#PinkTutuWorld Ballet on Planet Earth on 1998-10-07

Hello, darlings! It's Emma here, your favourite tutu-clad intergalactic fashionista, back with another adventure from the great unknown! This week, I'm delighted to be bringing you a blog post from Planet Earth!

Oh, Planet Earth, how I've missed your rolling green hills, your cobblestone streets, your iconic red phone booths and your amazing tutu shops! There's just something so charming and elegant about the fashion sense of this planet, even if they are still a bit behind on the pink-tutu-wearing front... ahem.

But worry not, darlings, I'm here to spread the pink-tutu gospel, one intergalactic hop at a time! I arrived on Planet Earth earlier this week, landing gracefully, of course, in my spaceship right outside the Royal Opera House in Covent Garden. Just look at those cobblestones, perfect for a twirl, even with a spaceship attached!

Speaking of twirls, today was absolutely fabulous. I managed to squeeze in a performance at the Royal Ballet – those dancers, so talented! – and afterwards I spent the afternoon shopping in Liberty London. Oh my! The tutus! Glimmering and flowing, and so many shades of pink! I simply couldn't resist and added a few new creations to my collection, naturally.

Of course, being a well-travelled intergalactic ballerina, I couldn't resist venturing out to see the iconic sights. The Tower Bridge, Buckingham Palace, the Houses of Parliament – these are truly places to add to your bucket list, dear readers. My pink tutu certainly caused quite the stir, especially amongst the pigeons and squirrels in St James’ Park! They just love my style, darlings.

However, my mission on Planet Earth wasn't just to buy new tutus and have a lovely time! My aim was to connect with the heart of this ballet-loving planet and inspire people to embrace the magic and beauty of this elegant form of art, in all its glory. I was so excited to see how vibrant the dance scene is here! From street performers in Covent Garden to the professional dancers at Sadler’s Wells, every corner I turned, it was like a beautiful ballet performance waiting to unfold.

Let me tell you, these Earthling ballerinas are talented, especially the ones at the Royal Ballet! Their technique, their grace, the precision of their movements - truly a delight to witness. And speaking of technique, did you know that this very day, 1998-10-07, marks the birth of a famous ballerina, Diana Vishneva? Well, here on Planet Earth, she's famous. She’s renowned for her versatility and incredible leaps – she even made the Guinness Book of Records! The world needs more ballerinas like her!

My little spaceship adventure has inspired me, darlings! This planet holds such beautiful, enchanting corners that sometimes I just forget how much there is to explore! I've always been so fascinated by ballet history, and you just can't beat the sheer number of dance schools and theatre groups here in Planet Earth's capital. You can truly feel the centuries of ballet history flowing through these halls. Just walking through these historic buildings and imagining the legendary ballerinas who have graced those stages with their elegant movements… it’s truly breathtaking!

And you know, while the English Ballet is undoubtedly phenomenal, their fashion game still needs a bit of tweaking. They could do with a touch of pink, if you know what I mean! Let’s just say that spreading the pink-tutu message will definitely be part of my ongoing work! It's not just about the colour, though. It's about expressing ourselves through this incredible art form, about defying gravity, about feeling free and powerful, just like a dancer in a perfectly fitting pink tutu!

This brings me to a little surprise! As a bonus, this week on my website www.pink-tutu.com , I’ve compiled a fun little history of the tutu, from its origins in the late 18th century to its modern incarnations. You'll find a special selection of iconic tutu styles from ballet history and how they’ve evolved over the centuries. And of course, I couldn’t resist adding a few tips on choosing the perfect pink tutu for every occasion, because darlings, you know I’ve got your pink-tutu needs covered!

And don’t forget to join me next week, when I’m travelling to Planet Astarte – just another lovely place on the intergalactic itinerary of Pink Tutu World! You know you can’t resist my latest fashion finds!

Until next week, darlings, keep twirling and stay radiant!

XOXO

Emma

I love to hear your stories!

Now, onto my pink-tutu journey through the ballet history of this fascinating planet. So get comfy, dear readers, because we are going to go down a rabbit hole of beautiful, colourful and surprisingly complex historical stories, and discover why the tutu has captured hearts and audiences for centuries!

Part One: From Corset to Couture - The Birth of a Dancing Dress.

First of all, darlings, let's clear the air! No, the tutu was not invented by a queen in a fairy tale. Though, how amazing would that be?!

Imagine! *“Oh, my dear, how utterly delightful your gown is! How did you ever conceive such a marvelous and elegant thing?!” *

“Well, Your Majesty,” a petite ballerina in pink whispers, “I was simply inspired by the lightness and freedom of a swan's wings.”

Okay, darling, we have to take the tutu story back to the 18th century when ballerinas were… well, they weren't exactly dancing freely, let’s just say that! Instead of that fluid, dynamic grace we see in ballet today, they were restricted by their corsets and the wide skirts that were considered the epitome of "femininity" at the time. Imagine those giant, heavy hoops beneath a ball gown that ballerinas would literally be holding up to balance, trying to look delicate while barely being able to take a single step, let alone spin or jump! How unpractical! How unbecoming! How dull!

