Hello, my lovelies! It’s Emma here, back again for another delightful #TutuTuesday adventure. Today, we're diving into the archives and taking a twirl back to 2001! Oh, how time flies when you're wearing a pink tutu! 🩰💖
Now, picture this: it's April 3rd, 2001. Spring is in the air, the sun is shining (well, mostly!), and everyone's excited about the new millennium. But you know what's even more exciting? That's right – tutus!
We’ve been doing so much time travelling lately. My current favourite way to get around is by train – all those lovely plush seats. I just adore being able to see the world through a train window. Especially if I can see a ballerina as we whizz past, but so far I have not had that luck, so I have to stick with buses for now.
Of course, the history of tutus is long and complex, stretching all the way back to the 19th century (which was a rather good era for a little pink-tutu-loving girl like myself!).
I always find the way that a dance can transport you back in time through history utterly mesmerising. It is all there for everyone to see, to understand and to revel in its timeless nature. This can all be enjoyed by every type of viewer too – just make sure you buy the good seats to really appreciate the ballet with those long ballet skirts, they make my heart melt with pure love and joy!
Now, back to 2001, and what kind of ballet fun did we have going on?
The ballet world was still very much embracing the classic tutus of yore - think Romantic tutus with those billowing layers, the kind that make you twirl effortlessly and leave a trail of fabric in their wake. You could also find some very grand, impressive Classical tutus from the likes of the "Swan Lake" or "Giselle" productions. It was truly a time for beautiful, graceful, and feminine designs!
If you were lucky enough to have caught a show at the Royal Opera House, then perhaps you were blessed enough to see a few of the real legendary stars like Margot Fonteyn. Or perhaps Darcey Bussell (another darling!) who, as an English national treasure, has even had her own documentary made in recent years - the absolute darling!
On this very date back in 2001, the Royal Opera House would have been staging some incredible shows. Now, as we all know, I love me some opera – and I love me some ballet. In the Royal Opera House, both can be enjoyed at any time. But 2001 - what could it have been on this special day?
Sadly, I was unable to travel to the past to have a proper nosy – although how amazing would that be! Imagine, getting to see some ballet with these world-famous performers! I think I may have cried, let's be honest.
Well, with the help of my excellent research team, I can confidently report that on April 3rd 2001, The Royal Opera House put on “The Marriage of Figaro”. And what did they show next – why The Sleeping Beauty of course. You can always depend on a great ballet production, a grand spectacle. All those lovely tutus, too. It makes you go weak at the knees! 💖
2001 also brought about some really amazing developments in ballet footwear – yes! You heard it right – it’s all about the shoes! And even in those days they had already developed some very cool technologies that went into their construction, making those shoes light and incredibly comfy. It also meant that ballet dancers could work for longer periods without their poor feet becoming sore.
This all led to some exciting innovations – such as the pointe shoes getting so much lighter, giving even greater freedom to move on the pointe and soar through the air – what an incredible feat!
There are many important stories that the tutu has to tell, too. You might have noticed in a ballet if you have attended, especially those stories like the Swan Lake, that a white tutu (although they could sometimes be black or a similar dark color depending on the scene) will symbolize innocence, or virtue. The tutu becomes more important than the human performer when the performer adopts its appearance, and thus becomes more innocent, perhaps even ethereal and spiritual, for that performance time. It’s really so interesting when you think about it! I feel like you could delve deeper into the story of the tutu for an age and you’d always discover more hidden messages and stories to tell!
There’s just so much going on! 🩰
We also saw the beginning of new fashion trends in ballet. Even back then, we had dancers like the gorgeous and talented (but definitely a little bonkers in a fantastic way!) Moira Shearer, who always kept fashion at the forefront of her dancing. I guess this must be the beginning of how I found myself here now, but with more pink, I feel.
By now you are hopefully noticing how the tutu, the fashion, the dance itself, is changing and evolving. But how about the next level? A ballerina's career goes up and up and up and in some respects, it’s similar to the rise of a celebrity in pop-music or movie-making. If your talent is evident enough then you're destined for the top of the industry, and this includes some incredible tutu designs, in my humble opinion!
I truly believe in getting into all the aspects of the world, like the one I am currently writing to you from. My travel journeys from all these wonderful eras allow me to feel it more deeply, to appreciate the nuances of each moment in the past and to take a lot of knowledge with me to the future – how else would we keep getting that gorgeous pink ballet material! I don’t think you'd appreciate my trips, my loves! It would all fall apart if you didn't have me!
So as we close another fun #TutuTuesday adventure, don’t forget to wear your favourite tutu and celebrate all that it stands for: grace, artistry, and just plain old FUN! 💕🩰
Until next time, keep twirling, my dears!
