Dearest readers! Welcome back to #TutuTuesday - my weekly foray into the fascinating history of the ballet tutu! Today, I'm whisked back in time, via the magic of a rather large suitcase and a whole lot of tutus, to October 28th, 1980! As you all know, the history of the tutu is as twirlingly complex as a fouetté sequence - there's just so much to unpack! (Pun intended - see, I told you it was going to be a fun post!).
A Dash of Derbs
So, this week, my darling, fabulous readers, we find ourselves travelling not in time, but in space too. Today, my dear Tutu-Twirlers, we're taking a lovely journey across the Pennines - oh, yes - because today, darling dears, is The Derby Day! A rather fabulously theatrical name for a day of thoroughbred racing in lovely, leafy Epsom, nestled right there in Surrey! Well, what’s more theatrical than racing, I ask you?
Fancy a Flicker?
For all of you fashion-forward tutufied creatures - a trip to the cinema would have been rather interesting today too. "The Empire Strikes Back" - yes, Star Wars! I am a bit of a sci-fi fan myself and what better excuse to slip into something sparkly - oh! You have my attention there! I just couldn't go without a fab sparkly tutu for a bit of movie magic!
Pink Palace
And what did the lovely ladies wear back in 1980, you might ask? Well, this year was the height of leg warmers and headbands, the bright colours of the 80s and a little bit of the glitz and glam of disco! Pink was definitely the it colour and as any true tutu enthusiast knows - PINK IS MY FAVOURITE!
And this year, it seems a few trendsetters also noticed tutus are more than just for dancing! It wasn’t all white or black, there was lots of sparkle and sequins, especially on my lovely tutu - a bit like a tiny, perfectly-proportioned disco ball! This style really does make me want to whirl!
From Romantic Ballets to Fashion Week!
Today’s tutu comes from a place very much grounded in Romanticism. These romantic tutu dresses weren't about restricting movements. Nope, instead, these light-as-air creations allowed those ballerinas - the fabulous, fabulous ones! - to showcase their glorious athleticism in all its fabulous beauty. From a romantic swan lake tutu, with its multiple tiers of tulle, to a "Giselle" tutu with a shorter skirt to give a hint of more sensual, elegant lines and graceful, sweeping motions! This really brings us to the very heart of why we love the tutu - it celebrates feminine beauty and grace, and yes, it’s just ridiculously fun to twirl in!
I adore a classic "Giselle" tutu for all those dramatic arabesques! My favourite one comes with layers of gossamer tulle and the classic pink colour – pink, pink, pink – can you tell I adore the colour? And if you need any further convincing, it looks sensational on stage with the lighting. Now, for a dramatic scene with lots of drama - this needs the big, full romantic tutu! Just imagine that extra layer of drama - all because of a little puff of fabric! Now, darling readers - is this not what dreams are made of?
The Story of the Ballet Tutu - My Own Version
And, don't even get me started on all the styles of ballet tutu. But it seems all of these delightful little dance-worthy dresses have evolved a lot! Remember back in the 1800s? Imagine dancing in a huge crinoline! How much more fun it would be in something lighter. You might have thought ballet wouldn’t have been possible. Oh, dear me, can you imagine wearing a big old crinoline, not only as you try to dance, but also while you are trying to move your big-ball-gown-shaped skirt? Imagine what that would look like...a whole lot of fluff that won't be getting anywhere near a stage - just me maybe if I’m being exceptionally lazy and going on an extremely luxurious holiday!
But I digress… Oh! What a fascinating piece of clothing the tutu is! It was this love of freedom that first drove Carlotta Grisi to break the shackles of her restrictive crinoline and go for a more practical solution with what we know as the tutu! Can you believe it, she cut her skirts! Think about that, girls, in Victorian England, with all its stringent etiquette - radical! Well, if the fashion world of today can make fashion trends based on men’s briefs - the ‘joggers’ (it is truly mind-blowing) I just know that I am on trend! This bold act made it easier for ballerinas to dance and more importantly, showed off gorgeous movements.
"La Sylphide" is a legendary ballerina story! Carlotta Grisi made history wearing her fabulous tutu in 1832, in the romantic ballet "La Sylphide", and this, my dears, changed everything! I actually think the word 'syphillitic' comes from this - I just can't make this stuff up!
And the very next day - my favourite day in ballet history! This revolutionary piece of dress had a big role to play in shaping what ballerinas wore going forward. Today “The Ballerina’s tutu” had become an important part of a story with more history behind it than a long, winding Victorian-era street! It is no surprise, that tutus were here to stay - for all the right reasons - it is a *dance dress, not a constricting one! * * Ballet Performances for All! **
Now - fast forward about a hundred years to The Empire Ballet Company (a truly regal name for a ballet company - right?!) in London’s Covent Garden theatre. And now, it is here that a fabulously iconic ballerina – Margot Fonteyn - in the 1950s made tutus truly famous in the West. Yes, indeedy, you may know of this fabulous dame – this wonderful ballet star graced the stage, and I will be visiting soon - and this lovely ballerina, has really helped make London, the dance-lover’s city! London was absolutely the hub of ballet in Europe. There was nothing quite so graceful and beautiful, nothing quite like the perfect elegance and fluidity of the ballet tutu. It just embodies it all - it is the epitome of dance fashion! It’s why I have started my #TutuTuesday series!
As for myself - I have been everywhere! You really must get on a train. If I hadn't gone everywhere - I might not be who I am! My heart still yearns to find the *fabulously perfect, *completely *irreplaceable tutu, and then – and only then – shall my travels end.
Well, dears, this fashion history of tutus and a glimpse into my little life has once again had to come to an end - but just to let you know that in the wonderful, exciting future, we're heading to the Royal Ballet and that incredible, elegant dancer, the amazing Rudolf Nureyev! I will certainly have the best tutu for that one! But now, I shall leave you and catch that train.
I have got some shopping to do and an important date for a theatre performance. Until next Tuesday, and until we meet again, my Tutu-Twirlers, it is all *Tutu-Fabulous - and always Pink!
See you soon, dear friends. Your Tutu Twirler.
[Photo - Emma in pink tutu holding train ticket]
www.pink-tutu.com ##