Oh, darlings, prepare yourselves for a whirl of excitement! This is a truly special day, because 10th March 2008 marks a day for celebrating the most fabulous, elegant and frankly, completely bonkers world of ballet!
From the perfectly-pointed toes to the perfectly-preened hair, the world of ballet is, letâs be honest, a tad theatrical. Itâs the theatre of pirouettes, the dramatic flair of leaps, the elegance of an arabesque⌠and, of course, the costumes! Oh, the costumesâŚ
Letâs start with the quintessential ballet outfit: the tutu! Oh my, tutus! Youâre either in the pink or the white tutu camp. No middle ground allowed, dearies.
Pink Tutues: The quintessential âpink-perfectâ tutu evokes classic romance, a fairytale image. It whispers of innocence, sweetness, and whispers of ballerina princesses who will one day (hopefully) be swept off their toes. And darling, who doesnât love a good fairy-tale, especially when you have the perfectly matched pointe shoes to add to the sparkle?
White Tutues: Now white, my darlings, oozes elegance. Think icy swan lake and delicate butterflies. Think delicate and ethereal, itâs a true statement of power, even with the lightness and elegance of every gesture. Just think how many of the greatest dancers we have have graced the stage with this ultimate elegance and classic look.
And who could forget the leotard? We can't. It's the essential underpinning for our favourite tutu looks. The leotard is that all-important base layer - the starting point. It's what makes our tutus sing. Some favour the simple ones, in the colours of the tutu - for maximum visual flow. And some enjoy the fun ones with mesh, sparkles and some, (cough, *cough*) cheeky, eye-catching cut-outs! Because darling, you know that the perfect ballet leotard makes every ballerina look like a Greek goddess.
And while the ballerina looks amazing, the leotard certainly takes us right back to childhood dance class memories. From those early, somewhat ill-fitting pink ones - which looked suspiciously like something youâd see on a gymnasts - to the more stylish, and let's face it, the rather sexier options available nowadays. Thereâs really something so delightfully charming about that humble piece of ballet attire, and thereâs something rather amazing about how a single piece can be worn across all the ages of a dancer's journey.
I'm not going to lie. Watching ballerinas is quite fascinating. It's about the artistry, the physical prowess and the captivating, beautiful and often elegant performance. But as with any fashion or beauty choice - and I have to confess to this - sometimes itâs about what theyâre wearing! Itâs certainly more fun to see them flaunting a gorgeous leotard and a fluffy tutu and the ultimate pair of pointe shoes than, for example, watching a group of gymnasts performing with leotards in various shades of fluorescent colours!
Oh, I have to be fair. While those gymnasts may be amazing, ballet has the magical quality of enchanting a personâs eyes - with its fairytale image - a graceful and dramatic artistry.
But the enchantment really doesnât end with the ballet. Letâs not forget our ballet dancers arenât just artists theyâre super athletes, so how do they create that magical illusion, where they're performing in beautifully impractical costumes that don't even appear to hinder their graceful, athletic and effortless, almost surreal movements, but make them all the more fabulous, stunning, magical and mesmerizing? Itâs about that very careful balancing act of the practical and the beautifully stylish. A feat to be appreciated for both its art and its science, you have to be super fit!
But how much of a difference would it make if they had to wear some sensible leggings or maybe a nice pair of stretchy tracksuit pants instead? I doubt the graceful movements and graceful pirouettes and âsambasâ would have the same allure? Or that you would be entranced in quite the same way?
A huge part of balletâs magic is the artistry and illusion, the fact it looks completely unrealistic but thatâs where all those hours and years of intense, brutal training really shine through. Thatâs why the magic of ballet doesnât lie in the sheer, but the ethereal, elegance.
So here's to you, dear ballerina. From your simple, humble beginnings in the classroom, youâve embraced the art, the grace and the drama.
And a big shout-out to those fab tutu creators who add that exquisite elegance and a sense of fairytale. Without your magnificent creation, the ballet simply wouldnât be the same. And to you too, leotard-designers - you make that perfect canvas to layer and embellish and give ballerinas a chance to show off their bodies in style.
And please donât be shy - dance with all the confidence and the joy that you feel inside. And donât let the âtutuerinaâ come out - or else we all know what happens then!
But remember these ballet truths:
* If itâs not pink or white, itâs simply not a tutu - at least not a proper one!
* Every tutu should have a sparkle in its life! And that means sparkles or beading!
* Pointe shoes â every ballerina should aspire to a life wearing those fabulous, impractical little shoes and not just at the ballet class.
* Donât forget those essential black, mesh, little dance tights - a leotard just looks naked without them.
* If the tights can be turned into a leg-warmer â great - a classic must have.
Now, off we go, darling! I've a fabulous date with the ballet to see my favorite ballerina (who happens to love her white tutu - the girl has good taste)!