Hello my lovely tutufolk! 👋💖
Welcome back to another #TutuTuesday and another trip through time! I’m your ever so slightly pink-obsessed, tutu-loving time-travelling ballerina, Emma, and today we're heading to 1985. Buckle up buttercups, because today's tutus are totally rad.
Remember to hop on over to www.pink-tutu.com and catch up on all my posts, there's plenty of historical tutu gossip and, let’s be honest, quite a lot of my latest outfit photos! 😉
I had the absolute pleasure of seeing Sleeping Beauty at the Royal Opera House in London last night. The Covent Garden set looked divine and it was lovely to be back in the capital! Did you know it was the home of ballet in the UK and that Covent Garden first staged a performance back in 1661! That's like, so long ago!
Anyway, I digress! Today, my time machine (and by "time machine" I actually mean an extremely large trunk) deposited me on the 5th of March, 1985. And let me tell you, the tutu scene is vibrant, but we’re seeing some bold, bold looks! Think vibrant colour, structured silhouettes and...wait for it... leg warmers! Yes, you read that right! 😉
Oh! Did you see how the American Ballet Theatre are strutting their stuff in their 75th Anniversary season in New York? Can you imagine! It must have been such a special show, all of their favourite tutu dances from the past decades. Oh! I need to book my ticket for the next big ABT performance - maybe I'll wear my hot pink tutu with diamante sparkles for it, hmmm...?
Back to 1985... Now, on the fashion front, 1985 is all about bright colours, bold shapes and power dressing. This translates perfectly into tutus, you just have to look at those costumes for Carmen, they are fabulous.
And you know what else? Leg warmers are totally on point! Yes, believe me, I even wore them! They really add a little oomph to your dance outfit, wouldn't you agree? The more colourful the better, and they add a little je ne sais quoi to your tutu, especially if you're dancing Street Scene.
On stage, things are about to explode with movement. There’s this choreographer called Matthew Bourne (he is such a talent, he's basically a ballet god) - he’s revolutionising the way we see dance. He's using traditional ballet to tell completely new stories. There's even a rumor circulating in the ballet world that he’s working on a new version of Swan Lake. Can you imagine, the swan tutus are just begging to be reinvented.
And speaking of reinventions, ballet is crossing over into real life and we're seeing all kinds of dancers stepping out of the traditional studio setting! From contemporary dance to modern street theatre and even, gasp modern street dancing, it’s all happening! I saw a group of incredible ballet street dancers performing at the Victoria & Albert Museum a few weeks ago in London! Did you see the tutus they used! It's all very "mixed-up" - part ballet, part street.
My inner pink fashionista just squealed in delight! 💖
But it’s not all about tutus, the most wonderful thing about the dance scene in 1985 is that we're celebrating the incredible power of human expression through dance. It's no longer about perfect form and rigid rules. It’s about being your fabulous self and dancing your heart out!
What better way to do that than with a tutu? 😜
To fund my travel expenses - remember that large, "time-traveling" trunk doesn’t exactly run on good intentions - I'm lucky enough to perform at lots of incredible events all around the world! And, squeal, it’s a fabulous opportunity to see the incredible dancing and tutus in each location! 😉💖
So my gorgeous little ballerina chicks, I have a tutu mission for you - why not try incorporating the "1985 look" in your own tutu ensembles! Remember it's about bright, colourful tutus! 💖 If you’re feeling brave, add some leg warmers for good measure. Don’t be afraid to experiment and make your own unique ballet statement!
Right, I’ve got to jet back to my time and find my next tutu mission, but I will leave you with one thought! - it’s never too late to start a tutu journey! It's not about being perfect, it's about having fun, being yourself and maybe, just maybe, letting the world see your fabulous tutu. And let’s be honest - we are ALL better in tutus.
Now go forth, my darlings! I leave you with a sprinkle of glitter and a big, pink, tutu hug! ✨💖
#TutuTuesday #BalletTutuHistory #BalletLife #PinkTutus #1985 #Fashion #BalletHistory
P.S - Keep a look out next week as I travel forward to a VERY special date in ballet history, I can’t wait to share it all with you! ✨
Emma 💖
