#PinkTutuWorld Ballet on Planet Earth on 2018-10-17

Darling dears,

It’s Wednesday! Which means it’s time for another Pink Tutu World update from your favourite, pink-loving, tutu-obsessed, space-travelling ballerina, yours truly, Emma!

I’m back on planet Earth, my feet firmly planted (in a pair of fabulous pink ballet shoes, naturally) after an absolutely whirlwind adventure to… drumroll … Alpha Centauri! Now, I know what you’re thinking: “Alpha Centauri? What’s there to do in Alpha Centauri?” And trust me, I’m surprised too, because it turned out to be an absolutely divine surprise. But let’s get back to that later.

First, I just have to share with you all the incredible fashion finds I discovered back on Earth. I know, I know, you all are saying “But Emma, you just got back from outer space!” True, true, but honestly, a gal has gotta keep up with her pink tutu wardrobe.

Derbyshire Delight:

You know how I adore shopping for pink tutus in Derbyshire, right? The cobblestone streets, the quaint boutiques… the quaint cafes serving fabulous pink cakes! Well, on my little visit back home, I stumbled upon this stunning boutique called “Pink & Bloom” - just my kind of vibe. They’ve got the most exquisite vintage tutus, all in various shades of pink, from candy floss to blush rose to a dreamy, almost holographic flamingo pink.

I walked out with a brand-new, vintage pink tutu that I had to add to my collection. You wouldn’t believe how well it works with the pink, glitter-flecked boots I bought in a vintage store in, oh what was it? Venus, was it? No, oh wait… Sirius, maybe? Ah well! I’ll tell you about those shoes later…

The Royal Ballet’s “Giselle”:

But back to the main reason for my little planet Earth stopover: THE BALLET.

Have you seen the Royal Ballet’s production of “Giselle”? I managed to snag a front row seat for the evening performance at the Royal Opera House - I swear, darling, it was simply magical! There’s just something about a classic like “Giselle” that always brings me right back to my passion for dance.

I was blown away by the incredible talent of the dancers - their graceful movements, their effortless artistry, the way they made the story come alive before my eyes! The tutus were, of course, stunning. This classic ballet, it really had everything - heart, drama, passion, beautiful dancing, even some ghostly shades of pink and white. And oh my goodness, I can still hear the sound of the orchestra, swirling and captivating in its sheer brilliance.

You see, it wasn’t just the beauty of the production that swept me away. “Giselle” isn’t just about the tutu and the dance steps; it’s about love, loss, betrayal, forgiveness, the magic of believing, even when you can't see it, and, if we are truly honest with ourselves, every woman out there who knows about love knows something of the story of “Giselle.”

Oh, and the shoes. The ballet slippers! I was just enthralled! It truly is a sight to behold, seeing these talented dancers effortlessly gliding across the stage in such elegant and delicate footwear. The artistry of those handmade slippers - each and every detail just oozes class and beauty! It’s an inspiring thing, the ballet - they truly put so much thought into their every step.

The Story of “Giselle”

I really must go on about the story of “Giselle” - because oh my gosh, it’s such a fab story and so relevant to today's society, not just back in the 1800s when it was first produced. And who doesn't love a little fairytale with just a hint of a twist?

The basic plot of “Giselle” is as follows, although the plot changes subtly in every version, like all fairy tales do: Giselle, a young peasant girl in 19th-century Germany, falls in love with a nobleman, the handsome, oh so charming Albrecht, but oh no! - the handsome man has lied to her. She thinks he is an eligible bachelor, but she finds out that the love of her life is a deceitful character who is already betrothed to another woman (oh no!). When Giselle learns this dreadful truth, she is so utterly heartbroken that she goes mad and dies (sad, right?)

Oh! but here’s the kicker - then the story just gets so much better. It seems “Giselle” is one of those love stories with a little help from a magical, supernatural plot twist! Turns out, in a magical ballet twist of fate (the only fair kind), Giselle's heartbroken spirit becomes a spirit of the woods called a “wili”. As a wili, Giselle’s story really goes down a treat (it is the main part of the ballet!)

Now, because Giselle’s soul is so filled with unrequited love (she's in mourning!) she has the mystical power to get other guys who’ve broken hearts to fall into the “wili’s” power and dance them to death until they also become a "wili."

