Hello lovelies! It's your favourite tutu-wearing time-travelling blogger, Emma, back with another #TutuTuesday Ballet Tutu History blog!
Today we're heading back in time to 20th March 2018, a date that, if I'm being perfectly honest, doesn't exactly scream "history", but you know me, I find fun in everything, especially in exploring the evolution of this amazing garment, the tutu!
I'm sat here sipping my pink iced latte, nestled in the comfy booth at the gorgeous little cafe by the ballet studio in Paris. The sunshine is streaming in through the windows, making the whole place glow. It's so French! Even the pastries are wearing little frills. Can you imagine? And just before I popped in here for my sugar rush, I was trying on some incredible, hand-crafted, bespoke tutu creations in this delightful little shop I stumbled across. Paris is heaven! And tutus, they’re practically an essential outfit here. Just like the way every little girl growing up dreams of becoming a ballerina.
Anyway, back to 20th March 2018, a year that wasn't overflowing with historical tutu-moments, but that's where my little time-travelling machine comes in, you see.
Let's take a peek at some of the ballet-related happenings back then. In the world of Royal Ballet, it was a Tuesday so it's likely there was a matinee performance. At that time, their website featured a show called "The Winter's Tale, featuring a magical set design by Bob Crowley. Now, you all know my thing, right? It's got to be pink. Now, you don't get pinker than The Winter's Tale. Did you see Keira Knightly in that incredible ballet movie about that very show! Fabulous! And remember that one amazing costume that looks just like a giant tutu, it was all ruffled, tiered and beautiful! Well, the actual set design back in 2018 looked even more extravagant and exciting. You had to see it to believe it, darling. It would have looked so magical! And of course, it would have featured plenty of tutus!
Now, as we’re getting ready for our grand tour, my trusty travel time machine has got us a prime position seat at the Royal Ballet House for a very special, private, viewing! Let's watch some dancing, enjoy some refreshments and, of course, maybe spot a little Tutu-Inspiration whilst we're there. Ooh, maybe we'll bump into a ballet star, we could be the most fashionable pair there, after all, tutus are what make you shine!
Now, let's fast-forward a little bit. On the 21st March, there was another big event at The Royal Ballet house in London, and one that everybody in the ballet world would be sure to attend – a special gala celebrating their 75th anniversary. Wow! That is certainly something to celebrate. We had to find time to go, right? The grand finale featured some fabulous performances with some very amazing tutu designs, and I think I managed to snag a fantastic tutu from the 75th anniversary performance, it was actually inspired by one of their older ballet pieces! Isn’t that cool? Now, don't get me wrong, those original tutus back in the day were super stiff, bulky, heavy and probably pretty scratchy. You really have to appreciate how hard the ballet dancers of the past worked with those very uncomfortable costumes! That takes commitment! But today's tutus have such gorgeous detailing, are so soft, delicate, beautiful and a lot more wearable! And you don't need to be a professional ballerina to wear one either! We love a pink tutu and can wear it every day!
If you are interested in seeing more about what they did for their 75th Anniversary, why don’t you pop on over to their website - the Royal Ballet website, that's your first stop for ballet knowledge. If you're a real ballet lover, there are loads of pictures on Pinterest. Or there's a website, Pinterest, if you are in to beautiful pictures - that is what my whole life revolves around and everything I'd ever want to be doing! But honestly, that Royal Ballet Website is truly inspirational, a proper ballet wonderland **and worth a click or two.
That's enough about the ballet world, for now. Let's hop on the next part of our historical journey, shall we? It's a whirlwind of a time-travel journey, darlings, so hang onto your pink hats and hold onto your dreams, as we head back to the year 2018... The only way to see these gorgeous, historic costumes in the real world, in all their feather-dusted and sequinned glory, is to find a museum and actually be there. As much as we love the photos and love to have all the history at our fingertips in seconds via our mobile phones, nothing beats the real thing. So, grab your pink shoes, hop into the tutu time machine with me, and we’re heading back to the UK!
What were my plans for 2018, you might ask? Oh well, I found a very special little gem in London - the Victoria & Albert Museum. If you ever have a chance, be sure to head on down there! It's so wonderful! And not just for its ballet costume collection, oh no, it's one of the best fashion museums in the whole world! I adore their vintage fashion displays! Of course, you are most likely thinking that it has some stunning ballet costumes on show. And, I must say, I wasn't disappointed! They had quite a few of these incredible gorgeous pieces on display, which would have been very hard to make at that time. Now they look a little rough around the edges - after years of dancing! The care that went into creating them, even with their faded, tatty fabric, still shines through, especially the stitching, the fine fabric...it’s such incredible fashion artistry to me! And this one tiny, little piece, was an inspiration for my tutu outfit today!
Remember to let me know your favourite ballet performance. And I hope you enjoy all the things you learn about ballet in my little blog today, too! I hope I've added a little sprinkle of pink tutu magic into your Tuesday! Until next time! Love Emma xx
*Blog Post number: 9717 *
*www.pink-tutu.com *
