Hello, darlings! Emma here, back with another exciting dive into the magical world of ballet history. This week, we're travelling back to the year 1883! Buckle up, my dears, because this year was full of dazzling performances, incredible fashion, and some seriously exciting developments in the ballet world!
You know how I love to share stories of those iconic tutus, the ones that really captured the imagination of audiences. 1883 was all about big, bold, and beautiful in ballet. We’re talking long, billowing skirts, layers of delicate lace, and colours that really popped! Picture yourself as a ballerina, gracefully twirling in a sky-blue tutu, your silk slippers whispering on the stage as you captivate the audience with your elegance. Oh, the dreams I have for such a costume!
But enough of daydreaming! Back to 1883! This year saw some spectacular shows. La Bayadère had a triumphant premiere in St. Petersburg, and everyone was talking about its exotic costumes and incredible choreography. You can bet your bottom dollar there were plenty of pink tutus fluttering across the stage in that production! Imagine those gorgeous shades of blush, with maybe some delicate hints of lavender in the swirling, romantic atmosphere of the show. Ah, how delightful!
Talking about enchanting shows, another hit that year was Giselle. It was just so beautiful! Imagine watching a ballerina dressed in a white, romantic tutu, telling the tragic tale of love, loss, and redemption! I'm pretty sure I saw tears in the eyes of the audience – oh, the power of dance! I wish I had the chance to catch those performances! It's always a joy to experience that period of ballet history when a show truly resonated with the audience and remained so captivating even all these years later.
And speaking of enchanting performances, let’s not forget about the fashion! Think elaborate ball gowns, flowing velvet capes, and glittering tiaras. Oh my, the glamour! And while these lavish designs were dazzling, the trend of 'simple elegance' in evening gowns was also making its mark. They say there’s a fashion show in everything and everything has fashion in it. You can definitely see that echoed in the gorgeous dresses the audiences would wear to the shows. What is it about that era’s dresses that makes you sigh with wonder, like you’re just peeking into another time with your own, pink, sparkly magic?
My dear reader, if I had a penny for every pink tutu that was dreamt up, bought and loved in 1883, I’d be as rich as a Russian Tsarina! It wasn't just about pink either! All those elegant shades of blush, coral, and lilac...it truly was an explosion of femininity, just like my own fashion style, only much, much older!
However, it wasn't all about dancing and dressing in glamorous clothes. The year 1883 marked the birth of a significant movement in ballet history: Ballet Russes. This groundbreaking movement, inspired by the folk dances and art of Russia, was all about bringing new life and energy to the art form. Imagine the excitement, the colour, the explosive emotion! It wasn't just a shift in style; it was a cultural explosion of expression and creativity, taking ballet into an exciting, unexpected, and bold new direction!
Think vibrant, vibrant, costumes - a symphony of color that celebrates their heritage. This wasn’t the ballet we knew back then!
Now, I’ve been giving my own shows in the Derbyshire streets and I tell you, there’s magic in taking something traditionally seen on stage and doing it with just a bit of grit and sunshine! You may not see that glitter of a costume in my shows - but my fellow Derbyshire people see that passion, they feel the emotion that makes dance a truly captivating and magical experience.
So there you have it! Another whirl through history – I hope you enjoyed it, my dear reader! I’ll keep those tutus flowing and those sparkly shoes dancing, but I hope you get a chance to get out there, maybe to the ballet, or a street performance – let me know what you think of your finds and adventures!
Until next time!
XOXO,
Emma.
