Hello darlings! It's Emma here, your friendly neighbourhood pink-tutu-wearing, time-traveling ballerina blogger! Today Iām taking you back in time ā to a gloriously glittery October 10th, 1978! Buckle your dancing shoes, darlings, because todayās #TutuTuesday Ballet Tutu History is all about the gorgeous frocks that graced the stages of the world!
As you know, I am a complete devotee of the tutu ā itās a timeless icon that never fails to turn heads! The year 1978 was no exception ā oh, how those tutus were twirling! You can find all the historical background about ballet tutus in past blog posts but weāre focusing on fashion on #TutuTuesday!
As I arrived in Paris for my time travel trip (train travel is, of course, the best way to get about in this period - and my trusty pink vintage suitcase is full of stunning tulle), I had to get straight to the Theatre de lāOpera Garnier. Now, I may be a big fan of a tutu, but I am even more fond of a big, sweeping staircase - especially a marble one with a grand wrought-iron banister. I think they invented those in Paris, they are so darn sophisticated!
The Ballet Garnier is absolutely buzzing on a Monday, the French love their ballet! I am absolutely thrilled to see the Ballet de lāOpĆ©ra de Paris in the full glory of their iconic 19th-century repertoire. All the classics of the ballet world are getting a stunning show on stage today ā La Sylphide, Giselle and Swan Lake are all absolutely captivating audiences - it's a delight to see them again and I will tell you all about them in future #TutuTuesday blog posts, thatās for sure.
The sheer magic of the ballerinas on stage as they danced was simply captivating. As they pirouetted and leaped with their gossamer tutus billowing around them, the audience erupted in cheers ā a real, genuine, heartwarming love of ballet! Now, that's what I'm talking about!
But you know what else was amazing about 1978? Ballet dancers had moved beyond the very traditional āpoeticā colours for ballet - think dusty pink and lilac and ivory. Oh no, my dear reader - it was time for bold colours! Think crimson red, emerald green and bright, sunshine yellow! I loved every minute of it.
There were two tutus that absolutely captivated me this evening - the first was the stunning emerald green creation in the ballet "La BayadĆØre," the lead dancer wore such an absolutely stunning shade of green with sparkling diamond-like sequins on the skirt. Such gorgeous artistry - that must have taken hours and hours to hand-stitch - and the second was the bright yellow of āLa Sylphideā - how fabulous that they decided on yellow to make it such a whimsical tutu, Iām not sure I'd have picked it but it works amazingly. So bold and joyous.
And of course, there were the tutus that danced around the āSwan Lakeā scene at the end of the ballet - in shades of off-white, creamy ivory, shimmering grey, and almost a black. A stunning piece of design work. I'm a little obsessed with the costumes worn by these wonderful ballet dancers, their movements look graceful in the fluffy, ethereal tutu styles worn tonight, just perfect. I would die to be on that stage myself and be performing - I think everyone should wear a pink tutu. And thatās a serious dream I have, you see!
However, Paris is only one ballet centre in the world, it would be completely rude not to have a visit to London as well to see if they're having fun and being a little bolder in their ballet fashions as well!
My first stop was the Royal Opera House in Covent Garden (what a great name for a location!), where a new production of āGiselleā was on the program - I just loved all the different ballet companies. Covent Garden is a theatre that holds the most fascinating history - and, as I stood and looked around the cobblestones of the Royal Opera House I noticed a lot of exciting young people in town and many of them looking amazing! I must say Iām rather taken with how much London is into all the newest fashion! I saw so many stunning and fashionable women walking around with a bold look about them ā the Seventies style was clearly being embraced with confidence. And even better - all the shops had the most incredible fashion ā think shimmering satin trousers with flared legs, silky satin shirts with collar styles like nothing Iāve seen before and my favourite - lots of lace for shirts, blouses, jackets, bags - everything.
This was a very different London than the one you might see in the cinema, there was a confident, new feeling in the air - a more rebellious spirit - the same confidence you could find in New York City, in a good way! I really must pop over to New York at some point for my research!
As I took my seat and the music began for the opera "Giselle", the excitement filled the air in a very real way. The women in the front row - all with beautiful hair in loose curls and soft makeup - were as excited as the girls in the ballet school across the road from the Opera House. I couldnāt stop looking! In this era the people sitting in the audience looked the most wonderful mix of styles and looks. It was almost like an enormous stage!
I then made my way across town for the Sadlerās Wells Theatre - as this is another huge centre for ballet and dance, there was an energy that I think we would only find in London! I watched "Swan Lake" performed in what appeared to be more of a ābareā stage - fewer set decorations but such stunning ballerina dancers and so beautiful and flowing the tutu costumes were ā all with more elaborate and complex detailing. The dancers themselves were incredibly strong and flexible.
From here I hopped on the train (first class of course, nothing less for a ballet loving fashionista) and went straight up to the North - right to the famous Manchester, home of one of my very favourite ballets. Thatās right darlings, itās a place with amazing stories behind the theatre. Manchester has long been home to great music hall entertainers, but did you know the very first full-length, complete ballet performance of the ever-popular "Coppeliaā was in Manchester! This, my loves, was no mean feat, and what is better, you are in āCottonopolisā, a place revered for its stunning designs of all kinds - so it is little wonder a very impressive tutu in the production of āCoppelia" in this theatre was something special.
All in all itās been a day of great discovery in London - even if they were dancing a lot less of the classical repertoire of the French! And it would be a tragedy to go home without catching a ballet performance in my own Derbyshire! Thereās not a grand opera house but in these days they put on fantastic performance for sure at the Derbyshire Playhouse Theatre ā although that may be an awful lot of travelling just for one show!
Well, it is now Tuesday evening, so my next stop is Derby - on the train for a bit of countryside and to get right down to it, and to check in with my very stylish mum - we share a common love for all things glitzy, although not always about ballet tutus, she prefers a stylish top for sure!
Anyway, I have got a whole lot more to show you all of what is going on with ballet, tutus and fashion so you will just have to make sure you are ready for next weekās #TutuTuesday! See you then, lovelies!
