Hello, my darlings! It's your favourite pink tutu-clad time traveller, Emma, here, and I'm absolutely bursting with excitement to share another blast from the tutu past with you all! This week, we're whisking ourselves back to the 23rd of May, 1972! It's a date steeped in ballet history, and I just know you're going to adore learning about it!
(Ahem) Now, gather round, my fellow tutu enthusiasts, because today, we're talking history, but with a touch of glitter, of course!
You might be thinking, "Emma, what happened on May 23rd, 1972 that could be so exciting?!"
Well, my darlings, that very day marked the opening night of "The Nutcracker," a spectacular production put on by the world-renowned Royal Ballet at the Royal Opera House in Covent Garden. Can you imagine? Being there, amongst the crème de la crème of London's theatre scene, witnessing this timeless masterpiece come to life! I can't! (Let's be honest, my little pink heart is still thumping just thinking about it!)
And if that doesn't get your tutu feathers in a flurry, wait until you hear what else went down that day! Imagine a world where everyone - everyone! - had to make do with just four television channels. Just four! You hear that, dear reader? Four channels to choose from! Well, I don't think so! Can you even imagine just having four? Well, apparently, that's what the folks in the UK were facing in '72. My mind boggles! (Not at all an effective ballet warm-up, but good for my imagination!). You see, the technology is just SO limiting, it just makes me thankful to have the whole world of tutus right at my fingertips, ready to watch whenever and wherever I fancy. (Oh! Did you know we are currently going through an amazing explosion of tutus at this very moment on social media! Have you seen this latest one from....?)
*(Sings in a flamboyant voice) *
Now, where was I? Oh yes, let's twirl on back to this 1972 performance of "The Nutcracker" at the Royal Opera House
As I'm sure you can imagine, the air was positively electrifying, and there was so much buzz around town for the opening night, which wasn't surprising considering the stars who were starring in the performance. I hear that this performance absolutely flew past and stole the show! And, just like that, this iconic ballet was right there before the eyes of the lucky crowd in the Royal Opera House, taking their breaths away! Gah!
You've got to appreciate the pure spectacle of this type of ballet. I'm practically dripping in a cascade of memories just remembering how stunning "The Nutcracker" can look - the sheer scale of the production, the magic of the scenery, and the absolutely jaw-dropping talent on stage. And it wasn't just any old ballet, either, oh no. We are talking the original version, that iconic production from 1892. Amazing, isn't it?
Speaking of magic, imagine that these ballerinas would have worn the most beautiful tutus, each and every one crafted with so much love, precision, and artistry! A work of art on its own, really! My darlings, it wasn't just about the ballerinas on stage; every single detail played a role in the spectacle. It was like watching a whole fairytale unfold in front of your eyes! The artistry of these ballerinas is still making my hair stand on end and it feels like my heart wants to fly off to the Royal Opera House to watch a performance RIGHT NOW!!!
However, it's a shame for me, that at the time I'm travelling to, the London underground wasn't quite as efficient (not that the Underground has ever truly been efficient but I digress) as it is today! A truly shocking (to a fellow traveller!) revelation, especially as you know that even in the heart of London, the show must go on!
To reimagine the era, we can think about how tutus were a part of fashion at the time. Imagine being surrounded by those chic and fabulous women who would wear tutus out and about. They could go shopping, to a cafe or even for a romantic evening at the cinema all in a tutu, without even blinking! That would be such a treat!
The thing I love most about my timeline journeys is finding out what fashions and ideas made each decade so special! And let me tell you, these ladies knew a thing or two about style!
And before I leave you with this weeks wonderful, fun-filled look at our shared tutu history, let me leave you with this important, fun fact: That same day in 1972, imagine this: a book was published that told a story of how *the earth is actually a living planet who was trying to stop its own destruction, (can you believe that?! *Amazing!), all thanks to a man from the distant future! How brilliant is that!
Isn't it wonderful to think that while these amazing ballerinas were wowing the audience in Covent Garden, this extraordinary story was just being told, setting imaginations on fire with ideas about protecting our planet, about our responsibility to her, and about how incredible our own potential to change the world could be! I hope that I've left you, my darling tutu fans, inspired by all this fabulous 1972 news! Now, why not have a twirl for yourselves today and let that pink tutu magic wash over you? And until next week's #TutuTuesday I wish you all the most amazing, colourful tutus and even better dance adventures, wherever life might take you! And until next time, bonne danse, my darlings!