When a handsome and noble-looking count called Hilarion ( who is in love with Giselle, naturally), sees that Giselle’s lover is betraying her, Hilarion tries to stop Giselle's ex from causing her more pain, but of course he is so wrong to try. The "wili" (aka a group of young girls turned spirits by heartbroken men) try to cause the Count to die in the wood, but of course, the dancing is so fantastic, it is mesmerizing and saves him, so there are not many deaths at the end, after all.

I do not wish to give any spoilers as to the story’s finale, but as we all know, a beautiful ballet like this must have a satisfying, moral resolution for a beautiful, powerful character.

But really, this story about love and heartbreak is more than just a tale about magical fairies and mythical stories - it is really more of an exploration of human psychology. And, my darlings, what is more feminine than exploring human psychology in a pink tutu and dance slippers?

The Tutus of “Giselle”:

The tutus, oh the tutus in the production - such a delight!

We have a mixture of romantic tutu and theatrical tutu in the Royal Ballet’s production:

• The Romanticism

  • First, there’s the iconic Giselle costume - an airy and ethereal white, tulle-heavy ballet dress with flowing and diaphanous fabrics, all about conveying delicate lightness and fairy-like beauty. It’s designed to emphasize every twist and turn of the dancer’s body, creating a delicate, ethereal aesthetic.

    • *The theatrical tutu: *
      • Then, of course, we have the "Wilis."
    • Each “Wili” has her own dress - think black and white or deep gray with white - designed to show the dramatic movements and gestures that would evoke mystery, intrigue and the power of those ethereal creatures. The long skirts, and oh my goodness the amazing and dramatic choreography with the long flowing tutus make every dance movement dramatic and magical to behold.

Fashion Forward

The fashion forward “Wilis”, in their mystical, mysterious garb really had my pink tutu senses tingling! It wasn’t the pale pastels of my own collection - these ladies were rocking dark hues, deep blacks and grays - truly mesmerizing! Think Victorian-inspired designs with just a touch of goth glam - totally a different vibe from my usual style, but totally in line with a fabulous trend I think I just might explore, just a little, for next month’s travel plans to the outer reaches of our Milky Way. It seems we have our next Pink Tutu World project, my darlings.

Planet Alpha Centauri & Beyond

Speaking of intergalactic travels, now’s the time I need to share all about my adventure to Alpha Centauri! The thing is, when you're on a spaceship, it's not like going for a simple tea at your local bakery, my lovelies. It's not even a 5-minute hop to the nearest galaxy. So my mission was a bit of a journey!

Let’s be honest: my mission in space was mainly a fashion adventure. As I’m sure you’ve gathered, I'm a little bit obsessed with fashion. That’s why I made it my personal mission to introduce everyone on every planet to the joys of a pink tutu! Now, on planet Alpha Centauri, I met some aliens who had never worn a tutu in their life. Can you imagine?

I had my spaceship loaded with tutus of all styles and colors - from the classic, billowing pink to dazzling rainbow options, some even incorporating Alpha Centaurian textiles like a shimmering space-dust material! I think I ended up opening the world’s first intergalactic tutu store on a derelict spaceship parked outside Alpha Centauri! And darling, the reactions I got! They were absolutely delighted, and before long, everyone was dancing and twirling in their very own pink tutus, all thanks to this Pink Tutu Ambassador!

After all, why wear those little, bland outfits, even if you are an alien who has been living in a dark, desolate cave in the centre of the galaxy for thousands of years? A little sprinkle of colour can go a long way - especially a splash of pink. Pink tutus are just such fun! And that is what is so exciting about my Pink Tutu world mission, is that a little bit of pink is infectious.

So much for the news from this week! I have a lot to share from the planet Earth and the planets of the Alpha Centauri system. As always, I look forward to connecting again next Wednesday with more space travels and of course, some fab planet Earth-style fashion news.

For more exciting and enchanting travel photos and fashion inspiration from Pink Tutu World, be sure to check out my online magazine and join me every Wednesday on my blog www.pink-tutu.com!

And if you'd like to share your Pink Tutu Adventures or fashion inspirations - let's chat! My Instagram handle is pinktutu_emma and I will add your fashionista photos to my #PinkTutuWorld community page. And feel free to message me on my blog and let me know what I should explore for our next Pink Tutu adventure!

Keep twirling, keep believing!

Love always, Emma