Hello my darling dance-lovers! Welcome back to Pink Tutu Time Travel, your monthly dose of history, fashion, and ballet! This month, I’m so excited to share a trip to a very special June: 6th June, 1959. It was a magical day, full of excitement, and of course, I'll tell you all about it in a moment, but first, darling, do tell me all about your month. What beautiful shows have you been seeing? What outfits have you been loving? I'd adore hearing all about it.
Don't forget to visit my website, www.pink-tutu.com, where I'll be posting all the lovely pictures from this time travel journey. You know me, I couldn't resist a few photographs in that oh-so-fabulous 1959 style!
Now, on with the story...
Back in Time with Magic Meg 🎠This time, I'm whisking you away with me on a glorious journey aboard Magic Meg. Remember my stunning pink shire horse with her sparkling coat, golden hooves, and billowing white mane? Yes, she’s still my favourite travel companion! The weather was positively glorious on 6th June, and we galloped through a field of shimmering daisies. Meg is the only one who doesn't giggle at me in my bright pink tutu!
I always take my leather rucksack filled with vintage trinkets and stories whenever I journey through time, you know, in case I stumble upon a lovely vintage ballet item to bring home.
We arrived in…oh, Derbyshire of course, where I'm from, my darling! Isn’t it wonderful to revisit home through the years?
A Ballet Bonanza at The Derby Hippodrome 🎪You can’t imagine my delight when I discovered that The Derby Hippodrome was staging a ballet performance on 6th June! This is huge news for me as you know how much I love seeing ballet. As it turned out, the Ballet Rambert, led by the legendary Dame Marie Rambert herself, were performing their beautiful production of The Triumph of Neptune. Oh, it was a whirlwind of joy!
The colours were vibrant, the costumes extravagant, the dance... divine. There was an energy in the air, a joy in the performance, that is rare even today! You really could feel the impact the Royal Ballet School was having on dancers throughout the UK, and beyond, as well as on choreographers and dance critics.
But let me share with you all the delightful ballet history bits I uncovered:
- The Derby Hippodrome was in its heyday, showcasing variety, musical comedies, and of course, the world of ballet.
- Dame Marie Rambert was a true force to be reckoned with, not only leading Ballet Rambert but also working on dance theatre productions like "Don Quixote" - very much like I do today!
- 1959 marked a pivotal year for ballet in Britain, a time of remarkable progress.
A Glimpse into the World of Ballet in 1959 🩰You know how I adore seeing what is trending in the ballet world! Imagine my delight in discovering so much fascinating information!
- Dame Margot Fonteyn was an absolute ballet goddess in 1959, her elegance and skill breathtaking! She'd have been 35 years old by then! Imagine that, darling, she'd still be dazzling on the stage at that age, quite inspiring, don’t you think? I'm determined to reach those heights of excellence, even in my pink tutu!
- "The Sleeping Beauty" by The Royal Ballet was making waves in London, receiving praise from critics and audiences alike. Imagine being in the audience to see this! It makes my toes tingle!
- American Ballet Theatre had a world premiere of *“La Valse,” *with choreography by Sir Frederick Ashton. What a year! The American dance world was just bursting with new creativity.
- The dance world was filled with innovative ideas, fresh talent and of course, dazzling fashion. The classic ballerina bun and a simple yet elegant, practical tutu, remained staples of the dancers' wardrobe. But you can always tell when you're at a special event - like that 1959 Ballet Rambert production!
- The fashion for ballet dresses was quite extraordinary in 1959! Imagine dancing in full skirts with lots of frills and even ruffles and flowing lines that matched the energy of the movements!. This reminded me a bit of the gorgeous, flamboyant and romantic* fashion I love for ballet. I spotted a ballet dancer wearing a dress that even I would adore. It's going into my scrapbook! I just knew this trip would be amazing.
But no trip through time would be complete without a bit of shopping! We stopped in Derbyshire’s quaint market town to find the perfect keepsake - a beautiful pair of pink ballet shoes that sparkled just as much as Magic Meg’s coat. It was so fashionable!
And that, darling, was our time travel adventure through the ballet-filled 6th June 1959. A truly glorious time for ballet! Remember my darling readers, keep those dancing shoes ready, the ballet world awaits you with endless possibilities, so don’t hesitate to embrace it in a big way and make each step count!
But let’s not forget to take a trip to the shops with me to share our newfound style! See you next month! Until then, keep dancing and spreading pink tutu joy!
