving nature of this wonderful art form and of the many extraordinary women and dancers in our lives. A real love affair with dancing! I have such high hopes to see this style of vintage pink tutus back in fashion - even today in a street performance, ballet, a stage performance. Who knows how the future might use this history to create new and more inspiring ways to dance?
Youâll find all the little details from todayâs Ballet Time Travels diary right here at www.pink-tutu.com. Just look for post number 3532 and download my Ballet Travel Scrapbook and photos to keep a lasting impression. I've even taken a picture of me with Ms. Rosamond. And just a word to my dearest friends and followers, I've just started on my own collection of vintage pink ballet tutus! How very exciting, they would make a truly stunning exhibition. I promise to share a few glimpses of them when I've created a proper pink tutu show.
Well, dear ballet devotees, until next month and another of our ballet Time Travels⌠Remember, my darlings, you don't have to travel through time to find joy. Embrace the beautiful art of ballet every day! Itâs always there, whispering its secrets in our hearts, awaiting its chance to sparkle anew.
My darling, embrace the beauty of dance every day!
Sending you my best,
Emma X
