A Tutu-ally Hilarious Story: When Ballet Met Reality, and the Result Was…Well, Pretty Awkward
It’s the 24th of September 1996. The day we finally answered the age-old question: what would happen if a group of ballerinas were dropped, tutu-clad and all, into the chaotic world of the ordinary, non-ballet-dancing person? The answer, as it turned out, was quite possibly the funniest thing you’ll read this week.
Let me start by painting the picture: a team of highly-trained ballerinas, resplendent in their pink tutus, were tasked with a ‘secret mission’ by the mysterious organisation ‘Arts & Reality Incorporated’. Their aim? To make their way into everyday life and observe how people, well, lived. We can all agree that ballet dancers live a life that’s about as far away from the 'ordinary' as you can get, So, the premise was…intriguing, to say the least.
They started in a small town somewhere in the south of England, (the exact location remains a secret) where the mission, they were informed, involved… grocery shopping. The thought alone probably gave them a shiver, having only ever had their pointe shoes tickle the floors of their ballet studio, or the grand stages of London's West End.
The girls were sent on their 'mission' armed with nothing but their dance bags and their very expensive, silk, pink tutus. Yes, the irony wasn’t lost on us.
So what happened?
Let’s just say it was the ultimate mismatch between the ballerina’s world and the, let’s call it 'reality' of life for the rest of us. The first few steps of their foray into a normal life, were, shall we say, a touch less graceful than they were used to. The supermarkets, usually the territory of shoving, pushing and a good, solid eye roll, simply wasn’t designed for, shall we say, pirouettes. Not only that, those tutus proved to be absolutely impractical when it came to grabbing those hefty jars of tomato sauce or even attempting a 'reach' to get a tin of tuna, from the very top shelf of the supermarket aisle!
The most hilarious moment of the whole adventure? When they stumbled into the local pub. Imagine that: a room full of people, all relaxed and casual in their pub-appropriate attire - a far cry from a packed Covent Garden Opera House - and then these pink tutus flouncing in. They actually managed to do a little dance on a stool and for a while there, nobody knew how to react! They then proceeded to attempt to order a drink with the very prettiest, high-pitched voices they could manage, but let’s just say their attempt at a good old pint didn't go quite as planned. One of them even took a tumble out of a revolving door and let's just say she managed to grab hold of an elderly lady’s handbag and was mistaken for a robber by a gentleman walking his terrier! The rest of the 'ballet team' simply melted into the background like ballerinas lost in the back row of the chorus. The entire affair must have been truly quite comical to observe.
So, what was learned from this day’s secret mission?
- The world outside ballet is a bit messy: That's probably the most polite way to put it.
- Pink tutus aren’t suitable attire for normal people: And probably even less so, when shopping for everyday supplies, going to the pub or trying to steal handbags (unintentionally). That being said, let's just admit the contrast, was rather comical!
- The secret mission failed miserably: The ballerinas simply couldn’t adapt to 'real' life! Not to worry though, they have plenty of 'real' world experiences in their very busy professional lives, even if they weren’t always dressed in a silk tutu!
- The world’s need for ballet-themed comedy is strong: The very thought of ballerinas being caught in these hilarious 'every day life' situations had everyone in stitches - even if we have to keep the story a little on the down low!
And let’s face it - you'll agree with me when I say we all just have to applaud ‘Arts & Reality Incorporated' - you’ve got to love that little touch of mischief! Now, go on. Let’s go have a pint. But without a pink tutu!