Hey darlings! It’s Emma, your resident pink tutu enthusiast, here to transport you back in time with another installment of my Christmas ballet history adventures! This time, we’re waltzing our way back to 1989, a year of amazing ballet performances and some pretty spectacular fashion moments. I've got a sparkly feeling about this one, you can tell I'm absolutely living for this pink tutu I've picked out for this blog, it's like a winter wonderland on a tutu, don't you think? ❄️💖
Let's start with a bit of context for those of you, like me, who love a bit of a historical backstory. 1989 was a whirlwind year, the fall of the Berlin Wall marked a dramatic shift in world history. In ballet land, the Royal Ballet was celebrating the end of their London season at the Royal Opera House with the Sleeping Beauty, starring Darcey Bussell, what a fabulous ballerina! My dream role to play one day, you know. The Sleeping Beauty, set to Tchaikovsky’s iconic music, is the perfect ballet to put you in the Christmas spirit! I bet that was an absolute Christmas dream in 1989, and I'm a little bit jealous I wasn’t alive then! 😉
Now, I know what you’re thinking, “But Emma, what about fashion? This is all about pink tutus and Christmas ballet!" Hold your horses, fashion lovers! 1989 was a wild year in ballet fashion, and for that, we’ve got to thank the legendary Rudolf Nureyev. He was at the height of his fame back then, you know. And while we might not quite wear all his favourite designs, his fashion vision had a huge impact on ballet fashion, paving the way for the bold colours and dramatic silhouettes we still adore today. I mean, the man was all about sparkle and flair. It wasn't all just tutus for Rudolph; he also brought high fashion into his shows. For example, in 1989 he premiered his own production of Swan Lake, in Paris! He brought an entirely new aesthetic to the ballet world by introducing all sorts of extravagant costume designs by Christian Lacroix. Imagine, Christian Lacroix tutus! That's enough to get any tutu-loving ballerina like myself, completely obsessed. 😍
Speaking of ballet on stage, let's head back to Britain and the wonderful Royal Ballet! The Royal Ballet, known for their traditional Christmas repertoire, staged The Nutcracker, in December of 1989, at the Royal Opera House. It was an enchanting show! You can imagine me sat in the audience, spellbound, soaking up the magic of Christmas with all the beautiful music, the magical sets, and of course, the enchanting tutus, dancing around with each performance! Just the thought of that makes me want to dance! 🩰🎄
And just because it's a magical time of year, and this year, the London theatre is overflowing with Christmas shows; let's delve a little into 1989. A favourite on the bill in 1989 at Sadler's Wells was Matthew Bourne's Nutcracker! The entire nation, and all the major media outlets were totally captivated by this brilliant show with its playful, fun, and utterly unique perspective. If you’re in need of some Christmas ballet inspiration, check this one out, you'll love it, especially if you love a bit of Christmas joy in a new twist on a classic.
Now let's chat a bit about the fabulous fashion scene in 1989! Ballet fashion was certainly undergoing a makeover at this time. There was so much colour and a lot of fun with the classic tutu. I completely fell in love with the bright, neon, colours I saw during Royal Ballet productions and in Matthew Bourne’s Nutcracker, It was a breath of fresh air and felt incredibly youthful! That's a trend we still see today, that is the magic of fashion, it keeps returning around! Just imagine: a tutu that is bright and full of joy. Isn’t that amazing? And so in keeping with the festive spirit! 🎄💖
And did you know, 1989 saw a massive fashion resurgence in tutus! I think this was totally inspired by Nureyev and the fashion designers like Christian Lacroix, and, my favourite, Vivienne Westwood were a huge part of it all, of course, using tulle in completely new and exciting ways to make it edgy! Imagine Vivienne Westwood designed tutus; can you even! It must have been divine! And as for Vivienne, just have a little look on the street, see that gorgeous 1989 street fashion, especially on the dancers in the big citys I can already picture how this fashion must have been part of street and dance styles. If you go searching in the depths of my archives, you’ll even find some of my favourite outfits from 1989 in one of my past blog posts. I love looking back at the fashions from bygone eras and seeing what's been revived, like so many vintage tutus in 1989 were getting recycled and revamped with fun colors and bold fabrics and I just loved the trend! So, maybe it's time to dust off that old vintage tutu*! 😉💖
The 1989 ballet season was a Christmas miracle for the world of ballet fashion. So if you're feeling festive this year, dust off your tutu (vintage or new!), channel your inner Nureyev, and enjoy the beautiful magic of the holiday season. Remember - we can all make a ballet dream come true this Christmas by celebrating the spirit of dance! Keep your eyes on my website and blog for exciting developments for this Christmas. I am always looking for more opportunities to bring some of the wonder, fashion, magic, and passion of the ballet into all your lives. Remember: pink tutus and sparkly costumes will always be our holiday style heroes! Let's embrace those fun Christmas memories and festive moments of magic, love and Christmas fun! And most of all, let's have some festive ballet fun this Christmas! See you all in my next blog post! 💖✨🩰
Now if you'll excuse me, I'm off to the studio for some last-minute holiday rehearsal!
Love always,
Emma, the Pink Tutu Princess 👑💖
Don’t forget to check out my past blogs on this website - www.pink-tutu.com - where you can join our community. Remember we are a friendly, happy and passionate group. We'd love you to join in the pink tutu community! 💖🩰
