Hello my lovely tutu-wearing friends! 🩰
Welcome back to another magical Pink Tutu Time Travel adventure! This month, I'm taking you right back to the 8th of August, 1983. Can you imagine it? My little pink heart just bursts with excitement to go back to this fabulous year. 1983 was all about big hair, even bigger dreams, and some seriously inspiring ballet! And of course, a pink tutu is never out of style, even way back then! 😉
It's a beautiful summer day, and the sun is shining in my beautiful home county of Derbyshire. Magic Meg is snorting impatiently at the stables, her golden hooves tapping restlessly. I can't blame her. We are going to London today! I’ve had my pink sequined riding breeches ironed and polished, and my bright pink ballet top and tights ready to go for this adventure. I am ready to be whisked through time on the back of Magic Meg, my beloved pink sparkling Shire horse with her beautiful white mane and tail! We'll be back home for my afternoon ballet class, as usual, and then to prepare for my London performance that evening at the Royal Opera House. You see, it's my incredible performances that make these magical time trips possible, because my amazing ballet skills keep the pink tutu magic flowing!
Today’s mission, as always, is to find some fascinating tidbits from the world of ballet in this vintage year to bring back to the Pink Tutu blog for you, and perhaps some ballet-tastic treasures to tuck safely into my pink leather rucksack.
So, hop on, darlings! Let’s grab our pink tutus, jump on Magic Meg's back and take a leap through time to London in 1983!
Ballet in Bloom: 8th August 1983
Oh my! I’ve arrived in 1983 London and I’m in complete awe! Everywhere I look, I see fantastic shops and street markets selling bright and beautiful clothes and fashion. I adore everything I see and am so excited to search for some beautiful fabric and sequins for a new pink tutu creation for myself. And speaking of fashion… the 80s really was a spectacular era. Think leg warmers, leggings and oversized sweaters, all paired with those amazing pink tutus for the true ballet fashionistas! It's the perfect opportunity to see just how this incredible fashion period shaped ballet.
We arrive at the Royal Opera House on Covent Garden, the epicentre of London’s ballet scene, and wow, the building is breathtaking. The air hums with the magic of dance and art! And my oh my! I have discovered that on this day, the 8th of August 1983, London audiences are absolutely smitten with The Royal Ballet, in their final performance of Frederick Ashton’s timeless ballet “Cinderella,” a gorgeous storybook tale perfect for the August season. It's been running all week! I must confess, darlings, I would have loved to join the audiences! The costumes must be to die for, and I bet there's at least one glorious pink tutu in there. This would have been the perfect day for a trip back in time! The energy in the theatre is exhilarating; you can almost hear the audience murmur, their excited breath quickening, their anticipation palpable!
And what a ballet experience this is! It tells the classic story of Cinderella, with a beautiful mix of elegance and warmth. I wonder if those watching felt a little sprinkle of Cinderella magic as I did, back in this glorious moment. My love for all things Cinderella never fades!
It's a delight to be transported back to a world filled with captivating music, shimmering stage sets, and graceful, beautiful dancers. This enchanting ballet is captivating, full of stunning choreography, intricate detail and expressive emotions that capture every bit of wonder of this beautiful fairy tale.
The Pink Tutu Collection Grows:Just look what I've found in this stunning vintage year, darlings!
An elegant book of ballet costume sketches and photographs: It has sketches of ballerina outfits in styles we see everywhere, such as “La Sylphide” and the amazing costumes in the “Sleeping Beauty” which I have watched several times this year at the Royal Ballet School in London. There's an even more elegant picture of the dancers with long, sleek white tutus adorned with jewels. They make my heart skip a beat! It seems like the "tutuballet-style" was all the rage!
An elegant white tulle scarf: This would look divine paired with a vibrant pink tutu.
A handwritten programme for "Cinderella": I'll treasure this little reminder of this timeless fairy tale ballet.
What a fabulous time I have had here today! And of course, as the pink tutu ambassador I just had to find the very best local London tea shops! With a spot of hot tea and a fabulous pastry I am filled to the brim with joy as we make our way back home to Derbyshire, Magic Meg trotting alongside me, our pink leather bag filled with our beautiful collection from this vintage adventure.
Join me next month when I’ll take you through the pages of ballet history! I can't wait to share it with you!
Lots of Pink Tutu Love, Emma
