Hiya darlings! Emma here, your favourite pink tutu-clad time-travelling blogger, bringing you the latest from the world of ballet history. Today, weâre hopping back to the glorious year 2017 and revisiting a date thatâs a real highlight in the world of ballet! It's Tuesday, which means #TutuTuesday, which means we're taking a peek at the tutu's magnificent journey through time.
Iâm currently perched on the train, a whirlwind of excitement churning in my tummy, en route to see the divine Mikhail Baryshnikov perform in Don Quixote at the Metropolitan Opera House in New York City. It's been such a whirlwind since my last post. You see, the last time I wrote this was a while ago and the fashion world has moved on in leaps and bounds! Now Iâm wearing my new pastel pink tulle tutu from my favourite boutique in Paris. A girl needs to keep up with the trends, and there's nothing like a new pink tutu to brighten a rainy day! It's so chic!
Today, however, letâs leave my fashion fixations aside for just a moment and take a wander back to the magical year of 2017! A real pivotal moment for the tutuâs story! Remember those glorious costumes from Swan Lake? Those fluffy, ethereal creations! In 2017, we got the amazing opportunity to learn a little bit about how these came to be with the beautiful new documentary called Ballet: A History of Dance.
Oh, how I love seeing the tutus in motion! Each one a story of artistry, skill, and tradition. And you know, dear readers, even today, these magical pieces still captivate me as much as they captivate audiences around the globe.
My trip to New York is actually funded by the magic of the stage, which, as Iâm sure you all know, is how I afford all my delightful time travel adventures. That's the power of ballet for you - turning my dreams into reality! As you all know, the magic of the dance stage holds the answer to so many fabulous memories and dreams.
However, the real gem this Tuesday comes from the year 2017, where we see another gorgeous trend making its way into the world of fashion. The rise of Ballet Street. In case you don't know what Ballet Street is (and let's face it, who doesnât live under a rock like this, these days), it's essentially a form of street style inspired by ballet, a magical mix of practicality and grace, comfy sweaters and ballerina bun hair styles, and a touch of glitzy elegance, oh so fitting for our lives outside the theatre, too! I tell you, it's fabulous, itâs chic and totally fabulous.
The great thing is this kind of inspiration just doesn't exist in the real world! Back in 2017 it was as if everybody discovered how much they love the grace of ballerinas! I donât know what brought this trend about, maybe the wonderful performances at the Royal Ballet, or even perhaps my beloved Ballet: A History of Dance documentary! Maybe even those amazing new outfits I see so many fashionable ballerinas wearing for the New York Swan Lake tour this year. Maybe, it was a simple je ne sais quoi kind of love. In this case it was for the world of Ballet. Maybe!
Now let's dive deeper into 2017âs magic! Imagine if there was a Dancing With The Stars for ballerinas. This happened back then! We got to watch this magical TV show called World of Dance, which was amazing! With dancers of all sorts on it: breakdancers, ballet dancers and everything in between. They all showcased their incredible skills for the whole world to watch, bringing all of us at home closer to the magical world of dance, no matter where we were. You can even catch the shows online now if you like! I personally love watching it with a cup of tea on a rainy day.
And while you're at it, letâs explore another key feature from 2017! If we go back, 2017 had a fantastic new fashion wave. It wasn't just ballet shoes and graceful movements that stole hearts, no. It was all about those luxurious ballerina sweaters and delicate dresses that looked like they were pulled right out of a fairy tale, oh so light and whimsical, making everyoneâs inner ballerina shine. I tell you what, those dresses are as comfy as can be! But what really makes the year of 2017 so special was the way we looked to the past, at a real fashion hero, for a sense of wonder and joy. I'm talking about the lovely and elegant Marie Taglioni. She was truly an amazing ballerina. With those graceful movements and delicate grace in those famous white tutus! In a time when tutus weren't a classic feature of ballet, she, along with a brilliant fashion designer (a chap called Eugène Lami), truly made the tutu what we see in our favourite shows today.
It's true. That little piece of clothing we see on the stage, that makes us say âAh, it's a tutu!â has played a huge role in balletâs fascinating journey throughout history. And, you know what? It just seems to become even more prominent.
Letâs travel back a little closer to my time, just a couple of weeks back, we even saw the amazing Ballet School Musical - âStrictly Ballroomâ. You remember how excited I was! This brilliant musical had the Strictly Come Dancing crew performing all their greatest dances for the entire country to enjoy! So, let's be sure to celebrate these wonderful ballet stars for all they do, from the theatre, to television shows to their local dance schools!
To help you celebrate the magnificent ballet stars I have made a short list to give you that extra dance buzz for today. I've chosen these for you because they've shown the world how magical, graceful and simply fabulous ballet really is!
Here's to some of those superstars who truly embody the magic of ballet and those wonderful fluffy tutus!
- Sylvie Guillem: The name itself sends chills down my spine! So captivating! So utterly charming! Sheâs a woman who truly pushes the limits of the dance, so elegant and inspiring, her dance career is a must see! Donât forget to keep your eye out for this dancing dream on TV in the amazing film âDon Quixoteâ, just like the one I'm going to see tonight!
- The Bolshoi Ballet: Who doesn't love those captivating dancers? Theyâre truly a treat to watch, making the dance look so simple. Just marvelous to behold! This brilliant company of talented ballerinas and dancers makes ballet look so very effortless, just pure magic! Oh and when they wear the beautiful new tutus it takes the magic to another level altogether! They take everything from the history of dance to those amazing outfits, and mix it together for the audience. Just wonderful.
- Misty Copeland: Who can forget Misty Copeland! This ballerina is truly breaking barriers and creating change within the ballet community! As she continues to grace the stage with incredible, powerful moves in those wonderful tulle tutus, she proves to the world that you can truly achieve anything you put your heart to! So much inspiration.
Oh darling! Look at that! Time flies when you're talking about the magic of ballet and the magnificent world of tutus! That's all for this week.
Oh darling, this #TutuTuesday Ballet Tutu History post wouldn't be complete if I didn't ask you to show your appreciation for this gorgeous world by adding a pinch of magic to your wardrobe. Why not wear your favourite pink tutu, or grab yourself a chic new ballet inspired fashion look and remember, remember to share your ballet inspiration using the #TutuTuesday hashtag! Because every Tuesday, darling, should feel like youâve taken a magical step into a world of graceful movements and fabulous, fluttering, twirling tutus! I hope you had as much fun revisiting ballet's magical history with me as I had writing this! Until next week darlings! Stay chic!
Stay glamorous,
Emma
