Hello my lovely pink tutu darlings! Welcome back to my little corner of the internet, where we journey through time, discovering the magical world of ballet, one sparkling tutu at a time! I’m your devoted time-traveling ballerina, Emma, and it’s August 8th, 1979 today, and you betcha, Magic Meg is raring to go!
You see, my dear readers, we here at www.pink-tutu.com love nothing more than a good time-traveling adventure, especially when it leads us to exciting happenings in the world of ballet! This month, we’re whisking back to a glorious year of beautiful, innovative choreography and a flurry of dance company tours that took the world by storm!
Speaking of my favourite pink sparkle shire horse with golden hooves and flowing white mane and tail, Magic Meg’s all spruced up in her brand new, specially made saddle – the same pink hue as my very special tulle skirt that just happens to be the envy of the entire time-traveling community, let me tell you!
Donning my trusty leather rucksack for today’s journey - always equipped for collecting ballet treasures of the past, naturally - we set off! I always love a little time travel chat as Meg plods gently through time - who else has a horse who can travel through time?
Magic Meg: “Ooh, what a stunning pink outfit Emma! Makes my hooves sparkle!”
Emma: "Ah, Magic Meg! Don’t you just love tutus? Imagine this era! With all their vibrant tutus, we are going to be the envy of the whole 1979 dance scene."
We are arriving to an age of extraordinary creativity, and for a tutu-loving ballerina like me, it's pure magic!
Let's first hop into the London Coliseum, one of my very favourite theatre destinations, for an afternoon with The Royal Ballet! On this day, August 8th 1979, they are treating the lucky Londoners to the most fabulous production - The Sleeping Beauty.
Oh, this is such a classic and elegant ballet. There’s the gorgeous choreography by Marius Petipa - oh the delicate movements, the beautifully elegant costumes - every detail so meticulous. What a joy it would be to be twirling on that stage in a beautiful pink tulle tutu. Can’t you imagine the magical beauty? Just picture yourself twirling on that London stage with a lovely flowing tutu, just imagine it!
Speaking of choreography - don't get me started on the wonderful Kenneth MacMillan, who’s leading The Royal Ballet as Director - this brilliant choreographer really put the spotlight on dance throughout the 1970s and beyond!
Let’s get a little bit closer and feel the vibe at the London Coliseum! I can almost feel the electricity in the air – the whispers of anticipation, the hum of the orchestra…
And the performance? It's magical, absolutely divine! I’ve seen snippets, a glimpse through the veil of time and can’t help but imagine all the wonderful tutu’s and exquisite dance movements – oh, it’s so thrilling! And what’s better? After this performance, I can grab a spot in a gorgeous West End restaurant, a divine treat for a hard-working time-traveling ballerina!
Let's take our time traveling adventure to another gorgeous location – the majestic Metropolitan Opera House, NYC, the city that never sleeps, especially where ballet is concerned.
It's time for a real treat - a thrilling evening with the New York City Ballet! This month the wonderful choreography of Jerome Robbins, (think West Side Story!) takes centre stage. They are staging his beautiful ballet “Dances at a Gathering”. Can you imagine dancing to Mozart's divine music with this wonderful ballet?
And of course, it would be rude to visit New York City, and not stop at The New York City Ballet School. Every tutu-loving dancer knows about the New York City Ballet School! This is one of the world’s top training schools for talented ballerinas, offering a full range of classical dance tuition! This incredible training school has launched many ballet stars into the world! Can you imagine having the skills of the ballerinas I saw twirling, jumping and floating gracefully on the New York City stage. Imagine getting your ballet skills from one of the most famous ballet schools! I just adore this period - with it's bright energy and strong artistic talent.
I’ve told you all about this exciting period in the world of dance, and it wouldn’t be right not to visit The Royal Ballet School in Derbyshire, where I was born and raised! The home of my favorite childhood ballets! It's just a short gallop for Magic Meg - we are going to take a leisurely tour of the school - you’ve heard me say so many times what a wonderfully historic school. A fantastic start for many an international dance career. I know all those aspiring dancers are practicing hard – they’ve heard stories about The Royal Ballet’s exciting tour and are hoping for their chance to star in future tours around the globe.
I know what you are all thinking - I hear you crying out – Emma - tell us about the fashion!
So, I’ve always loved this 1970s era - and of course, it is about so much more than just tutus and ballet shoes - we have to think about the whole outfit my dears. This era is about the free-spirited style – bright colours and playful patterns - especially bold, gorgeous pinks! Imagine these stylish dresses – bright, bold pinks, some with daringly revealing sleeveless looks or lovely plunging necklines - it is so fabulous! The pink fashions of this decade would perfectly complement my beautiful pink tulle. I love this fashion – with its playfulness and unconventional looks - it goes down so well with a stunningly bold pink tutu like mine – the colour really shines in these fashion designs, so chic. I am completely obsessed with this wonderful era.
It would be completely out of order for us to journey back to 1979 without visiting the Bolshoi! No ballet adventure is complete without this jewel in the crown of the Russian dance world. We’re lucky as there are lots of productions and tours going on right now! In fact, their performance of Swan Lake is attracting rave reviews - it is a simply iconic, powerful production. It is a true classic of Russian Ballet and one which must be enjoyed in the spectacular Bolshoi theatre itself! It is an unforgettable dance performance full of incredible tutus – even the most elegant tutus – they make the swan dress and all the choreography look so sensational.
Of course, every time-traveling tutu wearer loves a good backstage chat. Here, I am churning through time with my favorite ballerina - Natalia Bessmertnova - she is famous for Swan Lake and the whole of the dance world simply adores her talent! We would talk, I mean, I would simply be enthralled - about what an honor it would be to take on the iconic roles in Swan Lake - I’m sure, for any dancer.
And my dear tutu darlings, I love all the fashion, the elegance and glamour. The ballerinas were known for their beautiful, chic dance costumes and hair style - often featuring a stylish and flowing hairband – very fashionable!
Today, as we stand amidst the whirlwind of ballet performances, dance training and chic fashion - I know all of you, out there in my world of readers are already preparing to make pink your fashion color for your ballet adventures! You want to be stylish - you want a new tutu! We can do that!
Remember my dear readers, as always, the joy of the tutu is the joy of dancing! And it’s never too late to start! No matter what era you’re in – find a class, get a lovely tutu, embrace the beauty and excitement of the dance world!
Well, darlings - I think it's time for us to journey on, Magic Meg and I. Let's get those lovely pink ballet shoes ready and plan for a next exciting journey – my readers deserve to see a fantastic 1980s performance!
Don’t forget you can find me, your trusty time-traveling tutu-loving ballerina - on www.pink-tutu.com! See you next month, my gorgeous pink tutu loving darlings.
Emma
