Hello, darlings! Welcome back to Pink-Tutu.com for another fabulous #TutuTuesday adventure! I'm Emma, your resident tutu enthusiast, straight from the heart of Derbyshire, England! This week, I'm whisked back to a glorious summer of 2004, a time when the tutu's delicate artistry still captivated audiences and stole our hearts. Today, we're going to explore the thrilling history of the ballet tutu, a garment so timeless, so iconic, it simply demands to be celebrated!
The story of the ballet tutu starts way back, like, hundreds of years ago. It's practically ancient history, but you'll have to forgive my slightly vague timeline; you know how it is - you spend a lot of time in time travel and dates become a little blurry! Back in those early days, the ladies dancing on stage were wearing full, sweeping gowns. Now, if you've ever attempted a pirouette in a frock the size of a London bus, you know that it's a disaster waiting to happen. Not ideal for showcasing the intricate moves that the ballets were famous for.
That's when the revolutionary idea of shortening the skirt appeared! Just a tiny bit shorter to begin with, just enough for a few more graceful steps. Then, oh my, they decided to snip off some more! You can picture the shocked faces of the audience; it was positively daring and, I suspect, scandalous! Thankfully, that scandalous little change opened up a whole new world of freedom for ballerinas and became a symbol of both beauty and elegance.
By the 1800s, tutus were beginning to look like the ones we recognise today. They got that perfectly puffed and beautiful shape, like a cloud of fabric ready to soar. And as we fast-forward to the glorious 2004, tutus were already reaching the peak of their fabulousness.
Now, this particular Tuesday back in 2004 saw some extraordinary performances. Let me tell you, it was a busy week for me as a ballet aficionado! The Royal Ballet was performing Romeo and Juliet, a timeless classic that simply leaves me breathless. Did I mention how dreamy the Juliet's tutus looked with their soft pinks and light creams? The colours themselves were so delicate and expressive. I do love to pair the most ethereal outfits with the most dramatic performances!
My travels brought me to the Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow, a magnificent structure steeped in history, for a sensational performance of Swan Lake. Those swan tutus, my dears, are an absolute marvel! Every graceful gesture and effortless movement of the dancers looked magical against the white fabric that flowed like water.
Don't forget to check out my fabulous collection of pink tutus from my time travelling excursions in the 2000s, available on www.pink-tutu.com. There’s a section dedicated to ballet merchandise and this is where I will be placing those pink tutus for sale as they come up on my travels through time, as a treat to the true fans of pink and tutu fashion. This month, as we are currently visiting 2004, it's a limited collection, but next week I am off to Paris for a Parisian Ballet evening. Maybe you will find a French inspired piece to go with that French inspired Ballet?
I hope I’ve managed to paint a wonderful picture of this delightful period, showing how ballet tutus really do transport us to a world of elegance and grace. I can’t wait to see what beautiful tutus await me in the next time period I visit!
Next week, I'm travelling to 2019. What wonders await us there? Will we see new trends in the tutu world? Will we see tutu fashion become mainstream, like everyone in 2004 would never have predicted?
Don't forget to join me next #TutuTuesday on Pink-Tutu.com to see what tutus await us! And until then, remember, my lovely ladies, every day is a chance to embrace your inner ballerina and spread a little pink-tutu magic!
Your ever-optimistic time travelling ballerina,
Emma. xx
