History of Ballet in 1672

Hey beautiful ballet lovers, Emma here! Today, we’re going to waltz back in time to 1672 – can you imagine?!

This month’s Pink Tutu Blog is extra special as we celebrate a huge milestone: a whopping 100 posts! 🎉 We’ve come a long way, haven’t we? From those early, rather rough and ready days in my little corner of Derbyshire, sharing my passion for pink tutus, to becoming the most celebrated online resource for all things ballet-fabulous. I mean, just look at this glorious tutu I’m sporting! 🩰 Isn’t it simply divine?

Of course, no fabulous celebration can happen without a journey into the beautiful history of ballet, so settle in and let's travel through time together, just like I do with my magical street performances! (Did I ever tell you how I met a wonderful French mime? Maybe another time!).

The year 1672 is such an exciting time for the world of ballet! Imagine - just eight years earlier, Louis XIV (fancy a trip to the palace, anyone?) commissioned Jean-Baptiste Lully to found the Académie Royale de Musique. Oh, wouldn’t it have been a wonderful time to be a performer?

It’s all starting to come together, you know. Lully and Molière – both absolutely divine! Molière, an absolute genius in his time! He even established the first ever professional company in France. And what about that glorious production called Psyche? You can imagine the incredible choreography, and with costumes from the wonderful costumes of Monsieur Le Clerc, the entire production was dazzling! Isn't history so amazing?

Now let’s talk about the biggest trend of 1672 – the gorgeous shoes! Shoes, darling, were starting to become truly magnificent with beautiful heels that would put today's catwalk designers to shame! Oh, the elegance, the drama – you just have to love those intricate patterns.

And did I tell you about that sparkling little shoemaker’s daughter who became an absolute sensation at the ballet? Just darling, wasn’t she? Maybe that’s an idea for a post for next week! Think you can guess her name, you savvy ballerinas? I might need a little time to rummage through my fashion files...

Did you know that this era saw the birth of ballet’s true soul: storytelling? It's like watching a beautiful film come to life right in front of your eyes. Can you imagine, Psyche with all its emotional journeys and beautiful tales woven together? That’s what truly elevates ballet – that’s where magic happens, darling!

The storytellers in 1672 made ballet into such an incredible art form, where the dancer became more than just a dancer. It’s so wonderful to know we are inspired by such genius – every graceful movement, every elegant arabesque! The storytelling was powerful!

The whole of the world was inspired, not just by what was on the stage, but also the ballet fashions that everyone adored. Now you’ve got to imagine the colours and textures – the silks, the satins. You're talking true elegance! Those vibrant palettes that still set my creative heart aflutter.

Imagine watching those amazing, elaborate dances, swirling with colour and stories - on the streets, at court, or within the city walls, as a ballerina with her long skirt, performing for all to see. **This was street ballet at its finest, ladies!

But we need to remember it was a very different world. No modern dance studios, darling – and certainly not many tutus like the ones you and I adore so much! Imagine getting up early each day for a performance, and needing to go to the tailor first, so you have those perfectly stunning costume designs.

The sheer effort these ladies put in was magnificent, don’t you think? Every bit of artistry and flair, the commitment to being the best – what an amazing time! Imagine that same creative fire, but in an era before you could purchase everything online. Think about how powerful they must have been to achieve such an artistry with nothing but talent and dedication!

So now I hope you’re just as inspired as I am about the beauty of the ballet in 1672! Isn’t it simply gorgeous, darling?

Don't forget to come back next week for more from Pink Tutu Blog - who knows what wonderful tales await us!

Until next time, darlings, happy dancing, and remember: let’s make every day a day to wear pink tutus! 💕