A very clever Parisian man by the name of Jean-Georges Noverre, one of the pioneers of ballet, saw the limitations these garments were causing and decided the time for change had come. He wanted to give ballet a freedom of movement, so he set about trying to reinvent the dancer’s look by removing all the fussy fabric and excessive padding that hampered movements. His idea? Let's try simplifying things.

As ballerinas took their cue from this visionary Frenchman, he replaced the ballgown with a new shorter, simpler skirt called the "tutu" which in French is pronounced tuh-too and loosely translates to "short skirt." (The funny thing is, back then, these shorter tutus still took many hours to create, but were now at least less cumbersome! ). This new costume design created space and opened up a whole new dimension to ballet. Ballerinas could finally leap, spin, turn and showcase their artistry without feeling like they were carrying an extra layer of fabric and discomfort. Imagine a graceful butterfly, free to flit and flutter!

By the late 19th century, the romantic ballet movement (as you probably guessed, this movement was a whirlwind of love stories and fantastical ballets! Imagine “Swan Lake” or “Sleeping Beauty” for all of you earthlings out there!). With the arrival of the romantic period came a love affair with tutus. But this time, ballerinas embraced a little more dramatic effect.

For those iconic roles like Giselle, Aurora and Odette, the “Romantic tutu” evolved to become the tulle skirt we know and love (with a romantic nod to panniers, petticoats and layers of fabric, which means there’s a definite historical reference here for all those fashion enthusiasts out there). This "tutu" became an absolute dream for ballet designers and costume-makers, because, darling, it had all the elements: beauty, flowing fabric, and an unmistakable visual drama – a total eye-catcher. But it did come at a price! Those ballerina skirts now reached an amazing four and a half to five metres (almost 15 feet) in circumference. Can you imagine trying to twirl that around? Talk about a massive fabric halo around you!

Now, darlings, the romantic ballet period did a good job of creating those beautiful, fairytale stories. But in real life, all those yards of delicate tulle weren't quite as magical for dancers as the fantasy would have had you believe! Let's just say, these tutus weren't always as manageable as they appeared. Tulle is incredibly light, delicate and… yes, it does fray, darling!

But all of this made one very big statement: ballet, tutus, romance, fashion! They were officially joined at the hip!

And then came a truly revolutionary change, right on cue, from Russia in the mid-19th century. Sergei Diaghilev, the director of Les Ballets Russes, decided that ballets should be both visually dynamic and aesthetically perfect - not to mention, they needed to capture the attention of every member of the audience (and they did).

What's the quickest way to do this? Well, by the mid-19th century, there was already a good recipe for that perfect tutu for a dance scene – it was the “classical tutu.” Imagine more graceful, more graceful, with less voluminous fabric and, in some instances, only a single layer of tulle, with several panels stitched and gathered around a structured base, often incorporating stiff netting to keep its shape.* It was a truly beautiful dance in itself, making ballet costumes less of a drag. So what we actually have is a shorter version of the romanticist skirt, creating a dramatic look, with the added magic of fluidity.

By this time, ballet was beginning to go mainstream, with more people than ever before drawn in by the excitement of the dancers’ artistry, the beautiful stories and the visual magic of those floating, swirling tutus. Even ballerinas took their style off stage! That was when the tutu, in all its glory, truly took centre stage and cemented its status as a universal icon of grace, beauty and elegance.

As the century progressed, ballet designers had the world at their feet – or, well, their tutu-covered legs! And ballet design took another leap, darlings, literally, breaking out of the constraints of what was seen as “tradition”. And guess what? They did this, all with the tutu as the star!

New styles were born – layered tutus, short tutus, even tutu pants - all in those eye-catching hues of bright pink, vivid reds, bright blues and more! What was the overall message? Make a bold, colourful, eye-catching, and confident statement!

For example, imagine a tutu of different colours in layered sections, which created the effect of dancing lights, with *tulle floating effortlessly around the stage in an explosion of movement and texture, making it practically impossible for anyone not to feel captivated.

By now, darling, the tutu has a huge variety of styles: The classical, the romantic, and the contemporary – all telling their unique story! We have seen revolutionary transformations in design, from those classic flowing styles to those shorter styles, all the way to tutus designed with a completely different sense of shape and dimension, so different from that traditional shape.

And who knows, darlings? What will the 21st Century have in store for us and for the humble tutu? Well, I can't tell you for sure, darling. I hope to be around to see the next chapter in its evolution, because that tutu has never lost its allure! From the historical period of the ballerina wearing heavy, padded ballgowns to all those iconic dancers who took their artistry onto those magical stages in their tutus, I don't think it has ever looked so good. It has come a very long way indeed!

So let's toast to the tutu – a story of beauty, evolution and artistry! And, darlings, just remember - if you ever want to feel empowered and beautiful, there is no better option than to slip on that classic pink tutu. And who knows? You might even be on stage performing your next pas de deux.

Stay sparkly, darling, until next time!