Hello darlings! It's Emma here, your resident pink tutu-wearing, ballet-obsessed time traveller, and it's time for another #TutuTuesday, hurrah! This week we're whisked back to the 12th September 1944. Ooh, this date always brings a touch of war-time romance to the air, don't you think?
Remember, you can find all our #TutuTuesday blogs over on www.pink-tutu.com - I'm on blog post number 5881 today, which means it's officially become my life's work, this sharing the wonder of ballet with all of you!
Now, back to the past. We're standing in New York City today, just a hop skip and a jump away from Broadway. It's a fascinating place in 1944. New York's always buzzing with life and excitement, but with the war still raging, the air is electric, charged with a sense of wartime hopefulness. The dance scene here is as vibrant as ever, fuelled by the passion for artistic escape and sheer beauty that only the ballet can bring.
Our focus, though, isn't just the performance itself but the gorgeous costume: the tutu, darlings!
The year is 1944. The silhouette is soft and romantic, flowing like a dream. You've got your full-length tulle tutus - the traditional Romantic ballerina aesthetic. Think billowing layers of soft, ethereal fabric. Think dreamy and light, but not yet hitting those incredibly short tutus we're about to see. You know the ones, those sassy, thigh-high tutus that practically announce, “Look at me, I can leap and twirl!” Well, not yet, darling, we're building up to that!
Today's tutu is definitely about classic elegance. Think long lines, billowing layers, and maybe a splash of romantic floral detail in the skirt's fabric, hinting at the elegance and grace that defined the classical style. And don't even get me started on the colour choices. We're talking classic pastel shades, soft pinks and blues, creams, and a touch of that beautiful powder-puff yellow. This tutu isn't screaming for attention, she's quietly, subtly dazzling. Like a perfectly sculpted sculpture in the form of a ballerina, a little bit delicate, a lot breathtaking.
And what’s on in New York today?
- Imagine this – the iconic New York City Ballet is just on the horizon. A mere six years from now, it'll be captivating audiences with those breathtaking dancers, each twirling, leaping and extending their bodies in stunning harmony with each other. Imagine the tutus then! Imagine the bold lines and stunning use of colour and fabric - we can only dream of such future elegance and artistry in tutus, but let's revel in today's graceful lines, darling!
Today, at the Metropolitan Opera, it's all about opera, of course! A world of romance, storytelling, and pure artistry woven into a night of gorgeous costumes and magical voices. And don't forget those elegant tutus, darlings, flitting about on stage, telling tales through movements, each dance telling its own story with elegant poise. And what could be more exquisite than a ballet-infused opera? It's a magical world. If we're ever back in New York at the same time as one of their ballet performances, we absolutely MUST go. But this week, it’s opera. The romance of the past century…sigh…I simply can't resist.
The sheer elegance of ballet during this time. Imagine a tutu dancing like a cloud, whispering its own beautiful tale of love and triumph, of courage and resilience, just as much as the world out there was facing. And I wonder, darlings, how we, even with a century between us, feel the echoes of these dancers? It's why I love my time travel, it allows me to experience a world of stories through ballet, from the elegant grace of this century’s long tutus to the revolutionary spirit of a tutu on pointe, in all its beauty.
Time travel? Now there’s a challenge.
As always, darlings, I get to my time-traveling destinations through the kindness of my beloved theatre. After all, dancing in the spotlight helps to keep the world’s biggest, most incredible travelling ballet shoes running. So, every week, we take on a different venue – this week’s been Broadway for me!
You wouldn't believe what amazing finds I picked up on 5th Avenue, darlings! This amazing vintage scarf, it’s just calling to be part of my next photoshoot. I have an image in mind - oh it's absolutely divine. Imagine - vintage chic, a little touch of the forties, and a fabulous ballerina in a glorious pink tutu, hair in cascading curls and a touch of the famous 1940s ‘victory red’ on the lips. Pure perfection. I just can't wait to bring it all together for our next photo shoot, darling, just as soon as we return to my favourite Derbyshire, and my trusty tutu collection.
See you next #TutuTuesday! Don’t forget, darling, the aim is for everyone to wear pink! The world needs a little more twirling. Let’s make it happen.
