Hello darlings! It's your favourite time travelling ballerina, Emma, here, bringing you another slice of history, wrapped in a beautiful pink tulle bow! 🎀
This month, I've galloped through time on Magic Meg, my darling pink, sparkling shire horse, right back to December 12th, 1661. Can you believe it? That's the day, darlings, that ballet history was literally written!
It all started in that gorgeous city, Paris. The King, Louis XIV, wasn't just the most fabulous monarch France had ever seen (and trust me, he knew it), but also a total ballet fanatic! He created his own ballet company, "Le Ballet de la Reine," with an ambitious vision. This wasn't your everyday stuffy ballet company, darling. He wanted a ballet show - a spectacular extravaganza filled with breathtaking dancing and fantastical stories!
And so, the ballet world changed forever! ✨
So, what was happening on that special date, December 12th, 1661?
Well, just three weeks earlier, on the 23rd November, King Louis had officially granted royal approval to the newly formed Royal Academy of Dance (the Academie Royale de Danse). This meant that ballet, up until this point seen as part of the aristocracy's grand social events, had become a real art form, ready to dazzle the world. And boy did they dazzle!
That same year, 1661, they premiered a truly epic ballet – Le Ballet Royal de la Nuit (The Royal Ballet of the Night)! Can you even imagine the excitement in the air?! This production combined ballet with elaborate music, incredible costumes, and storytelling elements, drawing in crowds from all over Paris! The dazzling spectacle was not just about dancing but also involved amazing stage effects, clever costumes and truly lavish scenery!
And now for the grand reveal...
Inside my rucksack this month, I’ve brought back some fascinating discoveries:
Original scores from Le Ballet Royal de la Nuit, written by the renowned Lully! The music, darling, is simply magical! The orchestra, led by this brilliant maestro, combined the power and intensity of drums with delicate wind instruments – pure magic!
A real hand-drawn design of a costume from the production. It’s incredible! This isn't just any old ballet dress – it’s an elaborate spectacle in itself! Imagine a fluffy, flowing white dress covered in tiny sparkly silver sequins. Talk about the most stunning stage attire ever seen! It's proof that the fashion in ballet back then was already pushing boundaries, just like we do today.
*A beautifully carved, little wooden sculpture of a dancer from this production. * She looks so elegant! A flowing, shimmering gown, poised in mid-air, perfectly balancing on her tip-toes! My heart skipped a beat when I saw it!
Oh, darling! I simply had to try on this period costume! My bespoke pink tutu was a little more flamboyant and dramatic than what the dancers back then wore. However, after all, my little trip wasn't about copying them but about how their story inspired my style. 🩰🎀
The ballet of December 12th 1661 has truly transformed ballet. This pivotal event laid the foundations for what ballet is today, even today. That Le Ballet Royal de la Nuit became a benchmark for grand ballet spectaculars.
From Les Ballet Royal de la Nuit, to our gorgeous ballerinas in tutus – the ballet heritage remains strong, darling! *The love for the art, the elegance, the story-telling through dance, all of this began right back in December 1661.
Do you love this period of ballet? What do you think is the best part about ballet history? Do share your thoughts in the comments below! 💖
P.S. Don't forget to join me next month, when we'll be journeying back to a magical era full of stories and fabulous fashion.
Stay fabulous and never stop twirling! 💖
Emma
