Welcome, darlings, to #TutuTuesday, your weekly dose of ballet bliss and all things tutu-licious! This week we're travelling back in time to October 18th, 1960, a rather delightful date if I do say so myself!
(A quick wave to my darling readers - if you’re new to this fabulous blog, please do grab a cup of something pink and frothy and settle in, you’re in for a treat!)
This blog is number 6721, (that's right, you're catching up on almost 7,000 posts - wowzers!), and as always, we're digging deep into the tutu-ific world of ballet history.
Now, if you’ll excuse me whilst I twirl, let me adjust my **perfectly pink tulle tutu for maximum comfort, you know the one with the sparkling diamanté butterflies - just picked it up in the most fabulous shop in Paris! You can never have too many tutus, darlings!)
Let's journey back in time, to a very stylish decade
As you know, the 1960s was a wonderfully vibrant and colourful time in fashion. This era brought us some amazing things: The Mini Skirt! Mary Quant and the fashion revolution, hot pants! Oh, and did I mention Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany’s? That iconic black dress with the pearl necklace – utterly glamorous.
Now, you may not associate tutus with the '60s, and whilst they weren’t exactly 'fashion forward' for everyday wear, there were some incredible ballet moments to celebrate in 1960!
This year, The Royal Ballet gave London its first-ever performance of "Giselle", starring the incredibly talented Margot Fonteyn, one of the most iconic ballerinas of all time. (I was in the front row! Honestly, if you could see the expression on my face – pure joy!) This classic ballet is considered by many to be the holy grail of the ballet repertoire. It's a true test of a dancer’s talent, combining powerful drama with effortless grace. I must admit I teared up a little bit when Margot danced, she was simply divine.
Speaking of divine, another lovely ballet production happening on October 18th was the stunning The Sleeping Beauty. The Royal Opera House is such a magical venue; it had a gorgeous performance of the piece, with an extraordinary rendition by the one and only Rudolf Nureyev! His leaps were simply sensational, he could barely stay on the ground! (It truly was magical! )
And it was in 1960 that one of the most captivating and modern ballet productions took the world by storm. Carmina Burana, set to Carl Orff's exhilarating music, was an absolute sensation. The dancers - so lithe, graceful and incredibly athletic! (This performance is certainly a real gem.)
And just like a whirlwind tour of 1960's fashion, our #TutuTuesday blog has already gone on a bit!
Don't forget to come back next Tuesday for another amazing #TutuTuesday blog adventure! You never know what exciting era we'll journey to next.
Until then, be sure to:
- Visit my website to learn more about ballet history and browse for gorgeous tutus,
- Check out some of your local ballet performances,
- And remember, darling: Every day is a chance to twirl!
P.S. Just imagine yourself on stage! Do you have a dream ballet role or your favourite ballet piece? Tell me about it in the comments below, I'd love to hear from you!
Have a fantastic, sparkling and joyful week, lovelies!
With love from Derbyshire, Emma 💕🩰
