#TutuTuesday Ballet Tutu History on 2003-11-25

Ahoy there, fellow tutu-lovers!

It’s Emma here, your trusty tutu guide to the whimsical world of dancewear! As you all know, every Tuesday is Tutu Tuesday, so grab your most fabulous pink tutu and get ready for a delightful trip back in time, because today, we’re waltzing into… 2003!

That’s right, dear friends, this Tuesday’s historical time jump is landing us on the 25th of November, 2003. Let's dive into the world of tutus and ballet, where fashion, history, and just a touch of sparkle intertwine, like the ribbon around a ballet slipper!

As we travel back in time to the November of 2003, it’s exciting to imagine the wonderful ballets taking place on the stage! We know that, at the Royal Opera House, the iconic ballet Swan Lake would be gracing their hallowed stage, starring the lovely Sylvie Guillem as Odette and Odile. And, oh my goodness, who wouldn’t want to see Sylvie Guillem dance? It must have been magnificent! This production has always been a favourite of mine, even in my own time. But what I'd really love to do is time travel to this point in history and experience the London ballet scene - perhaps catch a performance at the Sadler's Wells, the Royal Ballet School, or even hop onto a London Underground tube, just to get a taste of the city life at this time! Imagine, seeing the bright lights of the West End, maybe a quick stop to gaze at the grand Royal Opera House, and then a peek inside one of the lovely boutique ballet stores for some pretty tutus! It’s enough to make me wish I could just jump out of my blog and into the bustling London streets of 2003.

Oh, and of course, we have to say Happy Birthday to Mikhail Baryshnikov who would have celebrated his 55th birthday on this date. The greatest dancer of all time! The whole world knows that this brilliant, influential and stylish Russian ballet star is a legend and an icon, who has influenced ballet and helped spread its beauty around the globe. And in 2003 he would have been at the height of his influence! It’s a joy to see someone so elegant and powerful wearing a tutu - though it might not be quite as fluffy or flamboyant as our signature pink tutu!

But beyond the exciting world of London's theatrical productions, it's also important to understand what tutus were like at that time. What was the 'must-have' style for a young aspiring ballerina like me back then?

Well, around 2003, there were some beautiful and memorable ballet tutu trends that really captured the imaginations of those who danced! Let’s take a quick peak:

• The Romantic Tutu: Remember the tutu in Giselle? Romantic tutus were really making a comeback back in 2003, giving ballerinas that soft, airy, and romantic look. The tulle would have been extremely delicate, flowing and almost ethereal. Picture a soft whisper of tulle as you dance, swirling and twirling, all the way around the stage! I bet the soft pink of these tutus would have looked beautiful in the spotlight.

• The ‘Powder Puff’ Tutu: The Don Quixote tutu would be very much in style too. This little beauty was super short and poofy, so bouncy! Remember the famous ‘Spanish dance’? This would have been perfect to spin around the stage for the choreography of those iconic dances! A bright, playful colour, perfect for showcasing an intricate sequence and giving the wearer a confident swagger as they dance.

• The Tulle Experimentation: A tutu is just the start – and a lot was happening in the world of tutu embellishment back then! A lot of experimentations took place with tulle in 2003, playing with patterns and layers to create amazing visual effects, to emphasize movement and flow and, I'm sure, to make ballerinas look absolutely phenomenal on the stage. This creative use of tulle makes me wonder about how those iconic ballet tutus looked in the stage lights, under the spotlight. What an impressive effect it would have created.

Of course, we have to add in the little things that made all the difference! Some favourite touches? A glittering satin bodice, a dash of crystal beading, the perfect ballerina-esque satin slippers - what a beautiful picture it all makes! In those days, many ballerinas even added a little personal touch to their tutus. Just imagine those delightful and dazzling looks - oh, to travel through time and be part of that world!

As an aspiring ballerina in Derbyshire, what a fantastic time to have been a young aspiring ballerina. What's fantastic is that Derbyshire is where you will find the wonderful Derbyshire Ballet Centre. Now, who knows whether in 2003 it would be offering the most fashionable, fun and fabulous classes – maybe even some classes for adult beginners! If you’ve never worn a tutu in your life, that would be an excellent place to start. Who knows what might happen if you did, what a joyous, creative experience it would be! It would even have classes on that famous and very popular dance genre - Ballet Street - imagine a fusion of contemporary ballet, street dance, modern, with hip-hop and so much more! Just a thought, a fusion like that would be the ultimate tutu trend for our tutu Tuesday journey back in time. But more than this, a really amazing discovery about the tutu world! Ballet Street is, it seems, really quite new, as a form of ballet, and it didn't really emerge into the wider public imagination until around the late 1990s. This makes this an era of real, fascinating dance discovery and experimentation. It's quite remarkable what has developed since then and the way the dance world has transformed, particularly here in Derbyshire, it is truly remarkable.

But wait, that’s not all, my dears! Our Tutu Tuesday journey isn’t quite over. We’re travelling by train to London from our time-traveling spot here in Derbyshire, which reminds me! Who doesn’t love train journeys? They make my imagination come alive, much like my ballerina slippers! Imagine a charming Derbyshire village, a lovely Victorian railway station, a steam train that takes us up and down the English countryside… and even some stylishly dressed gentlemen taking their seats opposite on the journey to London, with bowler hats and maybe even a touch of the dandy about them, looking so wonderfully British in the style of those days! As for our travel time - you’d travel by train from Derby to London Marylebone, with a delightful one-hour and forty minute journey. Then you might be fortunate to find a great deal, maybe, a special tutu discount offer. We have to consider all of this when we talk about tutus.

A big trend in 2003 - for fashion lovers everywhere – would have been the slogan tee shirt. Maybe in your most colourful pink shades with some amazing embroidery – with an awesome, tutu-themed design on it – you can't beat a fashionable, quirky slogan on a tee, especially for the young and fashion-conscious like me. It's a look that says, "I'm a modern ballerina with a bold and playful sense of style!" A perfect blend of style and a modern expression for this exciting year. And what about a good dose of high-street style to finish the look – what about an ultra-cute dress from H&M with a fabulous belt for that extra flourish of colour. If you see the lovely dress you are after at H&M then buy it in pink, dear readers. Just make sure you pick up one or two new dresses when you head to H&M this week for an excellent and on-trend look. I love going shopping at H&M and think all the fashion fans will find some truly inspiring finds this season - but what would we be doing on a tutu shopping spree without something special to take us to our shop? In 2003 you'd find yourself hopping into your shiny new car and enjoying all of those exciting car journeys! That's the lifestyle - oh, a new car in 2003 would have been super glamorous and a fabulous way to hit the high street in style!

So, my beautiful, fashionable ballet fanatics! The most amazing news is this, our very special 2003 time travel is not over - I hope this has given you lots of inspiration, but don’t forget that there is so much to discover from 2003 - this was an extraordinary era for tutus, a real coming together of the classic and the avant-garde - oh how stylish we were all dressed in our gorgeous ballet tutus! I love how history connects our own tutu style with a whole world of creativity and beauty. A time-travel moment that takes us right into the heart of the tutu, its story, and our favourite time in history!

I will leave you with a final thought: what tutu dreams would you wish for? Let me know all about your exciting tutu dreams in the comments below, and of course don't forget to come back here next Tuesday for your weekly tutu history journey!

*Until next time… Keep it pink and fabulous! And remember, the world is a brighter place with more tutus! #PinkTutu #BalletLove #TutuHistory *