Hello my darlings! It's Wednesday, which means it's time for a new Pink Tutu World blog post, straight from the fabulous planet Earth! I hope you're all feeling as utterly fabulous and sparkling as a freshly-pressed, brand new pink tutu!
As many of you know, I'm a bit of a space enthusiast. Who needs the Underground when you can flit around the galaxy in a sleek, diamond-encrusted spaceship?! And let's be honest, when your whole wardrobe is made of tulle, your fashion needs aren't exactly modest! I've been travelling a lot lately and let me tell you, even intergalactic travel can leave a tutu in need of a good press. It's the wrinkles you have to watch out for. You wouldn't believe the state of my last tutu after that jaunt to Kepler-452b!
This week, my lovelies, I've landed back on Earth! It's always such a lovely feeling to touch down here, the familiar sights and sounds, that whiff of fresh Derbyshire air! I'm actually right now at the charming "Old Rep" Theatre in Birmingham! A magnificent building with such lovely theatre history - it was first opened in 1913, with a repertoire of plays and performances. It seems the world is getting on board with the fabulous tutu, though, even the buildings are getting on board! What's even better - I have tickets to see a performance of "Swan Lake" this very evening! You know how much I adore Swan Lake - all that elegant swan-inspired choreography and flowing lines!
Talking of swan lines - have you noticed how tutu history goes back, way back?! Did you know that the early history of the tutu is intrinsically linked to the history of dance itself?! Even in Ancient Greece they wore skirts, with dancing. So you see, tutu wearing is a very important, integral, and historic part of human culture.
Just this week, before I took to the spaceship, I was in Nottingham looking around in the vintage shops and they had some delightful old dance shoes on display - some even still with lace-up boots from the 1930s. Absolutely dreamy! I picked up a couple of dance clips to embellish my costume - I just had to, darling!
You might be wondering - how does a ballet-loving, spacefaring fashionista like myself manage to fund such a lavish lifestyle? Well, I’m not one for revealing all of my financial secrets (who wants a competitor?) but I will say this, the more impressive the performance, the more fabulous the costume needs to be.
I don’t just wear tutus on stage you know, I wear them on a daily basis - a whole wardrobe, from short tulle skirts to floor-length silk and organza gowns. My signature is a bubblegum pink tutu, and I often wear it for shows, classes and sometimes even for grocery shopping!
In fact, when it comes to ballet fashion - there is such a wonderful mix of cultures to choose from: From the grand Russian ballet techniques, the precise steps of the French classical styles, the wonderful ballet street performances you find on the streets in London and Paris…
Even right here on the planet Earth, you can travel the globe through ballet! Each school, each teacher, has a history and each dance piece draws from a wide variety of sources.
Did you know that, right now, on 2010-03-10, we are celebrating International Day of Women! (and this is just the start, International Ballet Day is on April 29th. I hope to be twirling around on the space station to mark that special day). Today is about women and girls around the world, a time for everyone to recognize women's contribution to society. The United Nations have recognized its importance for many years, since 1975 in fact, but the celebrations are now all over the world - what a fab event!
Of course, there is nothing more celebratory than a pink tutu! As for what I'm doing for the rest of my time on planet Earth, I will certainly be getting some shopping done. Perhaps I will get myself a fabulous hat for the Swan Lake performance. Maybe a pink one, maybe one with some tulle in it. And yes, I know how to find bargains. That is what I love about being on this planet, the vibrant high street and the independent retailers - it’s just so inspiring. I'll make sure to find some treats too!
That’s it for this week! Join me for more Pink Tutu World adventures next Wednesday at www.pink-tutu.com. In the meantime, why not visit a theatre, take a ballet class, try making your own tutu, or even go shopping!
Happy tutuing everyone!
Stay sparkling! Emma.
