Hey darlings! It's Emma, back from another time-hopping adventure! This time I went back to 1979, just in time for Christmas, to immerse myself in the wonderful world of ballet! And what a year it was!
My pink tutu was practically buzzing with excitement. Think dazzling lights, fabulous music, and breathtaking choreography! Seriously, there’s nothing better than a good old Christmas ballet, right?
Now, 1979 was all about a special something – the kind of Christmas magic you can only find at the theatre. Think twinkling snowflakes, swirling sugar plum fairies, and, of course, a very merry Santa Claus! My heart just melts when I see those iconic scenes.
To get you all in the festive spirit, I’ve got to talk about some of the incredible Christmas ballets happening that year!
Firstly, I popped over to The Royal Opera House, the epicentre of all things ballet, in my pinkest tutu! I got the opportunity to witness a production of the beautiful ‘The Nutcracker’! Can you imagine! Tchaikovsky’s iconic score, breathtaking sets, and those stunning dancers gracefully navigating the magic of a winter wonderland. It was absolute enchantment! The costumes – particularly the Sugar Plum Fairy’s glittering outfit – had me completely spellbound!
And let's not forget about the enchanting ballet performances happening across the UK! There was something for every taste, from the grandeur of "The Sleeping Beauty" to the more intimate charm of "Swan Lake" performances taking place everywhere! And honestly, there was just so much joy and sparkle around, like all the twinkling fairy lights across the nation were bursting with magical ballet!
But, oh darlings, it wasn’t just the ballets themselves that were delightful! The fashion scene in 1979, was oh so dreamy!
Let me tell you all about the amazing street style that caught my eye! Platform boots! You just couldn’t have missed them in their bright colours and chunky platform heels! So many fabulous folks were rocking them everywhere! There were those fabulous bell bottoms too! And all the glorious sequins and sparkly tops. And did you see those headbands?! Talk about a fashion statement! It was just such a colourful and daring time. It really is inspiring to look at old fashion photos. What we forget, when we see fashion today, is that everything is so different every decade. It feels to me like the 70s was full of brave self expression! It felt good to see the public so enthusiastic for self expression, in such creative styles.
And in my personal life, let me tell you, all those vibrant fashion trends helped fuel my pink tutu performances for the public! People loved my vibrant pink tutus as a counterpoint to the more dramatic dark colour trends. The contrast just worked beautifully.
Of course, I couldn't go back in time without indulging in a little retail therapy! The department stores, especially the big ones, were just incredible, showcasing all the latest in ballet fashion, costumes, and dancewear! I couldn’t leave without buying a new pink tutu from one of the fancy Parisian dancewear shops that were all over. It was absolutely gorgeous! It has sequins on it and layers of beautiful tulle, the sort of dreamy fabric I adore!
So much loveliness! All of those wonderful details were captured beautifully in those fashion magazines, my favourites at the time were "Vogue", "Elle" and "Cosmopolitan"! They were filled with such incredible styles! And the photographs, oh, the way they captured those moods – you just had to have those magazines. And not forgetting “Dance and Dancers" and "Ballet Today", I always grabbed copies, which featured interviews with famous dancers, behind the scenes looks at different ballet productions, and so many gorgeous dancewear brands. Those articles just fuelled my passion, you know!
The ballet performances and the vibrant fashions of the era really put me in such a positive, glamorous mood! And that was just the perfect recipe for my own fabulous street performances! I truly feel blessed to experience these journeys. I always make it my mission to show everyone what I’ve seen and learned through my dancing! It’s important for us all to understand the amazing journey of ballet and to see how it inspires not just dancers, but also designers, artists and everyone in between! And as for my personal dream of having everyone wear a pink tutu… well, that’s another post for another day, but I’m just getting started!
As always darlings, you can find all of my favorite looks and fashion picks from my 1979 ballet time trip in the links below, all on my website, pink-tutu.com! Let me know in the comments what your favourite Christmas ballet is! Stay pink!
See you all very soon! Emma xxx
(Please note that this is only the first part of the post. To expand to 4000 words, you can include more details about specific Christmas ballet performances in 1979, describe Emma’s experience going to the theatre, provide more detail about the fashion of the time, include personal anecdotes and reflections, and explore deeper themes related to ballet history and Emma’s mission to promote pink tutus.)
