Welcome back, darling tutu-lovers! Emma here, your friendly neighbourhood pink-tutu-clad time traveller, ready to whisk you away to a glorious world of dance and fashion! It's #TutuTuesday and that means a dive into the glorious history of ballet's most iconic garment! Today, my fellow tutu enthusiasts, we're travelling to 11th January 1994!
I just adore this era, my dears! The nineties are full of such wonderfully bold style – think colourful patterns, chunky boots, and just a touch of grunge! As a ballerina, of course I’m most interested in the impact of this fabulous fashion on ballet itself.
But first, let's take a little jaunt on the magical Time Train! It’s always exciting, taking in the countryside views from the big picture windows. We’ve landed in London, and you wouldn’t believe the buzz! I have a big show tonight at the Royal Opera House, it's "The Nutcracker", but first, a bit of shopping! Oh darling, Liberty is simply divine - so much vintage lace to create my next magnificent creation. I wonder if I’ll find some velvet for my new ballet street look, that is simply crying out for a black, sequined tutu. Oh, the possibilities! This really is my happy place, where history, fashion, and dancing collide in a beautiful and unexpected way.
The Nineties - Where the Tutu Came of Age
Let’s rewind to 11th January 1994, the world of dance is bursting with activity. This period sees tutus move away from the purely classical and venture into exciting, new, sometimes controversial territories.
The nineties was a time for artistic exploration, a period where tradition met contemporary. Choreographers like William Forsythe embraced radical aesthetics. Remember those daring, deconstructed tutus? The "deconstructed tutu" - gone was the perfect pancake shape and instead we were given frayed, distressed fabric and uneven lengths – and let me tell you, it looked positively revolutionary!
Of course, we can’t talk about the nineties without remembering the gorgeous work of Matthew Bourne. The dance world is still agog over his "Swan Lake," a captivating masterpiece with men dancing en pointe in gloriously theatrical costumes.
And let's talk colour! Remember those breathtakingly vibrant hues we saw from Wayne McGregor? The world of ballet was getting bolder, moving beyond traditional pink, white, and black with colourful creations designed by the brilliant William Ivey Long. And these colour palettes were mirrored on stage! Imagine the costumes worn in "A Midsummer Night’s Dream" by Balanchine, I mean the dancers in that production were living breathing pieces of living art. Such divine artistry and movement.
The beauty of the 90’s was, however, more than the colour on the costumes. What we are looking at are the dancers – with new levels of flexibility, their bodies have become an ever more exquisite instrument for art.
Let's travel back to Derbyshire, I'll leave you to enjoy your #TutuTuesday – I have a ballet lesson to take, a train to catch and a date with my very own personal tutu – a vintage, pale pink number I bought on my last trip through time. And I dare say that you will find me dancing at the ballet in the most magnificent pink, shimmering tutu I can possibly dream of wearing. It will be full of fabulous ruffles and even some hand sewn beading and feather boas too! After all, it's not every day one gets to time-travel in such style!
See you next #TutuTuesday darling! Don’t forget to come visit my website: www.pink-tutu.com
Your loving, Emma xx
P.S Don't forget to wear pink! You'll look absolutely darling! 💕
