Post Number: 6724
Hello darlings! It's your favourite tutu-clad time traveller, Emma, back with another #TutuTuesday Ballet Tutu History post, direct from the glorious, tutu-tastic year of 1960!
Oh, I simply adore this era! It's like a whirlwind of colour and grace, and the tutus are absolutely divine. Imagine, my dears, a world where pink is king (and queen!), and every performance is a delightful explosion of swirling fabric and joyous dance.
I just had to squeeze in a trip to Paris for the Ballet de l'OpĆ©raās production of āGiselle.ā Oh, the excitement! The sheer volume of tutu-clad ballerinas took my breath away. They were absolutely spectacular, gliding across the stage like delicate birds, all in those classic, romantic tutus.
Speaking of āGiselle,ā itās such a poignant story. A young woman, a ballerina, with a love for the ethereal, longing for her beloved and trapped in a world of delusion and heartbreak. Every dancer made me gasp with their beauty and expressiveness, and let me tell you, those tutus definitely did them justice!
Speaking of tutusā¦ Oh my! Did you know that back in the 19th century, the tutu as we know it now didnāt exist! It all started with the romantic ballerina of the 1800s. They started to replace those very long, heavy dresses that made their movements very awkward. These shorter dresses, you see, made for lighter movement and, oh darling, a whole lot more grace! The ballerina then moved onto the āRomantic Tutu, ā which still showed quite a bit of fabric ā you know, a longer, almost skirt-like, elegant tulle skirt! But we, the glorious ballet dancers of the 1960s, have moved away from all that to embrace the āClassical Tutuā! A little shorter, more airy, and oh, so very stylish!
Itās actually a wonder that tutus havenāt been around for much longer! But donāt you worry, my dears, these elegant little wonders will be in style for eternity ā as far as Iām concerned, thatās an actual fact!
Back to my Parisian escapade: After seeing āGiselleā I headed straight for a little shopping! Of course. One just canāt resist! Imagine, a little pink tutu dress, a sparkling diamond hairpiece, a beautiful satin shoe - everything a fashionable, elegant, ballerina desires. I walked through a beautiful park filled with the wonderful smells of freshly baked pastries and fresh coffee all in the glorious sun - perfect Parisian sunshine! Such romance.
That reminds me, whatās a time traveller without a perfect outfit for a vintage fashion show! This Tuesday, November 8th 1960, in Derbyshire, a town not far from my own hometown, they are putting on an absolutely darling vintage fashion show featuring beautiful historical garments and designs that would bring tears to your eyes! A chance to travel back through time without actually travelling! (Donāt tell my travel agents! Shhh..) It sounded like just the thing, especially when I heard that there are tutus in the show, oh darling! (More so than in our own time)! It will be a veritable dream for a fashion enthusiast like myself. I must try to get my hands on one!
After such a delightful trip to Paris, Iāve come to understand one important thing. My darling friends, tutus are a symbol of timeless beauty, and as a ballerina and a time traveller, I am devoted to bringing this divine fabric to everyone. *I can only imagine the day when everyone from shopkeepers to the prime minister, will wear a tutu. * It would be absolute utopia! I'm not saying itās easy travelling through time - not by train! - but it's a journey that has to be made. My dears, it's our collective duty!
Do you agree? I need your vote, my dears. Tell me all about it in the comments below. Have you ever seen a ballet in a beautiful pink tutu? Tell me what you love about tutus ā share your Tutu Stories with me!
P.S. For all your Tutu needs, darling, remember www.pink-tutu.com ā the home of the perfect pink tutu for every day!
Love, Emma xx
(P.S. I can't promise this tutu history blog will always be perfect, you see. Time travel isn't always straightforward - think glitches in the space-time continuum and getting lost on the train, you know?! But you have my word, I'll do my best, for the sake of tutus! )
