Celebrate #TutuTuesday with This Adorable "Hippo Ballerina" Sculpture

February 6, 2017

Here’s an unlikely yet magical equation: Degas’ Little Dancer Aged Fourteen + the dancing hippos from Disney’s Fantasia + two-and-a-half tons of bronze = Hippo Ballerina, the roly-poly be-tutu-ed sculpture who’s about to take over NYC’s Lincoln Center.

A mockup of the Hippo Ballerina installation. So cute!

Created by Danish artist Bjørn Okholm Skaarup, Hippo Ballerina just planted her very large feet at Dante Park, across the street from Lincoln Center Plaza, where she’ll be holding court through July 31. And she has some very legit ballet-world friends: Her official unveiling ceremony today will feature students from American Ballet Theatre’s Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School, plus an appearance by the school’s director, former ABT principal Cynthia Harvey.

Obviously a selfie with Miss Hippo is the ultimate photo op. If you’re lucky enough to get a pic with her, tag it #dancewithhippoballerina and follow @dancewithhippoballerina on Instagram—you’ll have a chance to win two tickets to a ballet performance at Lincoln Center, plus a limited-edition etching by Skaarup.

Wondering how Hippo Ballerina came to be? Take a look at this video detailing Skaarup’s process:


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