Bonjour mes ballerinas! Emma here, ready to whisk you all back in time, with our latest Pink-Tutu ballet history time-travel adventure, and wow, this is a biggie! It’s all happening in 1681, and trust me, my dear ballerinas, the world of dance is absolutely buzzing!
So grab your teacups and your ballet shoes, my darlings, because we’re off on a most glamorous journey. Let's head to Paris, the fashion and artistic capital of the world at the time. Imagine - grand ballrooms, stunning ladies, and Louis XIV - the ‘Sun King’ himself! Talk about a showstopper!
But let’s rewind back to 1661, before all the big boo-boo. It’s here, under the royal patronage of Louis XIV that the Académie Royale de Danse – The Royal Academy of Dance was established. Gasp! You heard right, darlings! The Royal Academy is founded in Paris, creating a structured framework for ballet. Think formal, organized lessons. This means, my dear ballerinas, ballet goes professional! The stage lights were going up on Royal Ballet. Can you imagine, being a dancer in France, with all the luxurious costumes and refined movements? I can practically smell the perfumed hair and taste the champagne!
Now fast-forward to 1681, and we are just about to celebrate the Academy’s 20th Anniversary, so things are heating up, you see? Pierre Beauchamps is at the helm, a gifted maestro, working to improve and refine the movements of ballet. Think of him like a choreographic magician spinning magic from air to stage – that’s Beauchamps, a master of his craft!
What happens next is so important, because ballet begins to evolve from something primarily concerned with its grand design, its theatrical displays, to becoming more focused on expressive movement – this is about emotional storytelling now, my dears, telling a story with movement - we can already see ballet beginning to take off!
Meanwhile, on the fashion front – oh my dear dears – can we just stop for a moment and imagine how elegant fashion in Paris was at this time? Think bouffant wigs and big fluffy skirts, a style so very grand. Remember, ballerinas, our tutus take their inspiration from the courts of that time – the idea of movement, flowing material – it’s all right here in Paris before our very eyes! The Royal Ballet dancers had to look dazzling!
Now let's talk shows! In 1681 there were so many incredible productions, I’m feeling overwhelmed just thinking about them! Imagine my dears, the theatre lit up with candlelight, a ballet performance playing out before a hushed audience. Oh, I wish I had a time machine!
And, there’s something else to celebrate – the *first *‘ballet d’action’ is born. It's all about telling a story through dance. Exciting times, you see. The way the dancer moved, became part of the story! Ballet’s got soul!
As for fashion trends in 1681? The big thing was all about pastel shades in every form, from pink to mint to peach. Even in ballet fashion, pastel became the colour of choice and that's what made it a hit! Just think about how lovely our pastel pink tutues look against a light stage. This is the dawn of ballet fashion as we know it!
So what happens next, you wonder? Keep an eye out for my next ballet history blog post, my darlings, and we'll be delving into 1691 and more of those grand, grand Parisian productions! Keep dancing, darlings, and always wear your pink tutu with pride!
Bisous! Emma xx
