Tutu and Ballet News

Darling, gather ’round, I have a story that’s practically bursting at the seams with tulle and laughter! So, the other day (it was June the 14th, 2000, to be precise), I was just fluttering around the city, you know, taking in the sights and trying not to spill my cappuccino all over my new Christian Louboutins. A glorious morning it was, sunshine dappling the cobblestones like glitter on a Strictly Come Dancing dress.

Now, imagine my surprise, love, when I bump into this woman practically bursting out of a tutu! I mean, darling, she was a vision in pale pink, twirling her way through the morning rush like a ballerina who'd lost her stage but gained an insatiable zest for life. At first, I thought maybe it was just a whimsical art installation come to life, but no, she was just there, pirouette-ing around with the sheerest delight, humming a melody I couldn't quite place.

Suddenly, she bumps into this tall fellow with a rather startled expression. He looked like he'd just seen a rogue penguin doing the can-can, only much more graceful. Well, a full-blown “oh, no, I must not laugh, but oh, it is quite comical, darling” scene ensues. The woman apologises, her apologies just as elegant and precise as the arabesque she'd just landed on a stranger’s shoe. “The streets are just too thrilling to dance on!” she explained with the air of a duchess who had just realised her tiara was perched on the wrong side of her head. The chap, bless his heart, simply muttered, “Ah yes, it’s like I've stepped into a particularly animated musical.”

Well, darling, it wasn’t just this encounter. It seemed a full-blown tutus and tiaras craze had hit the city! Suddenly, ladies in a kaleidoscope of colours were pirouette-ing their way down Oxford Street, doing ballet-inspired poses in queues at the tube station, and even managing to squeeze in a quick pirouette during their lunch breaks. The whole city was transformed into a shimmering spectacle, like a grand, slightly tipsy, and completely unexpected performance.

Reasons for this Ballet Craze:

  • A new "ballet" fad? Darling, it appears that some rogue "experts" were trying to launch a new “Tutu-phoria” fad, promising “elegance and a sense of lightness.” Sadly, it wasn’t the revolutionary trend the "experts" claimed.
  • “Delicate Ballerinas on a mission” The whispers circulating amongst the city's fashionistas (you know I have the inside scoop, darling) are pointing at a “mission to bring some joie de vivre and grace into London”. It is still being debated if a tutu can really improve the rush hour, darling, but everyone seems to be enjoying the show.
  • “A touch of magic, darlings!” This rumour, spreading through whispers like a ballet’s crescendo, claims a magician used a “ballet-ific charm” in Piccadilly Circus, to give Londoners a taste of graceful whimsy. Whether it’s true or just fancy gossip, no one can deny the charm these little flashes of pink, yellow, blue and silver are giving our dear city.

However, my pet, the most beautiful part was not the swirling silks and the charming pirouettes, it was the infectious laughter. The smiles were like fireworks, each twirl and bow a celebration of something utterly nonsensical and beautiful. Suddenly, I realised what this whole “tutu incident” had done - it had reminded us to take a break from the mundane, to embrace a touch of delight in our everyday lives. Maybe this “tutu thing” wasn't a trend, darling, it was simply a glorious, graceful reminder to tap into the whimsical little girl we all carry inside. And, honestly, with tutus that charming, it's hard to argue, isn’t it?