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As a young girl, I reveled in the idea of being a princess, and fortunately, not much was required to make the transformation: just a pink tutu and cape, with a tiara to display my new status of power. In addition, just as magical as pretty costumes, my daily ballet classes at the Joffrey Ballet School cultivated grace and strength—essential characteristics in a successful ruler of a magical kingdom!
Sadly, I have not taken a formal ballet class since fifth grade, but I continue to admire the beauty and power that professional dancers possess. Every year, my mom and I go to see various American Ballet Theater performances, and every time, my respect for the discipline deepens. If you want to see something truly profound, please watch Sergei Polunin's own choreographed dance to Hozier's Take Me to Church. Every pirouette and leap Polunin takes is truly breathtaking, and with over 13 million views since having released the video in February of this year, he has captured the attention of people all across the globe.
Polunin managed to become a principal dancer at the tender age of nineteen while studying at the prestigious Royal Ballet School. Quickly after being honored with such an illustrious title, Polunin quit, but the dancing world has continued to watch him with baited breath, longing to see what he will do next.
The outfit in this post started with a simple rehearsal tutu from Repetto, a dancewear company that has branched out into footwear as well as ready-to-wear items for women, men, and children. To elevate and punctuate the simple beauty of the white tutu, I paired it with a dark, chocolate-colored turtleneck sweater from Yves Saint Laurent. The deep brown cashmere contrasted nicely with the light and airy tulle of the skirt.
Similarly to the dancer-esque vibe established by the tutu, the lightly soled, leather "Zizi" oxford shoes rejuvenated the common jazz shoe and enhanced the overall ensemble; as soon as I tied my laces, I felt ready to prance and tip toe around. If only I had tied my hair back with some peach colored ribbon, for then my name might well have been Marie (see second to last image above)!
PHOTOGRAPHY BY AMRITA ACHARYA