Hello, my darlings! Emma here, your favourite pink-tutu-clad time-travelling ballerina, back with another edition of your favourite blog, Ballet Tutu History, for #TutuTuesday.
Welcome, to my delightful pink palace of pirouettes and pouts. Today, we're venturing back to 1971-04-13. Buckle up, my lovelies, because we're about to embark on a journey to a time where ballet was truly blossoming!
This week, my travel-stained ballet shoes landed me in none other than Paris, the City of Lights and my favourite city in the world. Did you know, Paris is simply overflowing with gorgeous ballet studios, ateliers, and the most breathtakingly beautiful theatre venues. Oh, darling! And the fashion! It's simply to die for! You wouldn't believe the gorgeous little shops, filled with tulle and satin in every colour of the rainbow - a tutu lover's dream come true!
Speaking of colours, my outfit today is a veritable ode to my favourite hue: pink! A fluffy, cloud-like pink tutu, a blush-pink satin top, and some sparkling pink ballet shoes. It’s giving French ballerina, it’s giving sweet, it’s giving absolutely divine!
Now, let’s talk about what happened on this date in ballet history! Did you know, 13th April 1971 marked the grand opening of the Palais Garnier Opera House in Paris! Isn't that wonderful? To this day, this beautiful opera house stands tall as a symbol of artistic excellence and glamour. And wouldn’t you know, the opening performance was none other than Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake. Isn’t that the perfect piece of ballet to grace such a beautiful venue?
Can you picture it, my dears? All those beautiful dancers gliding through their graceful movements in their elegant white tutus. The gorgeous scenery and lighting of this iconic performance would’ve been absolutely spectacular, I bet!
The ballet scene in Paris back then was a riot of colour and energy, I’m sure of it! Ballet dancers were the celebrities of the time, everyone wanted to be them! I can just imagine all the pretty dancers flitting about, gossiping over coffee, shopping for the most gorgeous silk stockings, and giggling with their friends about which Parisian boulangerie makes the best pastry (oh, I know I’d want to find out too!).
So my little ballet lovelies, I urge you, find some time to visit the beautiful Palais Garnier, especially for the Swan Lake. I'm confident that, just like me, you’ll find yourself swept up in the pure magic and brilliance of it all!
Let’s delve deeper into the 1970s, a truly spectacular time in the history of tutus!
Did you know, the 1970s was a revolutionary period in ballet costume design? Yes, indeed, darling! With the birth of "neo-classical ballet," new, more contemporary designs took over. Suddenly, we were seeing ballet tutus with different layers and styles, using more modern materials and cuts. Forget the traditional pancake style tutu! There were exciting new designs popping up everywhere – fluffy tutus with layered ruffles, edgy contemporary pieces made of soft fabric with unexpected shapes – oh, my darlings! The fashion! Simply fabulous!
Imagine seeing dancers on stage in bright colours - scarlet red, sunshine yellow, shocking pink - they’re bursting with energy! There was such a spirit of liberation back then – it’s infectious! I simply adore the energy and movement of the new generation of ballerinas – they are bold, creative and independent.
One of my absolute favourite tutu designs was created by none other than legendary fashion designer, Yves Saint Laurent. That man truly was a visionary – imagine, taking a classic silhouette and giving it a totally modern twist. Oh, my darlings! Pure genius! He combined his own personal sense of style and flair with the elegant grace of the ballet, to produce some truly incredible creations. His designs were edgy, fashionable, and breathtakingly bold, showcasing the new femininity of the decade! Just think, the designs were being showcased not only on the stage, but also on the streets. Oh, it was a beautiful time to be alive!
I just love these exciting new interpretations, with each costume a piece of artistic expression, showcasing a new vision for this iconic dance wear. This time in history represents the evolution of ballet, it’s the blossoming of the dance and a truly magical period in history!
Speaking of the blossoming of dance, have you checked out my online ballet store at www.pink-tutu.com, my little lovelies? It's just bursting with everything a budding ballerina (and, indeed, all of you) could need! Gorgeous ballet dresses, soft tutus for dancing, luxurious tights and shoes. Not to mention some spectacularly pretty pink tutus in all different sizes and shapes, just for you. We all have our inner ballerina waiting to shine!
Remember, my darlings, always embrace the power of the pink tutu and let your inner ballerina shine! Keep your eyes open for those #TutuTuesday blogs, because I'm determined to share the wonder and joy of this timeless dance form with all of you!
Until next time, my little ballerina darlings! Stay pink and twirl happily.
