My Top 5: Iconic Tutu Moments

When people think of ballet, the majority will picture a ballerina wearing a tutu dancing to some piece of enchanting classical music. Although there is so much more to ballet than tutus and tiaras, I was craving a bit of classical magic this week and started watching lots of tutu clips on YouTube. Although there are many famous tutu roles in the ballet repertoire, I would argue there are a few that are iconic and ‘must knows’ for anyone with an interest in ballet or learning more about the art form. Below are my top five iconic tutu moments that I hope you will enjoy watching as much as I have!

Swan Lake

Thanks to Swan Lake, most of us picture a white tutu when we think of the world of ballet. It’s arguably the most well known classical ballet depicting an epic tale of good vs evil and set to one of the most iconic ballet scores by Tchaikovsky. From Matthew Bourne’s groundbreaking version to Graeme Murphy’s exquisite take, every ballet company has their own production meaning we never need to tire of this stunning ballet. Below are The Royal Ballet swans in Act II, swanning about in all of their beautiful tutu glory. Enjoy!

The Rose Adagio from The Sleeping Beauty

Aurora’s birthday party in The Sleeping Beauty baffles me. It’s her sweet sixteen and instead of putting her feet up and enjoying the party she has to dance what must be the most difficult series of steps in the classical ballet repertoire. The Rose Adagio is one of the most iconic tutu moments and it asks so much of the ballerina in technique. Epic balances, placed feet, beautiful lines and difficult pointe work are just some of the demands in this famous solo. There is no better feeling as an audience member than when the ballerina smashes it at the end. Everyone on stage and in the auditorium wait with baited breath until it’s finished and, if successful, there will always be rapturous applause. There are so many clips to choose from but I’m going through a bit of a Paris Opera Ballet phase at the moment so I give to you the beautiful Aurelie Dupont. I also couldn’t resist including a bit of American fire, and had to include Ashley Bouder’s impressive balances below…

The Entrance of the Shades from La Bayadere

The swans in Swan Lake might hold top billing for the most well known tutu moments in ballet, but the shades from La Bayadere must be crowned the most magical. They are the product of an opium filled dream had by Solor, who is in love with Nikiya. He falls asleep and dreams of hundreds of Nikiyas so every shade must be identical and dance in complete unison. Their entrance is an iconic scene in ballet and is incredibly difficult for the corps de ballet who must complete up to 39 arabesques without wobbling! Below are the shades from The Mariinsky Ballet who definitely succeed in mastering this difficult feat.

The Sugar Plum Fairy from The Nutcracker

We can’t talk about iconic tutu moments without including the Sugar Plum Fairy. She is the quintessential figure that most young dancers dream of and must possess the grace and elegance of a music box ballerina. Below is a clip of Miyako Yoshida dancing the role with Birmingham Royal Ballet and partnered by the great Irek Mukhamedov. I grew up watching this version of The Nutcracker on VHS and Yoshida was the ballerina that I loved to watch over and over again. Watch her grace and beauty as she dances and the beautiful control she has over each step. She breezes through the pirouettes in the coda and her stamina throughout is exquisite. Although I’m writing this in August, it’s wonderful to have a bit of Christmas magic to watch.

Symphony in C

George Balanchine’s Symphony in C is a masterpiece. Every time I watch it I feel so excited and by the end I am beaming from ear to ear. The whole piece is wonderful but I have chosen the final scene as it builds up to a magnificent climax. When we think of tutu moments, we have to include Symphony in C because those crisp white tutus all present on a brightly lit stage and dancing to Balanchine’s exhilarating choreography creates something so special. Below is a clip of The Bolshoi performing it…enjoy!

*I do not own any of these videos