Hello lovelies! It's your favourite pink-tutu-wearing time traveller, Emma, back again for another delightful #TutuTuesday! Today, we're whisking ourselves back to the fabulous year of 1985, a time when shoulder pads were sky high, leg warmers were all the rage, and everyone wanted to dance like a superstar. But first, darling, let's get comfy in a pink tutu, grab a cuppa, and dive into a bit of history.
It’s all happening on December 17th 1985! What a treat of a day for us to discover! And of course, we have a show to go to - The Nutcracker by the New York City Ballet. How lovely! Just to watch all those wonderful tutus swirl, swish, and twirl. Don’t get me wrong, I am absolutely thrilled to have access to all kinds of dances – I love my jazz and my tap too, of course. I mean, there are amazing dance shows and musicals in just about every town and city - from Broadway and the West End to the more intimate spaces too! My travels certainly make the most of all the amazing talent available. But ballet holds a special place in my heart!
Before we see the ballerinas shimmering in their tutus, it is simply fascinating to look back on how those little frills evolved. Did you know that it wasn’t until the 1840s that the tutu became synonymous with ballet? This happened largely thanks to the revolutionary figure of Marie Taglioni, an Italian dancer who introduced an incredibly light and fluid way of dancing, allowing the skirts to twirl. Prior to that, the tutu, in its various forms, wasn’t really such a significant part of dance. You can see some really elegant examples in museums, especially in the grand style worn by famous French ballet stars. Imagine a sort of extravagant dress shape with tiers, all the way to the floor, with some pretty fabric and maybe some trim at the hemline. A lot less frill and movement!
The tutus we know and love began as the simple, one layer tutu made for those ballerina movements, made light and floaty for beautiful leaps and swirls, a perfect and striking visual symbol of femininity. Today, tutus are so varied and, as a result, can represent just about anything. We're talking everything from romantic and airy to bold and modern! It’s wonderful to see how the original romanticism of the 19th Century has transformed into such an extraordinary and exciting modern vocabulary. And that is because of all the wonderfully diverse and brilliant people who have dedicated their talents to this art form – from dancers to designers to musicians.
It's hard to pick a favourite – I just love them all so much! My own wardrobe, well let's just say it has a LOT of pink, darling! Oh and today’s colour combination is especially exciting – the classic pink and white – a timeless match and the perfect accompaniment to those beautifully sparkling fairy tutus in The Nutcracker. What makes the modern look even more magical, of course, is that our contemporary tutus are simply made with fabulous new fabric, and a LOT of painstaking artistry by designers and craftspeople.
So, there you have it, darlings! This week, the 17th of December 1985, we were inspired to reflect on the incredible and stylish tutu! Don't forget, I love reading your comments and hearing about your adventures in the magical world of dance. Remember to head to our blog www.pink-tutu.com every Tuesday for another exciting trip back through the history of this utterly magical form of fashion. I will see you here next week!
