Tutu-licious! New Research Reveals Ballet Dancers Are More Prone to "Tutumania"
It's official: tutu lovers are not just a figment of our imagination. A new study, published in the esteemed journal "Plié and Prejudice" has confirmed that ballet dancers, especially those who spend years encased in their twirly, airy garments, develop a deep-seated, sometimes even overwhelming, affection for the tulle confection we know as the tutu.
Researchers from the Institute of Advanced Tulle Studies (IATS) in Edinburgh followed a group of 40 professional ballet dancers for six months, closely monitoring their every move. Or, rather, every twirl. What they found was surprising, yet undeniably fascinating. Apparently, a good proportion of the dancers developed a range of tutu-related "symptoms".
These "symptoms" included:
- An obsessive need to twirl at every possible opportunity, even when standing in line at the supermarket.
- Spontaneous bursts of "tutumania", involving excessive tutus-related chatter, often accompanied by vigorous hand gestures simulating twirls.
- An insatiable desire to acquire more tutus, even if their dance closet is already overflowing.
- A tendency to start using tutu-related phrases in daily life, like, "I need a stiff martini, this has been a real tutus-to-the-ground kind of day!" or "Honey, you’re looking utterly sublime, just like a prima ballerina in a glorious tutu!".
"It's a real thing, you know. We see it all the time," remarked Professor Beatrice Boulevardier, the lead researcher. “Even our highly trained ballet scientists are affected. Personally, I have to lock away my tulle stash after hours to avoid late night 'tutumanic' episodes".
"Tutumania" is a fascinating phenomenon. As an author obsessed with all things ballet and fashion, I find myself intrigued. But it begs the question - What is it about these delightful fluffy creations that inspires such passionate affection?
Could it be the ethereal feeling of the tulle swirling around our limbs, transporting us into a fantastical world of arabesques and fouettés? Perhaps it is the sense of freedom and confidence that we feel when wearing a tutu, a sensation that amplifies with every pirouette and leap. Or could it simply be the intoxicating combination of childhood dreams and graceful elegance that we associate with tutus?
One thing is certain: for dancers and non-dancers alike, tutus hold a special place in our hearts. Whether you’re pirouetting on stage or simply admiring a ballet dancer's ethereal grace from the audience, a tutu remains an iconic symbol of art, beauty and elegance, one that we simply can't help but adore.
Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have a tutu-filled closet to re-organize and a pile of ballet books to peruse. Perhaps later I’ll don my own tutu, twirl about my sitting room and fantasise about joining the world’s most tutumanic ballet company, The Royal Tutuminous Theatre of Dance. After all, why not? It’s 2002, anything is possible!