Hello, darling tutu-lovers! Emma here, your pink-loving, tutu-wearing, ballet-obsessed blogger, back for another fab #TutuTuesday blog post. This week, I’m whisking you back to February 17th 1998. That's right, I’ve just stepped out of the Tardis (no, seriously - time travel is totally achievable if you work hard enough... and have a healthy dose of ballet training!) and I'm straight off to find the very best tutus to tell you all about.
Now, let me tell you, February in 1998 was a simply smashing month for ballet! The Royal Opera House was simply abuzz. And what could be more exciting than that? You can always guarantee a good performance in London. So, I popped on my poshest pink tutu, the one with the lace trim, you know the one, grabbed my trusty shopping bag - for a quick shop at Harrods, of course - and was off.
1998! What a wonderful time! You simply could not go wrong with a pair of fabulous leopard print heels and a bright-coloured top (don't even get me started on the bomber jackets, everyone was wearing them!) for a day of ballet shopping in London. I was also a bit of a fan of my silk scarves – just a hint of Parisian chic. The key to any amazing look is accessorizing, you know what I mean? 😉
But this blog isn't about fashion, at least not fully. It's all about ballet! Today's tutu history is focusing on... The Royal Opera House! Can you believe the show they put on on February 17th, 1998? I mean, La Bayadère, one of the greatest ballets ever choreographed! The ballet itself is incredibly old – think 1877 - but for this show, it was revamped with gorgeous new choreography from the legendary Natalia Makarova. Natalia - just wow, talk about an inspirational ballerina! The costume design was absolutely incredible - delicate and colourful tutus, perfectly designed to highlight every move! The colours – rich shades of blue, gold and purple. Just exquisite!
Remember my absolute favourite thing about the tutu? The little bit of pink! A small touch but so lovely. What better way to pay homage to the greatest tutu ever? 🩰 Pink, pink, pink! My own signature style! 💕
So, now we are going back in time to learn about these magnificent tutus that stole our hearts. Why was La Bayadère so captivating, you ask? The tutu design played a vital part! In the original choreography, the tutus for the temple dancers (you know the ones – the beautiful, colourful, vibrant dancers) were a more "traditional" ballerina shape - the tutu was quite a simple form, really, more like a circular, pouffy layer that didn't have as much fullness or shape as the ones you find in modern times. The newness of the 1998 choreography came in the incredible movement which then, you guessed it, needed new tutu styles to perfectly frame the choreography! Natalia’s choreography involved lots of dynamic movements, the emphasis on lightness and grace made the tutus much more delicate and fluid in shape, with a slightly shorter skirt and beautiful draping that helped accentuate the leaps, twirls, and fast, intricate movements.
And can we just pause to adore the romantic white tutus, the gorgeous white tulle. Honestly, I simply adored this. The way it danced with each movement was truly breathtaking! Imagine wearing a tutu like that, experiencing those leaps, the lightness, the incredible beauty, the elegance! 🩰 I just melt when I see those dancers pirouette in such gorgeous garments! It simply blows me away! This ballet had the "whimsical", airy and delicate vibe with just a tiny dash of whimsy that is the real key to a classic tutu.
Speaking of airy... Let's talk about the "floating" qualities! You know I'm all about the perfect tutu shape and the way it looks when a dancer is spinning and the skirt is beautifully, perfectly rounded and then just - magically! – turns into a stunning cloud-like silhouette that literally surrounds the dancer’s movement, right? It’s all in the structure and how it creates that breathtaking flow of motion, a beautiful explosion of shape and movement. A perfectly elegant form of expression and art! Just divine! 🩰
Just a reminder that we are still in the late nineties, and as such, the tutus that we see in La Bayadère aren’t as long as we would see today. Let's be honest, if I was to go on stage I’d prefer a shorter tutu so I could show off some stylish dance shoes! Twirl, twirl I've had a very long love affair with ballet shoes (let's just say they look good with EVERYTHING! – you could try it with your next pink tutu outfit, I dare you!) That's one of the amazing things about time travel... you get to see all these changes in fashion! It’s definitely given me inspiration for new outfit combinations in my own time.
Okay, now back to our history! On a fun side note, did you know the most famous version of La Bayadère was actually choreographed by Marius Petipa? The choreography has been a popular stage sensation around the world! It was the very first full-length ballet created specifically for the Imperial Ballet (the Bolshoi, basically the star of ballet at the time in 1877 – talk about prestige!) They put together the full score and a grand scale performance! I mean we are talking full-blown sets, elaborate costumes - and let's not forget the ballerinas! – that was how it was back in 1877!
We do, of course, have a tutu moment from 1877 in La Bayadère It’s a classic, the ballet is well-known all over the world and the white romantic tutu, in its grand performance version, was actually longer back then! It’s amazing to think how it’s evolved in a 121 year time period! Imagine the tutus, the outfits and the ballet! I bet it was a real showstopper! If you've not seen it already, then add it to your list of things to watch. Trust me, it's simply magical.
So, there we have it, my lovely Tutu-lovers, a peek into the world of ballet fashion and a celebration of the tutus from La Bayadère as they looked on the stage in February 1998. Did you catch the Royal Opera House performance? What’s your favourite tutu from ballet history? Did you even like the original La Bayadère performance? Did you see it on stage, did you like it on the screen? Let me know your tutu memories – and remember, every day is an opportunity to put on a gorgeous tutu and inspire everyone else to join the #PinkTutu movement!
See you next #TutuTuesday, darling!
Yours in all things ballet,
Emma 💖🩰
