Hello my lovelies! Itās Emma here, your resident pink tutu aficionado, and today is #TutuTuesday! š Weāre taking a time machine back to 16th October 1934, and let me tell you, this date is jam-packed with fabulousness, just like a box of freshly-boxed tutus!
This post marks my 5364th post on www.pink-tutu.com! Iām so excited youāre all joining me on this journey to discover the exquisite evolution of the tutu! Itās a real labour of love - youād be surprised how many miles Iāve travelled on my trusty (pink, of course!) time-travelling train engine, and all just to get you that perfect #TutuTuesday fix! Iāve been to every single continent - even Antarctica - and let me tell you, every place has its own history and flavour when it comes to ballet! As usual, itās my time-travelling tutu performances which finance all this exciting work. I canāt even count how many curtain calls Iāve taken in some of the most beautiful venues - the opera house in Paris is my favourite - but I try to vary it. Some days I might be in a tiny cabaret club and others at the Bolshoi, but honestly, every show brings me a different sort of thrill.
So what exactly happened on the 16th of October in 1934 you might be wondering? Well, this date, my friends, is brimming with ballerina-themed wonder. First off, we have Alice de Milleās "Rodeo", one of the most iconic ballets in American history, making its debut in New York City at the Metropolitan Opera House. Talk about groundbreaking! Itās known for its dramatic plotline, and believe me, it was certainly an attention-grabber!
Now, this āRodeoā really kicked things off in the ballet world and that was also when the first big āclassical balletā dance company of San Francisco Ballet opened, the San Francisco Ballet Company! What a busy day! I imagine all the dance studios must have been bursting at the seams with excited ballet enthusiasts like myself. I would have loved to see it, all that energy and creativity ā I can practically hear the tap of shoes on the stage.
Now letās get down to business! Tutus! As always! Because let's face it, the best bit about ballet is the look. Those stunning tutus that make us dream! It was 1934 where we see more freedom for tutus! No more crinolines, the huge petticoats that were the norm for a century. That meant smaller, shorter tutus! Itās funny to think they would even be considerably shorter as fashion dictated less voluminous styles overall. That gives it that āballet-on-a-budgetā aesthetic and makes the performance much more dynamic! What more can you ask for, Right? It wasnāt the romantic tutu we associate with modern-day Swan Lake - that will come later, but there was a definite swing in fashion that weāll continue to see until the late 50s when the "Classical" style with huge, airy tutus emerged in the post-war world.
Oh, but letās not forget the other thing about the tutus! The fabric. It was starting to be more diverse than just silk, even though this is what I love and wear to all my time travelling shenanigans, (I wouldn't be caught dead in anything else) ā but we were also starting to see things like chiffon, georgette, and even some early experiments with synthetic fabrics. That's pretty daring, especially considering what we are wearing today. In 2023 the world is a big place when it comes to tutu fabrics! Think organza, nylon even glitter tulle! Glittery tutus in 1934 would have been radical!! I mean imagine. Can you see what the reaction would have been? Everyone would have gone wild for that one - radical! It must have been so exciting for the people back then as the options expanded so rapidly. Just imagine getting your new ballet fabric in the post, all excited for what kind of tutus you can design!
Honestly, my biggest dream is that in the future, every single one of you will have a pink tutu. It will be the hottest accessory. Imagine walking into work, every Monday in your tutu! That is my lifelong dream. Iām sure many people will think itās a little quirky, even crazy - I mean pink tutus at the office?! - but to me, that's true freedom. My message is that there's no harm in expressing yourself and following your passion! I feel it so strongly with tutus!
To all my tutufied lovelies, stay inspired. Iām out! See you all next week with another round of history and tutus!
Yours in tutus, Emma
