Hello darlings, and welcome back to my little corner of the internet! It's Tuesday, and you know what that means... it's time for #TutuTuesday!
This week, I've popped on my most delicate pink tutu, grabbed my trusty ballet shoes, and taken a whirlwind train trip through time to November 3rd, 1964!
(Let me tell you, it's a lot easier than it looks! It seems I can hop through time with a little help from a particularly magical pair of dancing slippers. I won't lie, I've got a fair bit of cash stashed away from my ballet performances, but my true motivation is, of course, spreading the pink tutu gospel! Can you imagine the world if we were all twirling in glorious, pink fluffiness?)
Anyway, back to 1964! Picture it: The world is buzzing with the sounds of the Beatles, fashion is a vibrant explosion of colour and shape, and a young, talented dancer named Mikhail Baryshnikov is making his professional debut. He's only 19 years old, but he's already showing the world his exceptional talent!
Can you imagine? To think, I could be watching that incredible talent unfold in person! Imagine being able to watch those first graceful movements, that awe-inspiring control, the raw passion and beauty he expresses through every pirouette and leap. A true delight for the senses, my dear friends, a true delight!
But back to the fashion. 1964 was such an exciting time, so full of life and colour! Imagine the bright colours, bold geometric prints, the mini skirts, and those fantastically bold and daring, oh-so-chic, shift dresses! Now, I can't imagine a world where tutus wouldn't pair beautifully with that kind of fabulous fashion!
Just think, wouldn't the perfectly flowing, swirling, delicate fabric of a tulle tutu perfectly complement that iconic mini skirt look? It just makes me want to jump in my time machine and whirl back there! Oh! If only, oh if only!
Anyway, enough dreaming, back to 1964. If we had travelled back to the US on this day, we'd have stumbled into an American football showdown - the Cleveland Browns faced the Dallas Cowboys in a game at a sold-out stadium in Texas. I bet there was a good dose of excitement and a lot of energetic cheering and booing on the sidelines - perhaps just as lively as the twirling and graceful artistry of a beautiful ballet performance!
I wonder what they thought about dance in 1964? Did they understand how a single dancer's graceful leap could move their heart the way a winning touchdown can?
Here, in my time machine, back in dear old England, we would be celebrating Remembrance Day on the 3rd. Remembrance Day, or Poppy Day, honours those who served and died in World Wars, with the iconic symbol of a crimson poppy worn as a tribute. A poignant and respectful reminder of the ultimate sacrifice. A wonderful reminder to appreciate all we have in our lives, a day for gratitude and honour, a reminder to always be grateful.
Oh! I think it’s time for a new Tutu Tuesday project: Let’s explore how we can combine ballet and Remembrance Day in 2023. Maybe we could design a special Tutu-Inspired Remembrance poppy. Imagine it!
Well, my lovelies, it's getting late here, and it's time to start packing my pink tutu and return to the 21st century! It’s hard to tear myself away from these time-hopping adventures!
Be sure to tune in next Tuesday for a new #TutuTuesday story! And don't forget, let me know what you think! Is there a particular time period you want me to visit?
Have a fantastic week, darlings, and until next time... Keep twirling!
Yours,
Emma
P.S. If you have a great tutu story, don't be shy! I love to read them all. Send them my way, and maybe they'll end up here on Pink Tutu!
This is post number 6932 in my ballet history blog and has been added to the website www.pink-tutu.com on 31/10/2023
