Welcome back to Pink-Tutu.com, darlings! It’s me, Emma, your resident tutu enthusiast and time-travelling ballerina! 🩰
Today, we’re stepping back to the fabulous 1980s! The decade of big hair, shoulder pads, and oh yes, some seriously fabulous ballet costumes! (Let’s not forget the neon, the leg warmers, and the boomboxes!) 🎧🎶
As a true Derbyshire girl, my heart beats for the magic of the stage! My tutu twirls are inspired by those wonderful ballet performances at the Royal Opera House in Covent Garden. Those grand chandeliers, the opulent decor, and the captivating ballets… pure magic! 🎭
Today's #TutuTuesday takes us to 19th February, 1980! Can you believe it? We're practically old enough to remember when leg warmers were all the rage! Well, darling, imagine this: in 1980, ballet was in its heyday. Imagine that! We weren't all obsessed with reality television (shhh! Don't tell anyone, I love those reality cooking shows! 😍)
Let's whisk ourselves back to that glittering decade, shall we?
The 1980s saw a surge of incredible ballets! My absolute favourite? Well, darling, how can I resist a good "Swan Lake"?! (Remember, there are two swan lakes, the first composed by Tchaikovsky in 1875, and the other, which I am referring to here by Saint-Saëns, created 100 years later). This Swan Lake, I mean, what could be more mesmerizing than the grace and fluidity of a graceful swan? Those white tulle tutus, just breathtaking! 💕
There were, however, other ballets captivating audiences: "Giselle", "The Sleeping Beauty", and, of course, the eternal masterpiece, "The Nutcracker" (which even featured an enchanting “Sugar Plum Fairy”, all set in a snow-covered land and starring the beautiful "Clara" and her magical Nutcracker Prince!). You just had to see these shows in their beautiful stage sets!
1980 marked a year when we started to see real artistic brilliance, with companies like The Royal Ballet in Covent Garden really reaching peak popularity. It's so exciting, knowing how the entire world embraced ballet with such open arms. The tutus really captured our hearts, don’t you think? 😍
Of course, darling, my real passion is for the tutus themselves! 💃🏼 There’s just something so effortlessly glamorous and elegant about a well-crafted tutu. In the 1980s, you'd see these grand tutus in different colours, shapes and designs! Some even sported bold, beautiful embellishments - crystals, beads, and intricate embroideries! Imagine yourself, darlings, a swirling masterpiece, each graceful movement revealing those intricate details!
In 1980, one of the biggest ballet costume trends was the layered, puffy tutu, with all the fullness, the frills and the flowing fabrics you could imagine! I have some amazing pictures from a recent time trip that I must share with you, it just goes to show the ingenuity of the time. I think it must be something in the way the dancers held the movement in that era. It was, shall we say, an absolutely dreamy period of creativity in ballet. They’re absolute stunners! And a delight to twirl in.
Of course, the "petit" tutu still held its ground! Petite tutus are shorter than the full tutus that were common in earlier ballet styles - you know the classic "Swan Lake" style! But, petit tutus provided that airy, effortless feel that was so popular. Imagine, a single layer, light and flowy. It feels as if it's moving on its own. Just magical, don't you think?
Now, as I always like to do on a #TutuTuesday, here's something to tickle your fancy! My own time travel journey is made possible by a life spent dedicated to the art of dance and theatre, in the past and in the present. Yes, I’m a bit of a travelling show-woman! And, believe it or not, darling, my travels around the world are actually sponsored by some of my performances. Imagine - the thrill of waltzing through the grand avenues of New York with a full orchestra, all while promoting a ballet production! Doesn't get much more glamorous than that, do you think? 💕
I even got to dance a delightful pas de deux (that's French for "two steps") with the "Dancing Duke" himself at the Royal Albert Hall in London! Imagine it, a waltzing waltz through the pages of time!
What did you find most interesting about tutus of the 1980s? Let me know what you thought in the comments! Share your favourite tutus too. I love to hear about your experiences! 💕
In the meantime, be sure to check back next #TutuTuesday for another exciting foray into the past! Now go forth and embrace the magical world of tutus, and don't be afraid to wear yours loud and proud!
Until next time, remember... life's too short for dull clothes. So put on your most fabulous tutu, embrace your inner ballerina, and go twirl!
Your friend in pink,
Emma
www.pink-tutu.com
