Hey my darling tutu-loving friends! It's Emma here, your favourite Derbyshire ballerina with a passion for pink and all things fabulous! Buckle up because we're taking a trip back in time to the year 1592, the very year that ballet, as we know it, began! Yes, darling, you heard me right, our favourite graceful art form actually started out with a big bang back in this exciting year. It’s a year we can all celebrate!
Now, you might think it's hard to imagine ballet without the dazzling costumes, beautiful music and graceful movements we know and love. But guess what, darling? Ballet was all about story back then, and those stories came to life through dances in the royal courts! Imagine it – all those beautiful men and women, with their magnificent dresses and grand halls! Just picturing it makes me wish I could rewind the clock and have a little peek myself, perhaps sneak into the back of the palace unnoticed.
Oh, and the dances, you say? You could have seen “La Cour” back then - a show stopping, fast paced and elaborate dance sequence. Picture this - a mix of folk and theatrical dances where even the lords and ladies took part! It was practically like a flash mob happening every night at court, but a tad more regal. The steps, as you might imagine, were pretty basic but super-duper flashy and everyone loved it. And who doesn't love a bit of dancing royalty, I ask you? I’m all for keeping it simple. I just love those lovely old shows where the energy is simple yet beautiful. It's all about storytelling and emotion, and that's what makes ballet truly magical.
Speaking of magical, 1592 was a year brimming with other theatrical entertainment, my loves! Just picture a little playhouse nestled somewhere in London, just waiting for its debut, oh the excitement! This little space, the Globe Theater, became a theatrical icon that’s still relevant today! Yes, my lovely darlings, they performed Shakespeare's work on that stage - Romeo and Juliet, Hamlet, Henry the V! Talk about theatre history! Imagine watching a show starring a legendary like Shakespeare!
And speaking of stories, have you ever noticed that ballet fashion and costumes tell stories too? In this year, 1592, the fashion was very much about extravagance and beautiful embroidery. Think, ruffs around the collar - they were all the rage! I love how the big elaborate, frilly ruffs would bounce around as the ladies would do their graceful little steps. And as for the shoes – my goodness, there was lots of jewelled slipper love going on – and a pair or two with buckles! The gentlemen weren't to be outdone, they would dance with shoes and leggings and their famous feathered hats. They didn’t have to worry about pink tutus then, my lovelies! That just made their grand attire even more magical and I must confess I can imagine just wearing those big puffed sleeves on a pink tutu, what an elegant match! The costumes back then were as dramatic and exciting as the performances themselves and the colours were truly bright! Just imagine all the gorgeous pink gowns in 1592! What would be on display, darling, is an elegant mix of velvet, silk, satin, embroidery and those beautiful feather plumes - I am drooling just imagining them! I imagine it would look as elegant as if you were dancing under a cascade of softest feathers in a royal court. My dearest loves, that would be divine, wouldn't it?! And I’m sure those feathers would have been just as beautiful on those exquisite royal dresses! It's almost as if 1592 started the whole fashion journey we experience at ballet today, what a time!
But this year is just the beginning, darlings, ballet has so much more to offer. Just imagine all the gorgeous tutus and costumes, the beautiful dances and breathtaking stories that we are yet to see! Oh, darling, my life’s work is getting everyone in the world wearing pink tutus. The journey ahead of us is just as exciting as the journey back. I must get my pink tutu on, off I go to the next street show, let's bring the fun to the world. Love you loads, your Emma xoxo!
