Oh darling, gather round! Grab a glass of something bubbly (you deserve it after the week we've had), put your feet up, and settle in for the latest scoop straight from the heart of the dance world. Because today, 12th September, 1996, is not just any day – it's the day the world of ballet took a right royal tumble, and believe me, it was utterly spectacular.
The Royal Ballet, you see, has decided to do something completely radical. Something daring, groundbreaking, revolutionary – they’ve decided to ditch the traditional pink tutus. Can you believe it? No more frothy clouds of blush pink swirling around those graceful legs! The world, it seems, has been turned on its head. The unthinkable has happened.
This news has sent ripples – no, tidal waves – of shock, horror and outright confusion across the ballet scene. For goodness sake, darling, it's like trying to imagine the Queen stepping out in a pair of leopard print pumps! You wouldn't do it! You wouldn't dream of it!
Imagine a sea of white. White! That’s right, my lovelies. This season, it’s all about crisp, clean white. Now, white can be very elegant – I won't deny it. You can even make it look a little naughty if you know how to work it. But white? For a ballet? It's just… too...plain!
What will the purists say? What will those rigid ballet instructors – who always seem to have that air of disapproval in their stern, usually unsmiling faces - think? How will the audience react? Will they understand, appreciate the new minimalist aesthetic? Or will they just throw their tutus (oh, the tutus! – please someone call a tututist – that’s an expert in tutu issues - right?) in protest? Who knows!
Let’s be honest here. Tutus have been a staple of ballet since time immemorial. It’s like the high heel to a red carpet. No one is arguing. But for heaven’s sake, we’ve had pink for as long as we can remember! It’s almost time for an upgrade. If someone says pink is no longer "in" they just might be right, But darling, can we be so sure it’s only fashion and not just about ballet? Do they mean that we have to make a huge step, and accept this new thing, the new look. Surely we can stay faithful to the idea of ballet and our heritage - by staying true to tradition but give this new thing a whirl. It can be just a tiny little thing. Can we? Should we?
Personally, I can't help but wonder – are we ready for a ballet world without the signature pink tutu? Do these white tutus really capture the ethereal beauty of the art form? Will dancers be able to move with the same freedom, the same confidence in this new look? Only time will tell! But darling, just imagine. Maybe it will be a complete disaster. Imagine the mayhem – like when they swapped out the red phone box for those sleek glass ones! But no! My instincts tell me this will be a roaring success. Why not let your imagination soar - we are not stuck with one shade of pink! Maybe our ballets need to find some excitement. We need some daring and something totally radical. Perhaps the new look, the change of tutus is exactly the thing we all need. Let's keep an open mind darling, and welcome a change – a breath of fresh air – to this classic world!
However, fear not, dear reader, for all is not lost. There’s a twist to this tale – a little sprinkle of fabulous that will tickle your fancy:This change of costume has led to a massive spike in demand for custom made leotards. Darling! Now that’s what I’m talking about! Think about the options – every dancer getting to wear a completely unique piece. We can forget those plain black leotards (though, to be honest, those were always very slimming). It’s all about colour, sparkle and even sequins if you fancy them.
Imagine that – a kaleidoscope of leotards across the stage, each dancer a shimmering masterpiece! The whole dance floor looking like a fabulous disco party. It's brilliant. And, with this radical move, I can just imagine the Royal Ballet's sales of those boring, plain black tights dropping by about 75% and being replaced by amazing sheer and colourful hosiery to match the fabulous leotard creations. Imagine that – hosiery so spectacular they deserve a show of their own!
And you know what the most fabulous part of this whole story is, my darling? The white tutus and new leotards will be all the rage. This change is definitely not the beginning of the end, but a brand new beginning.
It's about the transformation!- The tutu’s aren’t actually disappearing, the just need a makeover. Let's get some new colours and prints. Perhaps some exciting designs and make the Royal Ballet a place where fashion comes to the forefront and where you go to see a show-stopping spectacle – a breathtaking feast for the eyes. Think "fabulous", "sophisticated", "daring" – even "camp" (if that’s your thing!).
- And don't get me started on the hairstyles! There’s such room for growth here. We can see some fantastic hair buns in all sorts of styles and sizes. A good bit of hair spray, some sparkly hair gems and bobs galore. Maybe we can do away with the ballerina bun entirely. Or at least for one ballet every season!
Oh darling, This might be just the beginning. The ballet world may be embracing this new trend. Just think – next they’ll be putting our gorgeous boys in tight sparkly outfits and getting rid of the dull gray shirts! Then maybe, just maybe, ballet will be as fashion-forward as all the catwalks, It'll be totally sensational. We just need a little imagination! We just need to find the right mix, the perfect formula of classical style mixed with the exciting glamour and sophistication of contemporary style. The combination is going to be magnificent! We will never go back, we will just change.