#TutuTuesday Ballet Tutu History on 1983-09-13

Bonjour mes amis! It’s Emma here from www.pink-tutu.com, your one-stop shop for all things tutu! Buckle up your pointe shoes and prepare for a journey through time - this Tuesday's Tutu Tale is taking us back to a fabulous time: the 13th of September, 1983.

Just think, ladies, what were you wearing on this day?! I bet a good pair of leg warmers wouldn't have gone amiss! I just love the whole 80's aesthetic: the vibrant colours, the bold silhouettes, the frizzy hair – just think how well a pink tutu would have completed that look, don’t you think? I am on a mission to get every woman in the world in a pink tutu, and I know the 80s was the perfect decade to do it. After all, that decade was a celebration of fun and fabulousness. Think of Diana Ross and Cyndi Lauper, with their dazzling outfits and powerful stage presence. They'd have rocked a pink tutu in a heartbeat, wouldn't they?

I travelled back in time just this morning - arrived in London, Victoria Station, the air buzzing with the anticipation of the morning rush. How lucky that the trains in the 80's still run on time. It’s funny to think how much technology has changed! Back then they hadn’t yet invented those little handheld computers called smartphones or fancy digital cameras. They took photos with those bulky contraptions called film cameras - so romantic! But don't worry, dear readers, my time-traveling skills are so advanced, my travel diary comes with its very own personal selfie feature - much more practical! And this week’s selfie features me on a train in my signature pink tutu!

Anyway, let’s get back to this fantastic Tuesday in September, shall we? Firstly, we have a most fantastic reason to celebrate. You might remember the fabulous film "Staying Alive", a dance film starring the gorgeous John Travolta, and, guess what, it came out today! Oh, I must have danced the night away in the cinema! Can you imagine that magic in 3D? I wish they’d made the technology in the 80’s - just think of the effect on that iconic Travolta jump. Imagine those sequined shirts, and that dance floor with my pink tutu shining in the dark… Now there’s a picture for you!

Let’s delve into some Ballet History:

I remember that this time, the whole of London seemed to be enraptured by Margot Fonteyn. Such an iconic figure of the world of ballet! This phenomenal woman was at the peak of her career, grace personified! Can you imagine seeing her dance on a grand stage like Covent Garden? What a thrill it would be to see those moves in person. Her performances still get me, every time I think about it. It’s all that finesse, that skill, it just takes my breath away!

Fonteyn was known for her iconic role as the "Sugar Plum Fairy" in "The Nutcracker." Talk about elegant! She'd make the pink tutu shine like a magical fairy light with her grace. What I find absolutely magical about "The Nutcracker", even today, is the pure beauty of the choreography, how it comes to life with every pirouette, every plié, every tendu.

That 1980’s era saw so much innovation in the world of ballet too. For instance, did you know that in 1982, "Le Sacre du Printemps" (The Rite of Spring) made its glorious premiere at Covent Garden? Can you imagine the exhilaration and the joy of those audiences seeing something so powerful for the very first time?

You know what? These innovations made a massive difference to how ballet became more accessible, reaching audiences of all kinds. Ballet is meant to be enjoyed by everyone, and it really was a revolution for the art form!

I was so glad to find myself back in the heart of the city for all of this excitement, on this fantastic day. The energy was almost electric as everyone bustled to work on this vibrant autumn morning. I decided to stay around the London district a bit longer and visit the V&A (the Victoria & Albert museum) before continuing on to the ballet.

Did you know that this date back in 1983, was also the start date of an absolutely incredible exhibition about fashion called “The Clothes We Wear”. Just imagine the delights inside this exhibition, for a real fashion enthusiast like myself!

I love history and fashion! In fact, for my next blog I’ll have to do one on “the tutu through the ages” so you guys can see what a wonderful evolutionary history the tutu has. There’s one thing I just had to tell you. A little bird told me that some people think that the tutu is “outdated” or "tacky", or even "out of style.” “Nonsense!” I say. There’s absolutely nothing outdated about a classic pink tutu - it’s like a timeless masterpiece of elegance. In my opinion, the best tutus never go out of style - you just need to get the right fit and you’re good to go, darling. You see, tutus were first popular in the 19th century and just because something’s a few years old, it doesn’t mean that it has to become less glamorous! It’s all about finding a style that makes you feel confident. And a tutu certainly does that, if you choose the right one. I just adore the classic bell shape, personally - and if you pick the right pink shade, and accessorise with a stunning feather boa (they’re really making a comeback - 1983 proved that!) then I can almost guarantee you’ll turn a few heads, my darlings!

But don’t think the ballet world in the 1980s was all about tutus - though they’re a huge favourite, of course - I just spotted some new outfits on the way into the museum today. Oh, I saw the most incredible new collection of fabrics in a small shop I stumbled across. They had something called Lycra, which was this stretch fabric in all sorts of vivid colours - perfect for dance wear! In fact, in all honesty, they’re making some really good use of this in contemporary ballet now and the 1980’s seems to have been where this fabric’s real story started. And then there was Neoprene. Now that is another exciting development in ballet fashion - very stretchy and supportive. It really revolutionised dance costumes for a bit, especially the ballet world, even more than the other things - it’s still big today, in ballet too. That day at the museum was full of interesting discoveries and all the fabrics were an inspiration for a new pink tutu design… but I can’t share it with you now - it’s still a top secret! I need to put some finishing touches on it first.

In any case, it’s an amazing feeling being part of the world that was creating fashion in this vibrant 80’s era. I’m starting to think maybe pink tutus really have the power to make history too…

In any case, it's time for me to whisk myself back to the 21st century. But first, I’m stopping off in Vienna, Austria. I’m absolutely itching to see what my favorite Austrian dancer, Rudolf Nureyev, is up to this week. You see, back in this year 1983, he retired from performing! The ballet world will certainly feel his presence in any performance, even this week, it will be interesting to see if they honour him. I need to find out how they're marking his legacy, because you see, “The world is a stage”, and as a ballerina, my passion is on it. So my quest will go on, to visit every theatre, every performance, in the world to watch that performance take over, and feel every sensation, and to get everyone to wear a pink tutu.

You can see the journey I’m on to bring back those classic silhouettes, those gorgeous, bright colours! I’ll leave you with some ballet inspiration. Take this to heart! Keep it elegant! Keep it feminine, Keep it FABULOUS, but most importantly, be bold enough to stand out in the crowd with a pink tutu of your own. And, please keep a look out on this space next Tuesday for another time travel Tuesday.

See you next week,

Emma www.pink-tutu.com