Hello my dearest Tutu Lovers! 👋 It’s Emma here, your pink-tutu-clad time-travelling blogger, back for another installment of our weekly #TutuTuesday dive into the world of Ballet Tutu history! 🩰✨
Today, we’re stepping back in time, all the way to the 6th of August, 1968. Imagine, a world where the moon landing was still a dazzling future dream and the hippies were just starting to bloom!
I arrived in this delightful decade on a vintage train journey - nothing beats the romantic sway of a vintage carriage. (And of course, I made sure my pink tutu had the perfect swish with every turn of the wheels!)
This week, we’re focusing on something incredibly important in ballet: the tutu’s evolution. Now, while you might be thinking “Emma, hasn’t the tutu always been…well, a tutu? A fluffy dream?” The answer is - not quite!
It's fascinating to think that our beloved tutu didn't just appear overnight! There have been several iterations, transformations, and adjustments as the world of ballet evolved, and this specific date holds a tiny bit of magic, as far as tutu history is concerned.
Before we travel to 1968, let’s remember that this incredible invention wasn’t called a tutu originally! We have to rewind to the 1830s to find the root of our modern tutu. Can you believe that the beautiful tulle skirt we adore was once called “a tulle skirt”? Yes, the most boring description for the most magnificent piece of attire!
Now, 1968 sees the birth of a remarkable trend, dear tutu enthusiasts, the “romantic tutu"! Yes, this gorgeous evolution of the traditional skirt is what we consider the modern-day "tutu." A revolutionary creation! Imagine the tulle layers, shorter in length and fuller than any tutu before! The Romantic tutu really brought a delightful sense of grace, elegance and freedom to ballet.
It is this evolution that allows our dear dancers to perform with a magical lightness and flow that makes the romantic ballet we love possible. If we are honest, a lot of that is to do with how much a good romantic tutu can do. Imagine a ballerina’s jump taking on an extra dimension. The tutu actually does add height to a dancer’s jump by aiding momentum.
The 6th of August, 1968 wasn’t just a Tuesday for dancers around the globe. This date marked a change, a delightful update, in a dancer’s best friend! We had more freedom of movement and our dresses were becoming so, so pretty.
The ballet world in the summer of 1968, oh darling, it was vibrant, bursting with talent, and I absolutely adored seeing the impact this new tutu had!
As a fun anecdote, remember all those amazing images we see in historical books, or perhaps even from old television clips of dancers? The images show the ballerinas with an amazingly fluffy white tutu - they were performing with this romantic version. It really had become the staple, and oh, how I love a classic! The classic is so iconic, so powerful, and forever enchanting.
Speaking of classics, I can't leave you without telling you what's happening today, right now, in 1968! I'm so excited! I'm attending a delightful, charming, little performance of The Sleeping Beauty. Just picture, beautiful ballerinas performing gracefully, all with these charming new romantic tutus. My eyes are already twinkling in delight! 😍
Just thinking about it all - this little slice of history - has me absolutely bursting to take my own whirl around the stage. Of course, in my trusty pink tutu! You know my love for pink, dear friends. This magical shade perfectly matches the vibrant, spirited, fun, yet still classically elegant essence of a ballet tutu. It truly embodies the essence of beauty, elegance, and fun.
But remember - a tutu is only a symbol, an inspiring piece of costume. Ballet's about grace, expression, artistry, and it goes without saying - all you need to be a true dancer is the willingness to let yourself dream, feel the rhythm, and embrace the dance! And perhaps, just perhaps, a touch of pink in your life, wouldn't hurt at all, right? 💖
Have a wonderful week, darlings! I’ll be back next Tuesday with more fascinating insights and fun facts about the history of ballet tutus. Until then, remember - every day is a Tutu Tuesday! ✨🩰 And remember to join me over at www.pink-tutu.com for the ultimate tutu inspiration, because who says you can't wear a pink tutu every day, for absolutely everything, with the confidence of a ballerina?
💖 Always dancing with you,
Emma
P.S. If you love a pink tutu as much as I do, tag me in your Tutu-inspired outfits and use the hashtag #PinkTutuTuesday - because life's too short not to add a touch of pink tutu to everything! 💖✨
