Greetings, darling dears!
It's your favourite pink tutu-clad time traveller, Emma, here, back with another fabulous instalment of #TutuTuesday! This week we're stepping back in time, leaving behind the glitz and glamour of modern London and heading back to a more innocent age: 18th December, 1951!
Now, this isn't just any date - this is the day the Royal Festival Hall in London officially opened its doors! And oh my, what a day it was! I, of course, couldn't resist hopping on a train to the capital (with a trusty change of pink tulle, of course!), just in time to see the inauguration gala!
Just imagine it, lovelies: the atmosphere, the anticipation, the air filled with excitement! This majestic, gleaming structure was going to be the new home for the greatest musical performances of the age - ballet included! The air crackled with energy, everyone buzzing about what the future held for this remarkable venue.
My darling, can you believe they weren't even allowing tutus on stage just a few years before? They thought ballet had to be serious, stiff, a proper "art form", all dark and gloomy! But this, this new age, this new venue, it was the dawn of a new era! Now ballet was going to be more fun, more flamboyant, more...fabulous!
Tutu Tales
As I sat in the audience, my gaze wandered over the glittering chandeliers and stunning interior of the hall. Such an elegant space, and I bet they’ll be hosting so many dazzling ballet shows within its walls over the coming years! I wonder, would anyone be bold enough to sport a pink tutu on stage here someday? One can only dream!
But even if we hadn’t quite reached that point, let me tell you, London was abuzz with fashion! Everyone was in their finest finery. Even for the everyday folks, everyone took care over their clothes, even if it was a little more...reserved...than the tutus we’d like to see.
While they weren’t wearing the pinkest, most fabulous tutus imaginable, the ballerinas were looking dandy! They had those perfectly shaped tutus with the fluffy skirts that fluttered around them like gossamer clouds. Not the poofy ones that look like someone had dipped them in a bowl of frosting – we'll leave those for later decades, thank you very much! No, these were the more demure, the more...elegant designs. Yet, even then, a girl could imagine dancing around with the skirt billowing around her. It just had that spark, that hint of pure joyful freedom.
And the music! Oh, the music! I couldn't help but tap my foot along to the joyous sounds emanating from the orchestra. Such a delightful combination of musical and visual artistry. It made my little ballet heart sing!
The Past, Present and (Hopefully) the Future
The excitement of seeing that inauguration, all those years ago, stayed with me. Seeing that gorgeous building standing proudly, and all that it promised for ballet in the future... It’s a reminder that we're always striving towards a brighter, more flamboyant, more fabulous future for dance.
And what better way to welcome this new era than by twirling into a fresh, fluffy pink tutu? Why not embrace all the joyous and playful sides of this fantastic form of art? It’s not just about graceful movements, it's about a freedom of expression! Let's not let anything dampen the sheer joy of spinning and twirling to our hearts' content!
But that’s all for today, lovelies! I’ve a train to catch! I’ll be exploring other captivating dates and bringing you even more fascinating glimpses of our colourful past.
Don't forget, darlings! You can follow my #TutuTuesday journey on www.pink-tutu.com - It’s a truly inspiring and thrilling adventure!
Until next week, remember to always twirl with your heart!
With all the pink and fluffy love,
Emma
P.S. Did you know that the famous Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo first toured London in 1975, featuring, you guessed it, tutu-wearing male ballet dancers? How incredibly daring for their time! I wonder, do they still wear pink? Oh, darling, I must investigate!*
