Christmas Ballet in 1967

Hello my fellow tutu enthusiasts! It's Emma, your pink-tutu-wearing, ballet-obsessed blogger, ready to whisk you away to a dazzling Christmas ballet adventure back in 1967! This time-hopping, tutu-spinning journey will be filled with dazzling tutus, festive cheer, and a peek into the world of ballet fashion as it was way back then.

As you know, my passion for ballet history is a deep one, and each year, I travel back in time, embracing the magic of past Christmas seasons and discovering the wonders of ballet at different stages. This time, I’m taking you to the swinging sixties!

Imagine the music of The Beatles filling the air, Mary Quant mini-skirts dominating the fashion scene, and a youthful exuberance flowing through every aspect of life! It was a time of social change and artistic expression. It's also a time when ballet itself was starting to change and modernise.

The tutus in 1967 were simply fabulous! Imagine the classic tutu, that beautiful fluffy, bell-shaped garment that swishes around our ankles with such graceful grace. This was still the dominant style of the day, but designers were adding exciting new elements, adding modern touches and using bold colors and eye-catching embellishments. I'd even seen them featuring sparkly details like sequins and glitter, reminding me of those frosty, sparkly decorations we use on the Christmas tree. And of course, all this glorious glitter was accented by some beautiful velvet fabrics! It was pure elegance with a modern twist - exactly my kind of style!

Speaking of elegance, the Christmas spirit in ballet was definitely present in 1967! Back then, companies like the Royal Ballet would perform the classic Nutcracker with stunning sets and costumes, immersing audiences in the winter wonderland of Tchaikovsky's masterpiece. It was truly enchanting! You'll probably be wondering what's on the ballet stage this Christmas, and this is one thing you should absolutely see! It was truly enchanting to see.

However, things were changing. In 1967, a little company called The Royal Ballet in London, known as Covent Garden, gave birth to the very first dance-based stage production of a Christmas classic, A Christmas Carol. It may sound familiar today, but back then, this production, a vibrant and dynamic creation from the choreographer, John Cranko, was an innovation! Imagine, the spirit of Christmas told through ballet! Now you're picturing it, I'm sure, complete with tutus, naturally! This festive tale has since become an established part of their repertoire, as popular in its own right as the Nutcracker. And, as many of you know, it is always a show to see on Christmas at the Royal Opera House in London, just down the street from Covent Garden, where, by chance, we did actually end up in 1967. What a stroke of luck. It felt like an actual stroke of luck too! We were treated to an impromptu street ballet show in London, by Covent Garden dancers. These street performances were becoming a phenomenon in the 1960s! They had this fabulous modern edge. My tutu-wearing heart, and everyone else's on the street, simply couldn't help being moved by it. I am a great supporter of impromptu ballet - something I do quite a lot - it really makes you see ballet in a whole new light and how it is for everyone, on the street, as much as on the stage. It was fantastic! Covent Garden did a brilliant job. What can I say. More Covent Garden performances and impromptu shows are in my future!

1967, however, wasn't just about ballet - it was also about fashion. My time-hopping took me to London, the fashion capital of the world. Oh, how I wished I'd been there to catch all the exciting new looks! But imagine! The mini-skirt was still very much in vogue and Mary Quant was absolutely ruling the fashion scene! There was a youthful energy and boldness that was so in-keeping with ballet, and there was a distinct flair and experimentation in all of it - like trying new tutus to match the latest style of the time. What fun! If you can even imagine such a thing, as one of the things that happened during our trip was a dance show inspired by Mary Quant, complete with pink tutus! I told you it was destined to be! Pink was also big at the time. The colors and designs were truly fabulous. My eyes just loved the look, and I swear I found my very own pink tutu somewhere along the way. There was a huge variety of styles from soft flowing tulles to shorter, more whimsical tutu designs with all those dazzling sequins, a real retro ballet look for you to enjoy!

And of course, I couldn't forget to mention the iconic hairstyles that accompanied these looks. Huge hair, bouncy and with voluminous volumes were the order of the day, making those twirls that little bit more glamorous! It was almost as if even the hair itself became part of the tutu's design, making it an integral element of the performance. Ballet is a whole performance, and that included everything down to our fingertips and the latest in ballet-wear, which certainly included footwear too! I was thrilled to see this!

I found so many great inspirations from this 1967 Christmas ballet trip, and as I say, this wasn't a quick holiday. The fun had to include a bit of shopping - so many things inspired by ballet and Mary Quant. Who needs shopping malls! If you see my newest post I'm showcasing all these new looks, including a few tutu ideas - which just show you what you can do in a 1960's modern ballet! If you need inspiration, all I need is to go to an online 1960's fashion show and there is my fashion-based, ballet-wear design.

This journey, as you've probably realised, is all about bringing together the past, present, and future of ballet, and there is nothing I love more than celebrating all its beautiful forms, be it on the stage, in the street, on my blog and of course, with all those pink tutus, the iconic garment. I can't wait to see where this journey will take us next! Until then, keep on dancing and don't forget to keep your eye on pink-tutu.com, for some great 1967 fashion finds, ballet insights and your regular tutu inspirations!

Yours in pink tutus,

Emma