Oh darlings, let's face it, ballet is a bit of a cliché, isn't it? We all picture a graceful ballerina twirling in a billowing white tutu, but have you ever stopped to think about the reality of those frothy garments? Let's get real: those tutus are about as practical as a pair of silk gloves in a snowstorm! And as for those tiny little leotards, they must feel about as comfy as a slinky around your neck. It's all just so ridiculously glamorous, yet entirely impractical.
But let me tell you something, my dears, sometimes those things that appear ridiculously impractical are actually a darn good laugh! Think of it this way, what would ballet be without its absurd sartorial splendor? Where's the fun in watching graceful young ladies dancing about in their tracksuits, right? ( Though, for a really funny ballet, imagine a performance of 'Swan Lake' set in a leisure centre - with all the choreography faithfully replicated but the costumes are fleece jogging bottoms and hoodies - it'd be absolutely hilarious).
So, as it happens, February 15th, 2008 marks 'National Tutu Day'. Why, I hear you cry? Because we need a day to celebrate the ridiculous! Now, let's all grab our very own pink tutus (no, not those poofy professional stage ones, dear, think 'Barbie meets fashion disaster', with lashings of glitter). Throw on a comfy fluffy white cardi, slip into our fuzzy ballet slippers ( it's a fashion crime against humanity to even try and fit into a pair of pointy satin shoes!) and we're good to go, babes!
Don't forget to bring along your 'ballet snacks'. This, of course, is not the sort of sustenance your usual dainty ballet dancer might eat - like a dainty slice of fruit or some green grapes (quelle horror!) This is the 'after ballet' snack, when the professional ballerina's inner pig goes WILD, with fattening sugary treats that provide the calorie boost needed for such demanding choreography! ( We'll discuss what these snacks are later...)
Here are some 'Tutu Tips' to make the most of your 'National Tutu Day':- 'A' for Attitude! Be as fabulous as possible. The aim of the game is to turn heads while strutting about, looking utterly 'off' (and dare I say a bit ridiculous!) in your pink tutu - you're breaking the mould!
- 'B' for Beauty ( in your own 'special' way)! A ballet class needs makeup. Not your usual natural daytime stuff ( though, why not give yourself 'delicate' fake black eye - it’s totally dramatic!). Think theatrical, with strong eye shadow and lots of eyeliner, or a bold, bright lipstick, and enough blush to colour your face an embarrassing shade of crimson - like the pink tutu!
- 'C' for "Can I take a picture?!" ( And post them online, too! - just add the #NationalTutuDay to your caption, duh!)
Of course, as a ballerina at heart and dance aficionado, I'm aware that it might appear a bit ‘tongue-in-cheek' for me to make light of ballet, but in truth I'm not really doing so at all. I simply enjoy embracing its absurdity, in a totally fun way. I mean, let's face it, if we're being truly honest here, what is dance at the end of the day if not a kind of joyful and spectacular form of controlled nonsense? A chance for human beings to dress up like something that may, or may not, exist - like the mythical swan from Tchaikovsky’s 'Swan Lake' - to then tell a story through elegant movement, to transport audiences to other places and times, to be, perhaps, a bit more, well, fluffy than normal.
We can take the mickey out of the 'fluffy' clothes, yes, but ultimately, they are key to the visual artistry that ballet brings to the world - the billowing tutus, the glitzy embellishments, the dramatic satin bodices. Let's face it, if those who perform at the Royal Opera House danced in tracksuit bottoms, we would likely get fewer laughs, even from the best choreographers on the planet! And if we are going to embrace our ridiculousness - then, for goodness sake, we have to have tutus, right?
It’s more about that ‘Inner Ballerina’So, as a ballet and dance author in my late 20s, I am always amused at how much people adore the ‘dreamy world' of ballet. For some people, it is that yearning for the fairytale. That longing for a simpler time where there's an emphasis on poise, grace and beauty. For myself, I know my own 'Inner Ballerina' is often trying to burst forth. In some form it often does: from twirling in my dressing gown whilst dancing around the living room ( to a song from the latest hit Broadway musical, or whatever it may be) to dancing ‘boogie woogie’ on my own at some night club - I often have to channel the 'inner ballerina' when I'm out on the dance floor with friends ( though perhaps not while wearing a pink tutu...).
For you dear reader, I imagine it might be much the same? You, too, are filled with that latent longing for the dreamy elegance of a world you can sometimes step into. For you it might be a twirl at the back of your wardrobe when you think no one is watching, or a graceful pirouette on your way to grab your first latte of the day in your favourite coffee shop. Whatever form it takes, we can’t deny it. That 'Inner Ballerina' lives on within all of us - it’s our very own 'pink tutu' moment!
So why don’t we get out those fluffy ballet cardigans and put on the pink tutus, my darlings! This 'National Tutu Day', we will pay homage to our 'inner ballerina' and our love of that wonderfully absurd world of ballet - that world where a bit of nonsense is never really a bad thing. So be 'pink, be 'fabulous, be ridiculously happy to be you on ‘National Tutu Day'!"
( Ps. If you really want to make 'National Tutu Day' memorable, take a bottle of Prosecco - and a very large chocolate tart (with cream! And perhaps a bit of chocolate sauce!) - to the local park. Wear your tutu. Dance like nobody is watching - which, of course, is not going to be true. Enjoy the day and embrace the ‘fluffy’! )