Hello darlings! Emma here, your pink tutu-loving time-travelling ballerina blogger, back with another #TutuTuesday adventure. Today we're stepping back in time to 7th October 1969, a truly magical date in the world of tutus and everything glamorous!
It’s so exciting being here in 1969. It’s definitely got that 70s vibe – think paisley, flares, and oh, those amazing platform shoes!
This week, we’re going to talk about the incredible changes going on in the world of dance – not just in ballet but all kinds of performance art! Did you know, that it’s just a few years away that “Hair” would take Broadway by storm.
Let’s rewind back a bit and delve into this fascinating decade!
The year 1969 – what a year! Think moon landings, the first Concorde flight and of course, the original Woodstock Music and Art Fair! This was a year that buzzed with incredible innovation and change – a time when society was truly starting to embrace a bolder, brighter way of thinking, and this was also reflected in the way dance was evolving.
Of course, it’s still the golden age for the traditional ballerina, the kind of woman who moves with exquisite grace, draped in an iconic white tutu. Think the magical ballerinas from the Royal Ballet. What’s so lovely about that era, the tutus from those days had all those beautiful layers. You see that elegance in everything!
But, excitingly, the dance scene in 1969 was starting to embrace something new. The tutus started taking on more daring shapes and silhouettes. Remember, 1969 is not quite the big disco age but that exciting, energetic, funky sound is beginning to simmer, and dance is reflecting that spirit of change.
And let's not forget about the fashion scene! It's positively bursting with colourful, innovative pieces - vibrant fabrics, patterns, textures – it’s all happening. Think a bit of boho, but also all the sleek chic glamour, the kind you might have seen on Audrey Hepburn or Brigitte Bardot – and, all of it’s working its way into the tutus and dancewear! Imagine – beautiful layers of tulle in electric purple, teal or yellow – the very best of fashion combined with all the movement of dance!
Let me take you back to yesterday at the London Coliseum, a theatre truly buzzing with life!
It was my day for ballet, so what could be more fabulous than an afternoon of The Sleeping Beauty by the Royal Ballet! I saw the amazing dancers in all their classical elegance, but in a way that just makes your heart leap. That sense of classic, iconic performance. It’s just sublime, and just what I love. It made my time travelling adventures all worthwhile!
I’ll say one thing, if you’ve never seen The Sleeping Beauty in London, put it on your to-do list, or to-do time travel list for all you aspiring ballerina bloggers! But let's also remember that this year, 1969, is more than just about traditional ballet, oh no. Modern dance is taking over! This is the decade where modern dance is blossoming. We’re starting to see truly daring innovations!
As a huge admirer of dance and fashion, the movement and the style, this is such a cool period! Think expressive forms of movement, breaking away from all those formal constraints, a lot more dramatic stage lighting and some seriously cool stage design – like abstract set pieces or perhaps dancers dressed in futuristic-looking costumes - nothing like the classical tutu at all.
Now, imagine my delight – even in 1969, fashion trends are always reflected in ballet costumes – and there was this beautiful modern ballet on the bill in London, and I'm telling you, the tutu is out there in all its full glory, but it’s a modern ballet style! Think a daring shape – a swirling tutu, all asymmetric – or even a single layer of shimmering gold silk. I have to say, this beautiful tutu - oh so modern and dynamic!
This whole fusion between modern art, movement, and style – just mesmerizes me. The spirit of 1969! The fact is, ballet is reflecting what's happening all around – fashion, the arts, even how we see ourselves as humans. This makes it just so fascinating!
I was lucky to visit Covent Garden last night and see an amazing exhibition of stage costumes that showed how dance has always embraced new ideas and trends! Think a tutu in bright, bold shades of fuchsia and pink. Think fringe and feathers – so 70’s, so gorgeous. Imagine, it's just a few years away from the whole glam rock phenomenon, when sequins will take over the stage, and ballet is always on top of trends – it's a real mix of movement and fashion!
If I was around 1969, I would be hanging around London's top boutiques trying to get a peek at the most sought-after tutus and all the latest fashion trends - and just getting my pink tutu ready for its 1969 update. But you know what's more fun? Just making one of your own.
Imagine yourself taking those long journeys on the tube – but on your way to ballet class, ready to create some dazzling costumes with friends, even some vintage ones from a few years before 1969. We’ve just had such an amazing explosion of colour – think paisley, so 70’s! The very essence of vintage chic – those floral prints, those bold stripes – amazing. This makes ballet outfits so very, very individual!
To help you bring the look home, I found the most fab little place down on Drury Lane called “Fancy Feathers”, just chock-full of gorgeous bits and bobs that can instantly transform any old costume, so you can mix-and-match your ballet gear. You want some sequins on your ballet shoes, a sparkly scarf to embrace that funky vibe, a stunning feathered hat, or even that little paisley scarf! Imagine – so elegant, so fabulous. Just makes a ballerina’s outfit come alive – I just love all that amazing boho chic – the kind of mix-and-match that makes each ballerina so individual!
I’ll be back next Tuesday, and, we will see what tutu trend comes next – what a fabulous world of dance this is !
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See you all next Tuesday for the next tutu travel adventure!
Much love and good luck with all those fabulous pirouettes and happy tutuing!
Emma!
