Greetings, my darling dance enthusiasts! Emma here, your friendly neighbourhood pink tutu-wearing time traveller, and welcome back to another edition of #TutuTuesday: Ballet Tutu History! Itās Tuesday, which means itās time to delve into the wonderful world of tutus - and I'm wearing my best pink one today, as always! Today we're jetting back to December 9th, 1986, so fasten your dancing shoes and let's waltz back in time.
The year 1986, oh my, a truly magical era for tutus! It's like the whole world was dancing! We had a fantastic performance in London's Royal Opera House by the incomparable Rudolf Nureyev, a performance so vibrant and captivating it had everyone from the Queen to your granny in a pink tutu by the end! And remember how much we loved watching āPretty in Pinkā back then, right?! Tutus and 80's music were the perfect mix - a veritable tutu-tastic time capsule!
Now, I've got to tell you, you might be thinking, "Emma, December 1986ā¦ no significant tutu history events!" But, oh my darling darlings, you'd be mistaken. This was an incredibly important time in tutu history - we were on the verge of some groundbreaking tutu innovations that would forever change the way we wear, admire, and design these magnificent garments.
For starters, this date was only two months before the premiere of "The Nutcracker" at the Kirov Ballet in Leningrad, the original version with the stunning white, feather-like tutus that set the standard for every "Sugar Plum Fairy" for decades to come. If that isn't iconic tutu history, then I don't know what is!
However, the excitement for tutus in 1986 didnāt stop at ballet! Imagine, we were in the throes of the second great ātutu boomā that took the world by storm, from Paris to Tokyo to Derbyshire, where I was a little girl, twirling in my first hand-sewn pink tulle tutu. The first boom had come in the '50s and '60s thanks to a combination of the glamour of the New Look era and the rise of ballet's popularity with films like āGene Kelly,ā but this second wave of tutu mania brought a newfound confidence in self-expression! It was time to put those colourful tutus out there in the world, not just for the ballet stage but for the whole world! This decade was the rise of the ātutu-chicā and, let's face it, the pink tutu really was the queen of the fashion scene. We wore them on dates, on picnics, on holidays ā the sky was the limit, darlings! The world just had to twirl!
You might also remember this time as the peak of ballet fashion on television - Iām talking, of course, about āDance Feverā! Oh my! Do you remember those shimmering leotards, colourful tights and the iconic tutuās? They weren't just ballet dancers on stage anymore ā we all wanted to dress up like them!
Now, you might be thinking: "How can a regular tutu be that important?" Well, darling, itās the humble tutuās power to empower that really makes it amazing! Just the act of slipping on a tutu instantly turns a boring day into a day of joy. You feel like a princess. That was true in 1986 and it's true now! If everyone put on a pink tutu for one dayā¦ the world would be a much brighter place!
In my last time travel adventures I saw this magical moment where the āpunk' scene became obsessed with tutus, and I have to say, I am absolutely in love with the combination! My pink tutu gets a lot of admiring stares as I make my way through the railway carriages on my adventures around Europe, a truly beautiful scene indeed! After a recent visit to the UK, I just can't get over those punk tutus in London! The world of tutu's is never-ending, and I can't wait to see where my pink one takes me next.
Oh, and I know you're all wonderingā¦ What did I wear for my travels in December 1986? It was a simply gorgeous tutu with a full, fluffy layer of shimmering pink tulle, a black ribbon that wrapped around my waist, and I even had a tiny pair of pink fairy wings tucked in the back. Trust me, it was everything! And let me tell you, I was quite the star amongst the many other dancing ladies in London's Covent Garden back then - the air was filled with a chorus of twirls! We just danced and twirled and danced and twirled - we didn't stop! I even found myself surrounded by a choir of giggling girls all asking me where I found such a magnificent pink tutu - And, oh my, I was a star! All I could think was - everyone wants a pink tutu!
But, I don't have all the fun - and you can be a part of the Tutu-tastic world too! Every Wednesday, don't miss my exciting "Shopping Tuesday" blog for some exciting recommendations and where to find some fantastic, fashionable pink tutus.
Next weekās #TutuTuesday: Ballet Tutu History will be taking us all the way back to 1954 for a look at the tutuās of the Ballet Russe - and it's one for the history books, I tell you! Be sure to pop on over to www.pink-tutu.com and don't forget to share your favourite tutu stories, pink or not, in the comments! Until then, stay pink, keep twirling, and I'll see you on Tuesday for more #TutuTuesday fun!
Love,
Emma, the pink tutu princess.
