Well, darlings, it’s time for a little tea and tittle-tattle, because my dear, the world of ballet has been absolutely abuzz with scandal! This is going to be good, darling, prepare yourselves, this is juicy! I just can’t contain myself!
The latest whisper in the hallowed halls of the Royal Opera House, the Royal Ballet, nay the WHOLE BALLET WORLD, is not about a scandalous affair between two prima ballerinas (although rumour has it the Artistic Director and a principal dancer have been seeing each other, gasp!), but rather something that has sent shockwaves through the usually very prim and proper, shall we say, rigid ballet community: it seems some rather rebellious ballerinas are opting to wear… wait for it… BLACK TUTUS!
I know, I know! It is absolutely scandalous, darlings. Imagine the horror! The tutus, traditionally white, a symbol of purity and grace, the leotards, oh so usually skin-tight pink, symbols of girlish charm, all gone! All of them replaced with the colour of … *shudders*… darkness!
Imagine a dancer, lit by the soft spotlight, arms gracefully outstretched, poised for the grand jeté…but then! *Gasp!* Instead of a white, billowing cloud, a swathe of black… an echo of a gothic night…a shadow cast upon the innocence…Oh, my!
Why, you might ask? Are they protesting? Are they part of a new feminist movement? Have they signed on with the environmental movement, and decided that black, for once, does go with everything? It seems not. In fact, no-one seems to know quite why.
The rumour mill, bless it, has spun wildly with every possible reason, though. One whisper: The new Artistic Director, having come from the contemporary ballet world, where all manner of fabrics and colours are acceptable (yes, even black!), is encouraging a more … erm… *dramatic* … colour palette.
Another rumour, and this is even more shocking: these "black swans," are taking fashion inspiration from the *cough cough* rather … *controversial*… actress-singer, Ms. Winehouse. She is known, as you know, for her preference for the *ebony* shade.
Well, darling, I am as bewildered as you. My personal preference, of course, remains white for my tutus and pink for my leotards. There’s something, something almost divine, about that innocent hue of pink, don't you agree? But what do I know, I’m a writer, not a ballerina!
But back to these rebel rousers, let's look at this through the more discerning eye of a true ballet aficionado. Now, from an artistic standpoint, it is true, black can indeed have its own elegance, its own depth, its own drama, its own... well, dare I say it... *smugness*!
It certainly does offer a striking contrast on the stage, which can be interpreted in many ways, like the conflict of darkness and light, or good vs. evil… *cough, cough*... perhaps the good versus evil battle happening in the *certain* prima ballerina's *very public* relationship with the Artistic Director. *Gulp!*. Oh, it really does pay to keep a sharp ear to the ground, doesn’t it, darlings!?
It could also, perhaps, highlight the strength of the dancer, the way black commands attention, demands respect. Perhaps this is the ballerinas way of sending a message to the ballet world, demanding more equality, more attention, more … recognition! Or perhaps it’s simply the newest fashion trend for these glamorous stars of the stage. After all, *darlings*, it’s all about standing out from the crowd, isn't it? And what better way to stand out than a black tutu?
So, whether this is a trend for the future, a rebellious statement, or just a fleeting fashion fad, my dear darlings, I don't know. But one thing is for certain, this black tutu has shaken up the usually demure ballet world, and I for one, can't wait to see what happens next. I must say though, one can only dream of what might happen to those leotards next! Imagine, darlings! A leotard that isn't just a pale pink! Oh, my, that would be such an exciting scandal!
I shall keep my lovely little readers updated, promise. In the meantime, darlings, make sure your ears are pricked, and don’t hesitate to grab your glasses of something bubbly, and enjoy the drama!
XOXO
Fashionable Musings from a Ballet-Loving, Tea-Drinking Diva.
Oh, and, for a quick fashion update. In case you didn't know, darling, it seems the pink and black "trend" is spilling over to ballet footwear, too. Now, traditionally the ballet shoes were the colour of the canvas on which the dance was happening - in a theatre or studio - meaning…white or beige, naturally. But oh my dear…*shudders*... I just heard tell that there was a dancer at a recent audition who wore pink shoes! Not just ANY pink. A rather garish, bubblegum, fluorescent, candy floss PINK!
I don’t know about you, darlings, but I thought this was just a tad much, just a tad…inappropriate! I hear the poor, dear dance instructor practically fainted. He did say in hushed tones that ballet is all about artistry, about the precision and power of the dance, not, dare I say it…about showing off some *tacky* shoes! How dare she? After all, when has fluorescent pink been a part of the classical dance? Never, darling! Never!
I know, I know, the old world can sometimes be a little stuffy and too precious! But darling, let’s be honest here! There is just something about a ballet dancer in white…don’t you agree? And now for the fashion verdict from your personal fashion advisor: Pink tutus? Acceptable. Pink ballet shoes? Oh dear, darling, you must be kidding!