Hello fellow tutu lovers! Emma here, back with another historical foray into the wonderful world of ballet! This time, we’re waltzing all the way back to 1714, a year packed with exciting ballet beginnings. My time travel took me to the bustling heart of Paris, where the grand Palais Royal was practically exploding with elegant dancers in elaborate costumes. I just love how they used such a lot of detail in their attire, unlike the modern streamlined minimalist approach of today - although those fluffy tutus with the layers and layers of netting, and the long pointe shoes they’ve got, really just get my fashion-loving heart going.
A Little Bit of History
1714! This year marked a defining moment in ballet history! Yes, ladies, our much-loved ballet as we know it started evolving in this time. Let's give a huge shoutout to the birth of ballet d’action, where dancing started being a way to tell a story. It wasn’t just fancy footwork anymore, it was a narrative art, which made the whole experience even more magical! Imagine being completely transported to a different world, a tale told through movement and grace – and let’s not forget the fabulous outfits! My mind boggles just thinking about it, honestly, and imagine those fabulous dresses they were wearing! I've been so inspired I've ordered a custom pink version to be worn at my next street performance. And all you guys reading, remember that pink can be interpreted in so many amazing ways - it's all about making it your own and rocking it!
Now, the Parisian scene at the Palais Royal in 1714 was quite the happening place for ballet, a kind of super glamorous Covent Garden (minus the modern shops and the huge ice skating rink, obviously). These dance troupes, called ballets, performed for a high society crowd of nobles and royalty, and I can just imagine the swirling ballgowns and the gentlemen all dashing in their finest frock coats – probably some fantastic lace and ribbon going on, which is, like, the most flattering combination of embellishments ever.
A Time For Style
Speaking of clothes, in this time, la danse had some really captivating ballet fashion, oh darling, seriously! The dancers wore seriously opulent attire, full of elegant embroidery and intricate embellishments. We're talking tons of satin and velvet – it really was all about showing off those stunning fabrics.
Think about it! Every ballet dancer, just gliding through the air, a flash of bright colours on the stage – I'm already getting chills!
But, hold your horses, because ballet d’action had slightly more casual (for the time, of course!) and realistic styles for their dancers – that means less embellishment and more about portraying emotions. So, not only were they being emotional, but they were being emotive with their wardrobe! Like, for example, think a fluffy white tutu for an innocent fairytale character, or a dramatic black velvet costume with lots of netting and perhaps some faux diamonds for a vengeful fairy queen – that is pure inspiration!
Of course, there were many ballet shoes available then, too! There was this incredible evolution with ballet shoes that I have just fallen in love with, like satin slippers, beautifully crafted to accentuate those flowing steps, and then – I kid you not, there were shoes specifically for waltzing – can you even imagine?
On Stage Now!
As much as I'd love to spend the whole blog gushing about ballet fashion, I also want to talk about shows. We just can't leave those out! My favourite was The Enchanted Forest – a story about an incredibly fashionable woodland princess! So charming! If they brought that to the stage today I'd definitely be front row centre! But the really interesting thing was that they put on shows called Le Ballet des Sauvages, or Ballet of the Savages, and while it sounds a little off, it was about how the ballet troupe went to these places around the world and borrowed their costumes and traditions for their shows – so a really cool, international cultural exchange, in a way! They were a lot like ballet street shows - with real stories told and costumes to match. Imagine all the crazy patterns and colors on those amazing clothes – the only trouble was that sometimes they incorporated what were seen then as savage practices in their ballet shows - something that would be unacceptable today, of course.
One show that really captured my attention was Les Elements. It featured four ballet groups and four main themes – I can’t give it away as it's a must-see but, I will say this: just imagine fire and earth battling it out with elaborate dance movements. That's a show I would spend my entire ballet scholarship on. I mean, this kind of creative energy – chefs kiss. And remember, ladies, the outfits, oh, they were divine!
Keeping the Dreams Alive!
To close out this little jaunt to the ballet scene in 1714, let's not forget that dancing itself has been part of history for as long as we've been human. From early cave paintings that suggest dancing was integral to rituals to our modern ballet performances in world-famous theaters and dance halls – dancing has had its place in life for a really long time! And to see such fantastic dancing and such fabulous fashion was a dream for me. But as usual I always think – can I just steal these fashions to rock today please and bring these outfits to the street for some cool street dance pieces, eh?
Well, there you have it, darling readers! My ballet tour back to 1714. It just goes to show, dancing has always been the universal language of love. The only thing I wish is that they made more tutus and more pink ones! Let’s make a pledge that all women of the world should have their very own tutu – all that gorgeous flowy tulle…it just screams fun. Now, off to try and buy that fabulous pink outfit that I mentioned! And remember - don't be shy, wear your tutus out and about! We need to spread that fabulous energy into the world and the way to do that, in my humble opinion, is in a pink tutu!
