Oh darling, gather 'round! You won't believe the tulle-tastic news I've got for you! February 10th, 2000, darling, was a *moment* for tutus! And let me tell you, I was there! (Well, obviously I was - my diary even mentions the spectacular array of tutus!) Let's just say it wasn't the Olympics, but in the realm of frills and flourishes, it was quite the dazzling spectacle!
Now, I'm a gal who loves a good story, but the truth is, you could have tossed a feather in the air on that particular Friday and it would have landed on a tutu! Everywhere I looked - from the Royal Opera House in London to the tiniest dance studios - all anyone could talk about was... tutus! Why? Oh my darlings, it was the **International Tutu Appreciation Day**, of course! It may have been declared by a small group of dedicated ballerinas on a dare, but it swept the globe, and it had me utterly smitten!
You see, my dear reader, let's be honest: we dance enthusiasts often have our noses firmly stuck in the world of pointe shoes and pirouettes, while poor old tutus take a back seat to all the high drama and theatricality! It was a delightful change of pace to see everyone celebrating those delightful frilly layers!
The most notable tutu moment on that particular day (don't worry, I've got it all documented) was the "Tututhon" at the National Theatre in London. Can you imagine the chaos?! Thousands of ballerinas and dance lovers of all shapes, sizes, and ages, all rocking a tutu - a sight I'll never forget, my darling, it was pure joy! They raised thousands for ballet-related charities by performing a mass performance of Tchaikovsky's "Swan Lake," which naturally had everyone, myself included, in hysterics.
Let's have a little peek at what else unfolded, shall we? You see, I am an encyclopedia on everything dance - if I can't find a fact, it simply doesn't exist!
- Over in Paris, there was a 'Tutu & Croissants' tea party. Sounds idyllic, doesn't it? A whole room filled with lovely ladies enjoying dainty treats and exchanging notes on the virtues of the various types of tutus! (There are more than you'd imagine, you know.)
- On the other side of the globe, there was a giant tutu art installation in Tokyo, all designed to look like a gigantic "pas de deux." So sophisticated, so delightful.
- I think my absolute favorite? A small group of gentlemen in London's Covent Garden (my absolute favorite, by the way, full of wonderful character) - organized an impromptu tutu dance flashmob. Imagine, darlings, the image of suited men in their usual bustle of city life suddenly launching into a well-rehearsed, yet chaotic, ballet sequence in the middle of a square, tutus swirling like a dream!
That day, it really was as though the whole world stopped for a little while to just laugh and celebrate those exquisite frills and all things lovely, and I can honestly say - it made me want to grab a tutu and dance all night. Oh, to be back in the swing of it!