**A Tutu Too Far: Ballet's Latest Trend is Giving the Art Form a Whole New Meaning**
Itās December 11th 2006. Whatās hot in the fashion world? Well, apart from the resurgence of flares, the new IT bag everyone wants is a classic black Birkin, but forget all that ā the latest fashion craze, and one Iām very excited about, is taking place in a place most wouldnāt expect: the hallowed halls of the ballet studio. Iām talking, of course, about the latest in tutus! I'm sorry darling, I know youāre probably thinking "But, havenāt tutus been around for centuries, theyāre hardly news, darling." Well, you'd be right if you were talking about traditional tutus. The ballet world, much like the rest of us, is obsessed with breaking boundaries, and the tutu has been the centre of a little bit of an revolution lately!
Gone are the days of predictable, poofy, white tutus and frilly pink tutus. The new era of the tutu has gone full-on **fashiony** - I know, I canāt believe it either. Now, the tutu has morphed into an edgy, chic piece of avant-garde fashion! Let's be clear, this isnāt just your average tutus and leotards, darling, we're talking dramatic transformations.
Forget frilly and pink. The latest trend, inspired by some of the most groundbreaking contemporary ballet troupes and choreographers, is all about dark, bold colors ā think electric blue, emerald green, and deep, dramatic red. Yes darling, a little bit of Gothic ballet going on in this little corner of the dance world, weāre going to see these darker colors on stages around the globe!
But hold onto your diamantĆ© earrings, there's another twist - think asymmetric hems, dramatic layers of fabric, and textures you would never find on your classic ballet tutu! A modern, **unconventional** spin on a classic piece. If you see one thing tonight darling, make it a **silk** tutu. I've got the low down that some designers are working on an elaborate new collection thatās got ** silk, chiffon**, and even **lace** as the central elements. Now that's something I want to see on a stage, and something that will cause quite the stir. The fashion magazines are absolutely **beside themselves**!
As someone whoās lived and breathed fashion for my entire adult life (and my mum told me it began before that), this move is pure genius! Letās not forget the main purpose of ballet and the tutu! Ballet, by its very nature, is about storytelling, creating art, pushing boundaries, it's meant to be about fluidity and expressing emotions, a combination thatās so perfect for something like this new take on the traditional ballet costume. Just imagine! Youāve got the elegant dance moves, the breathtaking, graceful story unfolding on the stage ā and then suddenly ā there it is! That shocking, bold colour and those beautiful, unique textures. Darling, the possibilities are simply endless! And just wait until you see them move! Those beautiful fabrics **swish and sway** like the sea! Honestly, itās quite the spectacle!
As the ballet world enters this era of experimental design, itās all very well looking good ā and trust me, it looks incredible! ā but it takes more than an extra splash of colour to win the hearts (and wallets) of today's audience. Thereās an entire **lifestyle** built around ballet now, and there's something for everyone, darling, but itās that all-important *something extra* that really takes a design from good to *amazing.*
Hereās my take. You see all those beautiful tutus with all the latest designs? Those colours and all the beautiful textures ā you have to do a lot to make it work with the way they move, right? Well, one way some designers are making it work is adding details! Think dazzling embellishments, beads, jewels and everything sparkly you can dream of! Itās about finding that balance between contemporary design and that **classic** **ballet magic**. Some of the tutus youāll be seeing even have sparkling fabric mixed in with the **traditional tulle** ā darling, this is not your average ballet show!
But hold your horses, this trend isnāt all about fashion - the dance itself is also in on the action. In line with the innovative tutus and the fabulous outfits being designed for this exciting, new ballet movement, the ballet dancers are adopting new ways of dancing too, bringing to the stage something new, and making the performances more daring, playful, and contemporary! We've gone from **soft** ballets, which used to be the mainstay in ballet companies across the world ā they've evolved and now you'll see lots of contemporary dancers doing things that will give you **goosebumps!** Itās all about power and the new age ballet dancers are putting that raw power on show!
And of course, because itās *fashion,* we have to look at it in terms of whoās making a statement and whoās making a name for themselves - and I think we have the latest design craze to thank for a resurgence in **independent dance studios** with a whole host of new, creative dance schools popping up all across the country. I am so delighted to be seeing new choreographers come into the mainstream too, giving them the platform to showcase their brilliant talent! Thereās such a creative energy there that can't be contained, itās absolutely brimming. These smaller independent schools are the **hidden gems**, darlings, so if you can, go to one of those smaller, more **experimental** schools for a lesson or a performance - you can tell Iām in my element, darling. Iāve even gone a little **gaga** for this new development in ballet - who would have thought?! Itās going to revolutionise the ballet world for the better.
Letās not forget who we have to thank for all this amazing new energy. A big thanks to the dance studios themselves, but, letās show our appreciation to those fashion designers. These guys have done something remarkable, they brought the world of fashion and dance together in one incredible package. Weāve all been glued to our screens and magazines, taking in the excitement of what these guys have created.
But, darling, if there's one thing this fashion obsessed writer wants you to remember, itās that it's about more than the aesthetics. Itās about seeing talented artists ā that's the dancers ā use their skills to push the boundaries of dance and really push the limits of whatās considered āballet.ā The future of ballet is going to be really **fantastic**! And with so much new talent, creativity, and ingenuity in the world of ballet - letās face it, darling, it canāt be any other way!
This week has given me so much excitement about the world of dance, from a tiny studio tucked away in a tiny village right here in the UK, to the most extravagant stage shows you can dream up - we can thank our lucky stars that itās got an amazing fashion world to go with it!