Hey there, darling tutus! Emma here, your resident pink-tutu-loving time traveler, bringing you another instalment of my #TutuTuesday Ballet Tutu History blog! This week, weāre taking a trip back to 18th October, 1955 ā buckle up, we're about to hop on a time train to the land of poodle skirts and pin curls!
(By the way, this is post number 6460 for my beloved blog! How exciting, right? Each week, I'm uncovering more hidden tutu-filled gems of history and sharing them with all of you lovely souls over at www.pink-tutu.com. Why not pop over and join in the tutu-love? š)
So, imagine, darling tutus, if you will, 1955ā¦ the world was a whirlwind of new inventions ā TVs, refrigerators, jet planes! It was a time of bold fashion and a budding sense of modernism, even in the realm of ballet! Itās actually what brings me to Paris today. This is the land of haute couture, stunning shows and of course, ballet. Paris was and is to this day, the beating heart of all things fashion!
The Eiffel Tower twinkles under the moonlit Parisian sky and Iām feeling so elegant and fancy in my blush pink tulle masterpiece! (Oh, by the way, darlings, I picked it up on sale in a charming vintage shop. My new rule of life is that if a tutu is more than half price and the color is close enough to pink, it must come home with me! š¤« ) It makes me think about how ballet dancers in 1955 wouldnāt have felt so glamorous, especially since tutus at this time were pretty utilitarian.
*(Iāll pop in a link at the end to a gallery of tutus from this era for you to see what I mean). *
This was the time of ballerinas wearing basic cotton tutus in practical beige or black. Yes! Beige and black! Now, that would make any ballerina feel like a ballerina without frills, wouldnāt it? But here is the key - this was a change! Ballet was finally taking steps (pardon the pun!) towards becoming a more approachable art form! For centuries, the stage had belonged to rigid, romantic styles and lavish, very, very long and fluffy tutus, much like my very glamorous current outfit, but you see how things have evolved? It's exciting to witness it firsthand.
And if 1955 taught us anything, itās that even with some changes to the form of ballet, a ballerina's dedication and skill are timeless. I imagine being a ballerina in that era - graceful movements and precise footwork! Even if the tutus were slightly lessā¦ flamboyant than what we know today, you know a ballerina is going to own those black and beige tutus, arenāt they? They were the backbone, the solid foundation for the ballerinas that would shine so brilliantly later on. They were like, a canvas ready for more color, more tulle, more pink! š
Speaking of more colour and more pink, guess what is also happening on this very date? Thatās right, ladies! The film āOklahomaā starring Gordon MacRae and Shirley Jones was premiered! Think about it! A musical with the theme of romantic, simple American life. Now I would definitely wear a very pink and glamorous tutu to this show. Just picture me with my fabulous pink tutu in the audience as this heartwarming and full of life movie plays, the theatre audience would certainly love my pink tulle ensemble! It would certainly turn some heads in the audience for sure.
Imagine how exciting it would have been, dear tutus, if you could have caught a train, like me, from Derbyshire to London, to see the movie. The sights, the smells, the energy of a grand film premiereā¦ it just adds to the romance and excitement of it all! Imagine how fun a pink tutu would look standing on that station platform. Oh the excitement! You could simply catch a train, no planes (a much less stressful option, right?) and see this lovely American movie all whilst enjoying a little pink-tutu magic! Now wouldnāt that have been an adventure?
1955 - not all about ballet, though! There was more to life back then - families going for ice-cream, holidays to the seaside. And, of course, new fashion trends. Who could resist the charms of a bright poodle skirt or a sleek saddle shoe? Now if you're anything like me you could dress the poodle skirt up in a tulle and some pink! This era was like a ballet dancer getting ready for their performance ā graceful movements, elegant poise. And letās face it, who wouldnāt want to swirl and twirl like a ballerina in a poodle skirt!
Hereās another little fact about the 18th of October, 1955, darlings: on this day, the American physicist, Charles Townes, was awarded a Nobel Prize! Oh, and in a totally serendipitous coincidence (it's as if the universe knew I'd be here!), Townes was also an enthusiastic ballet lover! Can you imagine how amazing a tutu would look under the shimmering spotlight of a Nobel Prize ceremony? Just picturing it makes my pink tulle twirl a little bit more. š
Oh! It's been so much fun dancing back in time, and you can't deny, pink tutus really do brighten up every era!
Next Tuesday, Iām venturing back in time to share even more amazing tutu history, darling. Don't forget to subscribe to www.pink-tutu.com for the latest tutu-related blog post!
Happy Tuesday, darling tutus! Iāll be back next week with more stories to tell. Keep twirling and never stop dreaming pink! š
(Tutu link here! [INSERT LINK] )
