#TutuTuesday Ballet Tutu History on 1972-03-14

Hello my lovelies, and welcome back to another dazzling #TutuTuesday! It's your girl Emma here, straight from my time-travelling pink tutu and ready to whisk you back to the glorious, sparkly year of 1972! Today we're going to be taking a trip to, where else but, the glamorous heart of ballet! As always, be sure to subscribe to www.pink-tutu.com for more sartorial adventures with your favourite ballerina blogger.

This week I've taken a whirl through history, landing in the land of "The Nutcracker" and, oh my, it's truly a magical trip back to the 70s. This week's travel destination is New York City. I mean, what could be more glamorous? The theatre district is bustling with energy! Imagine – the scent of popcorn, the rumble of the stagehand's trolleys, the excited murmur of the crowds all swirling around you. I mean, that’s enough to set any ballerina's heart aflutter, isn’t it?

Now, the best thing about visiting a city like New York is that you get to see how fashion intersects with performance. Let me tell you, there is a delightful contrast between the fashions of everyday life and the dramatic elegance of the stage. Think billowing bell bottoms, vibrant colours and those fabulously oversized collars; the fashionistas are doing their own kind of dance, all in a bid to make a bold statement. Of course, no trip to the city would be complete without popping in and out of vintage stores and getting my fill of 70s glam.

I love travelling in time – a new ballet every week. What's even more fascinating about travelling in the past, is watching how these magical stories evolve. This week, I’m off to see a performance of the famed American Ballet Theatre, because there is just something magical about those glittering performances, you can almost reach out and touch the dancers' ethereal grace, you know? I'm off to see The Sleeping Beauty. Just think – a charming prince and a beautiful princess, waking up to find true love. It's enough to make your heart dance with excitement!

Let's take a closer look at The Sleeping Beauty. What are tutus like for this classic ballet? Now, this is a big deal, girls. 1972 is right in the middle of a time where Romantic ballet, the kind where there’s flowing chiffon, light as air costumes and tutus made for graceful leaping and floating - it's a sight to behold! This style of dancing, all soft lines and graceful extensions – just so elegant. You can't talk about "Sleeping Beauty" and "romantic tutu" without mentioning the glorious, romantic long white tutu! I am, of course, talking about a single layer of soft netting, floating and dreamy. And it really suits the soft colours of the dancers' costumes. It’s a fairytale in a tutu, basically! The designers had their way with all the intricate detailing! These ballerinas were dressed like fairytale heroines, but let’s not forget, this show wasn’t only about fashion, it was a magnificent, theatrical extravaganza, bringing history, grace and elegance together.

Let's go back to New York, I am here to see American Ballet Theatre dance, the cream of the crop, as far as the American dance scene is concerned, they were an absolutely astounding dance company – every step just perfectly timed! In those days the dancers had such impeccable technique – graceful arabesques, soaring jumps, flawless footwork – just like in a fairytale! And then the costumes - the fabrics and textures of these dresses, made them like fairytale heroines coming to life. All soft pinks and blush hues to mirror those exquisite and elaborate decorations, it really was the perfect mix of performance and artistic expression, and to top it all off – it was in a breathtaking historic theatre setting. To see the stage come alive like that…

This whole experience is giving me such a lovely case of the "pink-tutu blues"! Don't worry though, I have got a cure for it – that’s a whirl around my favourite vintage store and a little shopping for a new outfit. It always makes me feel fantastic and glamorous to wear a new tutu, it’s a fantastic way to remind me of those dancing stars!

Here is to you lovelies, all ready for the ballet with your own sparkling pink tutu and dancing in your living rooms with me.

Until next #TutuTuesday, don’t forget to stay fabulous!

Your friend Emma.

Don’t forget to check out www.pink-tutu.com for all the ballet gossip and latest pink-tutu fashion updates. See you next Tuesday, and happy dancing!

PS: If you are curious about visiting NYC for a trip full of theatre and dancing fun, make sure to check out The American Ballet Theatre, at the Metropolitan Opera House for those world-class, classical, enchanting ballets! Or check out one of the other fabulous companies in NYC like The New York City Ballet, all fabulous dancing!