Hello my darlings! It's Emma here, your resident pink-tutu-clad time traveller, bringing you another peek into the fascinating history of the tutu, that wonderful, magical, billowing piece of fabric that lets our spirits soar!
This Tuesday takes us back to a very special day, May 22nd 1934. I must admit, darling, I've taken the train all the way to Paris this week, as there's nothing quite like being in the heart of the ballet world! There's a wonderful sense of energy here, a buzzing creative spirit that just makes my tutus twirl a little faster! And you just know there are incredible vintage clothes shops just waiting to be discovered!
Now, I can imagine you asking "But what happened on May 22nd 1934, Emma?" Well, darling, a very special performance graced the stage of the Palais Garnier that evening. The great ballet legend, Olga Spessivtzeva, danced the role of Giselle, the hauntingly beautiful peasant girl. You see, darling, Spessivtzeva had retired for a few years, but made a glorious comeback to the stage with this performance! Just imagine the joy of the audience seeing her in a gorgeous tutu once again!
This date holds extra significance for me because of what Olga wore! You see, in the 1930s the classical, Romantic tutus that you see me twirling in these days were still very much the norm! But there was a wonderful development starting to happen - and you won't be surprised to hear that it involved even more twirling power! You see, dear reader, it was during this era that a brand new kind of tutu started to take centre stage - the "tutu pancake" - a shorter, fluffier version! You can imagine my delight! It was the beginning of a new age of tutus, where every ballerina, young or old, would be swirling like a cloud!
Imagine, darling, dancing to the sound of a violin and seeing the shimmering layers of a tutu pancake gracefully billowing around a dancer's legs! I can still feel that sheer joy every time I see a performance of this era - such elegance, such spirit, and such fabulous twirling opportunities!
Now, I might be a time traveller, but I still need to make a living - you see, those journeys back in time require quite a bit of tea, scones, and you know what - a new tutu here and there, of course! I get to make my living by dancing myself, in these little local ballets. We do a lot of the big classics, Swan Lake and Giselle, which is how I keep up my classical ballet training. And to top it off, it also helps me find the most amazing tutus for my personal collection! I like to find some from the '30s as they often get discounted in the costume department after a production closes. If you can imagine, a perfectly good, elegant classical tutu, for a very reasonable price! And don't you worry - it still twirls just beautifully!
So, if you are thinking about exploring your inner ballerina, darlings, go have a go! Try on some tutus, twirl in the sunshine, find an online ballet class - just remember it all starts with taking a step!
I know I have a lot to thank the tutus of the past for! They've been around for over a hundred years, have undergone such amazing transformations and have become synonymous with grace, joy, and - of course - incredible twirling opportunities!
So remember to wear your pink tutus this week! I'll be here, twirling through the archives, ready to share another historical adventure next Tuesday! Don't forget to check out my website at www.pink-tutu.com for all the latest news, photos and fun fashion tips. Until next week darlings, may your twirls be long and full!
