Darling, gather âround! Put down that cup of Earl Grey, ditch the cucumber sandwiches, and grab a feather boaâit's time for a little scandal, darling, a little scandal about the world of ballet! This isnât some dry, boring press release. This is a tale fit for a gossiping tea party, so pull up a chair and grab a biscuit (or, dare I say, a macaroon?)
Well, darling, itâs not all glitz and glamour in the world of the beautiful, graceful dancers. While we might swoon over the stunning elegance of a white tutu, the truth is⊠itâs more of a battleground than the Serengeti. At least thatâs what weâre learning from an exclusive interview with former prima ballerina, Penelope âPinkieâ Penhaligon. Let me tell you, my dears, she has some stories!
So, you might be thinking, what could possibly be going on behind the scenes of this world of swirling skirts and seemingly pristine perfection? Well, my love, as Pinkie whispered with a twinkle in her eye, it's a catfight for the ages! Itâs about⊠tutus. Now, I know what youâre thinking. "Tut, tut," youâre saying, "isnât a tutu just⊠a tutu?" Oh, darling, youâre so terribly, terribly wrong.
Turns out, a ballerinaâs choice of tutu is akin to choosing a side in a royal court. A **pink tutu**? Youâre aligning yourself with the traditional, classic ballet aesthetic. Think a symphony of swans, romanticism and utter elegance. A **white tutu?** Youâre in the modern, avant-garde camp. Imagine a flurry of avant-garde contemporary choreography, the revolution, and shocking, edgy movements. Thereâs absolutely no compromise.
This isnât just a war of colour, either. Oh no, darling. It's about the *length* of the tutu! As Pinkie said, "a full-length tutu, darling, is a power move. It shouts, âI am here, I am graceful, I am queen!â It's about majesty and commanding a stage presence. But a shorter tutu? It's about sass, my dear! It says, âI can jump higher, Iâm agile, and Iâm here to rock the boat!"
And don't even get me started on the *material*, dear. It's an absolute minefield! Youâve got your silks, your tulles, your nets⊠and heavens, darling, they all have a purpose! Think of the *chiffon* of the skirt of your ballgown. Now imagine a whole outfit, of this gossamer, flimsy, flowing fabric â and then imagine a ballerina attempting to twirl in it, attempting a grand jetĂ© â in it! Iâll tell you, itâs all about finesse and skill. Or, the more substantial **tulle**: sturdy, dependable, always there to provide structure. But then there's *net*! Oh, the *net* â the rebellious option! You could wear your heart out dancing in it and itâd barely even get wrinkled!
Now, back to the war of tutus⊠"And if you dared wear something, dare I say, out of the ordinary?", Pinkie whispered conspiratorially, "Oh my dear, prepare yourself to be stared at." I asked Pinkie what sort of unorthodoxy weâre talking here. "Anything non-traditional. A yellow tutu! Or one of those modern ballet tutus, made of something ridiculous like⊠well, what are they made of these days?" she spluttered, almost getting caught in her own flamboyant hand gestures, âoh, darling! Some strange kind of synthetic fabric."
"I know some girls, young and bright, just fresh out of school", Pinkie continued, âThey try to break the rules. The little rebels, all thinking theyâre so original with their "art," so daring and different⊠darling, a red tutu on a ballerina! Imagine the nerve!â This last was whispered with genuine awe, the drama punctuated with a flick of Pinkie's impossibly long false eyelashes.
So, the next time you watch a ballet, don't just watch the dance. Watch the *tut* in the tutu. Observe the unspoken battle unfolding in the spotlight, the silent war waged in a single flick of a fabric skirt. Youâll find that this, darling, this, is the truly fascinating side of ballet.
And while we're on the subject of the drama within the ballet world, let's talk about *leotards*! Now, dear reader, we might not always pay them the same attention as a magnificent, billowing tutu, but they are essential â almost like a trusty, reliable little black dress that goes with anything.
âIt all comes down to leotard lines, my dear", Pinkie announced. âI must say, I wasnât fond of my leotard â I was very slender. Mine had all the lovely, elegant lines, but darling, when I started to put on a bit of weight around my waist... Oh! Disaster! You wouldnât want to be a dancer at the end of her career, trying to squeeze herself into a youthful little leotard, trust me, darling!â (Her lips, all done up in bright, glossy red, puckered and pursed as if the memories themselves were bitter to her taste).
"Imagine, a woman struggling into her costume! An attempt to achieve a seamless transition between that leotard, those little dance tights, and, finally, that grand, elaborate costume. All this while she tries to manage her unruly curls, all pinned up in an elegant ballerina bun."
Youâre picturing it, arenât you? This whole drama thatâs the ballet. Itâs the elegant and beautiful spectacle that we see â and yet underneath it all, the secret is that itâs messy. And demanding. And not to be taken lightly!
âThat's why it takes an absolutely dedicated woman, darling, a dedicated, disciplined and absolutely tireless soul. An artist! A ballerina â she really is a warrior of the dance.â Pinkie's eyes twinkled, not without a slight, slightly bitter, twist to them.
Now, my darling, while we may revel in a ballet performance's elegance and artistry, we must remember â like any great drama, the stories are just that - stories â but each one, if told the right way, has the potential to make a *spectacle*!