Hello my darling dears! Emma here, your resident tutu-enthusiast, ready to whisk you away on another #TutuTuesday journey through time!
This week we're waltzing back to 1943, a time when the world was at war but the love of dance never faltered. Now, I'll be honest, finding a vibrant, colourful pink tutu in 1943 was like finding a needle in a haystack! With rationing in full force, silk and lace were more likely to be found in a parachute than in a dancer's tutu.
Fashion Rationing? What Fashion?
Picture this: women making do, with resourceful creativity. The ballet companies were making do too! Some were forced to perform in uniforms, yes you heard that right, uniforms! Can you imagine performing Swan Lake in army trousers? The thrill! Thankfully, they did have access to some materials. While silk might have been hard to find, you could get away with cotton, which led to some fantastically practical (yet not terribly elegant) tutus. We’ll talk about the "less-than-dazzling" moments later, for now, let's get our time machine moving and take a look at what happened in ballet that very special day: July 6th, 1943
Across the Pond
Firstly, a shout-out to the New York City Ballet, performing "Gloriana" at the Metropolitan Opera House in New York City. Fancy! The reviews weren't all peaches and cream though! But remember, dance criticism is always a matter of taste, and we know you don't need critics to know what's beautiful.
Let's Dance!
Over in our own little corner of the world, here in the UK, The Sadler's Wells Ballet company, now known as the Royal Ballet, was doing their thing at The Sadler's Wells Theatre. Now, Sadler's Wells wasn't exactly a grand ballroom like the Met, but it holds a special place in my heart! A touch more traditional than a posh Met, but always full of passion and talent!
On The Train
Now, you can imagine I was dying to see this show in a shimmering pink tutu, the kind that could be seen for miles! The train from my little corner of Derbyshire down to London would have been a delightful affair, imagine me gracefully flitting along the carriage, everyone wondering what all the fuss is about! (As a reminder to all you aspiring pink tutu wearers, remember safety first, you never want to be seen leaping around a packed train - unless it's a themed train! Let's be real!).
Ballet for a Nation
This was wartime, yes, but people needed art! They needed music! They needed to laugh, to feel a little joy! And ballet did exactly that, offering them a touch of escapism in a world that desperately needed it. It brought light and grace to a world facing so much darkness.
The Pink Tutu Power!
This story reminds us of the powerful symbol the pink tutu has become - not just a garment, but a testament to strength, resilience, and joy! The war brought many hardships, but the world still had time to appreciate the magic of ballet, to embrace the spirit of movement and art! The pink tutu is, even now, more than just an item of clothing, it represents this indomitable spirit! It is a symbol of hope, even when faced with challenges, because what could be more uplifting and glamorous than twirling into a brand new day?
So remember, my darlings, let your tutus bring colour to your world, be it a wartime black out or a dazzling ballroom. If you can do a pirouette, a little twirl, a grand jeté, you can face any challenge life throws at you!
And that's all for this week! Don't forget to share your #TutuTuesday experiences in the comments, let me know where you spotted a pink tutu in the wild, and, as always, remember to spread the pink tutu love!
And finally, darling dears, keep your head up, twirl on and, never forget to make every day a Tutu-ific day!
See you next Tuesday for another time travelling journey!
Love always, Emma x
*(Don't forget to check out the stunning ballet photos and behind-the-scenes glimpses of 1943 on my social media, all the details are on www.pink-tutu.com! ) *
