Hello darlings! It's Emma here, your favourite tutu-loving time traveller, and welcome back to another sparkly #TutuTuesday. I've just popped back from a whirl through the past, and my oh my, did I find a truly delightful day! Let's hop in my time machine (it's pink, of course!) and go for a spin back to 30th March, 1993, shall we?
Remember, my dearest tutu-tastic followers, the Tutu History Project is all about spreading the joy of this incredible garment throughout time. I believe, my darlings, that everyone deserves a chance to twirl and feel the magic of a fluffy pink tutu.
Now, this particular Tuesday in 1993 found me stepping onto the platform at London's Paddington Station, a beautifully intricate building with the most incredible architecture, don't you think? Imagine! Just picture it: me in a gorgeous pink tulle tutu, a jaunty little pink beret, my Mary Jane pumps clicking with excitement... a picture of elegant whimsy! My trip took me through some truly enchanting countryside, with fields of blooming wildflowers, so perfectly English, just like the tea I enjoyed in the carriage.
It was an era when ballet was at the forefront, everyone, absolutely everyone was swooning over "The Phantom of the Opera", ballet dancers were being featured in mainstream media like Vogue, and dance magazines were flying off the shelves! Can you imagine the excitement! It felt like everyone, from your posh granny to the little boy down the road, had a tutu tucked away in a secret drawer. And of course, a bit of shopping was a must! On that day, 30th March 1993, I popped into one of those fabulous department stores with glass windows shimmering like a million jewels and, what a joy, my darlings, to find a beautiful pink tutu, with little fluffy clouds at the bottom, for just £12.99! It's an absolute treasure I tell you, hanging pride of place in my vintage collection, I think it will need its own little case soon!
But that was just the beginning of my adventure! I then waltzed my way into the magnificent Royal Opera House to enjoy a truly magnificent performance. The ballerina's pointe work, simply breathtaking, it made my toes tickle! She glided across the stage, a cloud of ethereal beauty, a whisper of silk and satin… I do love to see those intricate movements. All these years later, the feeling just takes me right back, remembering the exquisite feeling of every leap, every pirouette, every grand jeté… it simply sets my heart aflutter! I just had to see "La Sylphide" by the Royal Ballet, a production I simply had to catch as I always dreamed of dancing like those elegant sylphs - light, ethereal, and captivatingly beautiful.
What was truly remarkable on this day was a piece of ballet history I witnessed right there on stage: a dancer called Sylvie Guillem, a simply divine being, was just beginning to become renowned. She possesses this unique grace that transcends age, the true hallmark of a dancer who leaves her mark. The other thing that was completely charming on that March night was the very traditional programme for the performance which, you'll just have to believe me on this, included actual instructions on how to take your coat off while sitting in the seat - how much fun! I simply had to bring this beauty back as a treasured memento, for the archive of course!
Back then, you see, everyone was glued to the television watching "The Dame" , the incomparable Dame Margot Fonteyn in “A Portrait”, a beautiful documentary chronicling the brilliant life and artistry of a ballet legend.
Just after my 1993 visit, the Royal Ballet and its artistic director Anthony Dowell put on the absolutely brilliant “Jewels”, which to my mind still stands out as an exceptionally iconic ballet performance. Such brilliance! Can you imagine being in the audience for such an iconic moment, surrounded by such creativity and beauty? The energy just electrifies the entire space. But of course, on this day, in my own personal history, I also caught a most wonderful ballet show performed by a dance company, Ballet Theatre, from Derbyshire - my county! The joy and delight from those talented dancers was pure joy and brought me right back home, so to speak!
Later that day, as I strolled down the street (stopping to admire the gorgeous vintage clothing shop window displays, oh so tempting), I passed a young woman twirling in a simple, but elegant pink tulle tutu, looking exactly like I did when I was a young girl starting ballet school in Derbyshire. I had to do a double-take because, well, pink is always right and tutus make the world a happier place!
Do you have any treasured ballet moments you'd like to share, my sweet darlings? Perhaps a memory from your childhood, a first dance performance, or even a trip to the Royal Ballet yourself? I'd love to hear all about them in the comments! Remember, the more we celebrate tutus and all their wondrous forms, the closer we get to a world of pure and radiant bliss!
I'm off now to catch the next train! 🚂 And remember, there's always a reason to twirl, darling! Always!
Until next Tuesday,
Emma x
💖✨ #pinktutu #ballet #history #vintage #travel #balletfashion #tutetales #EmmaTravels 💖✨
