Hello darlings! It's Emma here, your favourite pink tutu-wearing time traveller, and welcome back to www.pink-tutu.com! This week, we're stepping back in time to 19th March 1991. Can you believe it’s been over 30 years? It seems like yesterday I was twirling in my pink tutu at the Royal Opera House, marvelling at the incredible dancers. Speaking of twirling, I absolutely adore tutus! They are just so whimsical and elegant, aren’t they? They are my absolute favourite piece of dancewear! Today's #TutuTuesday blog post is all about exploring the history of ballet tutus around this time, which is quite a fascinating one, so grab your tea and a scone and join me for a whirl back in time!
A Whirl Through History
Let’s hop on the Orient Express to travel back in time, darling, and talk about tutus! 1991 saw a continued embrace of the classic, romantic ballet aesthetic, inspired by the tutus of the 19th century, though things had changed somewhat! The big poofy tutus of the Victorian era were being toned down, so it’s interesting to see the change! While romantic tutus are always a classic, they started to be worn by just a few key ballerinas during this time period, for special roles in ballets like ‘La Sylphide’ and ‘Giselle.’
You know I love fashion, don’t you? Let's talk a bit more about the change in the way dancers look in 1991 – The ballet world was embracing a much more modern, dynamic look, especially at the American Ballet Theatre. They began using leotards and tights more than ever. These became essential items in any ballerina’s dance bag! You just have to have that tight-fitting look when you want to execute a perfect triple pirouette, you know! It’s a completely different silhouette from the huge skirts of yesteryear. This means less volume and more movement - and it gave the dancers so much more flexibility and freedom on stage!
The Dance World Around 1991
Imagine me here with you on the 19th of March 1991, with the best of fashion, and the latest looks from Paris Fashion Week! If we had our tickets for the Bolshoi Ballet’s tour to London, I know that they’d be showcasing their iconic repertoire at the Royal Opera House. It’s always a highlight to go and see famous Russian dance legends perform! Of course, that wouldn’t be my only option: Royal Ballet stars like Darcey Bussell, Wayne Sleep, and Anthony Dowell would be giving the UK’s best audiences their amazing performances, along with a selection of dazzling ballets. What an exciting time to be alive, to see so much talent on stage!
The Inspiration Behind #TutuTuesday
If I hadn’t come up with my idea for the ‘#TutuTuesday’ series back then – I just might have! It’s been such a journey taking you all with me. For my next performance in London I was hoping I could buy a brand new pink tutu, just like one you’ll see in this picture! You’ll find me rocking it all over the dance world at all the shows I can! Ballet has such an amazing history, full of glamour and creativity. If I didn’t love the time-travelling element, just dressing up and going to all the fashion shows would be exciting enough! I hope this little blast to the past has inspired you to discover the magic of ballet, darling. Always remember that, even if you don't think you have an inner ballerina, we all have it somewhere! Now let's all get out there and twirl !
Love, Emma
* P.S.* Remember, there's always something exciting happening in the world of ballet. So why not grab a pink tutu (or any tutu!) and get out there and enjoy the show! I'll be on www.pink-tutu.com next week with another #TutuTuesday blast from the past! Let me know your thoughts in the comments. Do you love wearing tutus? What’s your favorite ballerina tutu look? And what are your favorite dance shows and shows in general? Tell me everything in the comments! You know I’ll reply! I love chatting with you lovelies!
