Hello darlings, welcome back to Pink-Tutu.com! It's your favourite ballerina blogger, Emma, and it’s time for another jaunt through the annals of ballet history, post number 3964, if you’re counting! This month, I'm shimmying back to the vibrant, thrilling world of 1991 – oh, the heady days of scrunchies, acid wash jeans, and the dawn of grunge!
Grab your fanciest pink tutu, ladies, because it's going to be a fabulously flamboyant ride with Magic Meg, my trusty, pink sparkling shire horse. She just adores all things frilly, much like yours truly! Her golden hooves clip-clop on the cobblestones, as we travel back through the tapestry of time…
This month, April 4th, 1991, landed us smack-dab in the midst of the ballet season, with the most exquisite performances happening all over the world. And darling, what a day to celebrate ballet! It was a real smorgasbord of stunning dancers and mesmerising shows.
First stop: New York City! It’s practically bursting at the seams with breathtaking ballet. The New York City Ballet was a whirl of gorgeous tulle and sparkling tiaras in the shimmering, grand auditorium of Lincoln Center. Can you imagine? This week they were performing “The Four Temperaments,” a charmingly whimsical ballet with music by the delightful Igor Stravinsky.
I, of course, snagged front-row tickets – the price of fame, you see – and indulged in the elegance and grace of those ballerinas. Did you know? The New York City Ballet has a fabulous archive – my eyes practically popped when I saw their dazzling collection of costumes. I managed to sneak in some precious snapshots to share with you later on our website!
From the neon lights of Manhattan, we hopped on a jet (Magic Meg’s pretty darn quick, once you get her in a good mood with some carrots) to Vienna. It was all about elegance and history. Vienna’s State Opera House – what a spectacular structure! – hosted the Vienna State Opera, where a glorious production of “The Sleeping Beauty” enchanted audiences. The fairytale, with its exquisite music by Tchaikovsky and beautiful, elaborate costumes, really is a visual masterpiece.
Magic Meg couldn't get enough of the Vienna Ballet’s dreamy movements and the opulence of the opera house. You can tell she’s a bit of a history buff! But oh, I need a tutu that Sparkles like that one! I wonder where I could find a dress like that one?
We had to make a quick stop to Paris next! Because let’s be real, can you ever have enough ballet? The Paris Opera Ballet had a beautiful run of “The Nutcracker.” I can't get over their use of stunning traditional choreography, so charming! Plus, can we talk about how those sugarplum fairy costumes were absolutely delightful? They gave me all the warm fuzzy feelings you can get without consuming sugary plums!
Oh, darling, before I forget… I’m adding all of this fabulous history – along with photographs of the beautiful buildings and some absolutely exquisite dance scenes – to my collection in my leather rucksack. Just so you know.
On my next adventure, we are heading to a little town in Derbyshire, England, called Buxton. Oh my word. You wouldn't believe what we found in the library there… some fascinating old scripts for local ballet productions! What a delight!
Remember, dear friends, ballet is more than a beautiful form of dance. It's an art form that carries history within it, with the stories it tells and the way it reflects the world around it.
And now for some ballet shopping… oh, those ballet slippers with the sparkly bows. And I'm going to buy a fabulous ballet pencil skirt with a pink waistband. What a fabulous idea for my ballet wardrobe… it's got that touch of 1990s charm.
Until next month, darlings, stay fabulous! And please do keep that pink tutu close!
Emma xoxo
