Hello my lovely Tutu-istas! It's Emma here, ready for another adventure in time, ready to explore another amazing era in the glorious world of ballet!
This month we're jetting back to September 9th, 1662. Can you believe it? That's over 360 years ago! And guess what? It's a very special date! You see, this is the very day the AcadƩmie Royale de Danse was established in Paris - marking the official beginning of ballet as we know it today!
Buckle up, darlings! Magic Meg is already pawing the ground impatiently, eager for this voyage! Our shimmering pink shire, with her white mane and tail, and golden hooves, is absolutely bouncing! Her pink saddle is shimmering like the most beautiful rose quartz! Just don't get your tutu tangled in her bridle - I know it's awfully tempting, but Meg can get a little excitable!
Paris: A Ballet Wonderland!
So, today, we're going to take a little detour away from our usual Derbyshire surroundings, and transport ourselves to the beautiful city of Paris. Just picture it: cobbled streets, quaint shops bursting with frilly frocks and silks, and a buzz of excitement that tingles in the air! Oh, to wear one of those delightful puffy dresses!
Today's journey isn't just about exploring a pivotal date in ballet history, though - it's a time to embrace the energy and elegance of this magical art form.
It all started, of course, with the King himself, Louis XIV - a true champion of dance. Now, as far as kings go, this man had excellent taste. He established the AcadƩmie to formalize ballet as a professional discipline, to standardise technique and create the grand, graceful style we all adore today! Talk about a fashion-forward king!
I can just imagine, surrounded by ladies and gentlemen of the court, all dressed in lavish, jewel-toned velvets and satin, in this magnificent theatre... just breathtaking. Theyād have their faces powdered white, and elegant hairstyles crowned with feathery plumes, all just before watching breathtaking choreography with theatrical stories. Can't you feel the thrill?
Now, I've added a whole new page to my āpink tutuā online shop - "French Royal Fashion." Weāre gonna create some beautiful velvet costumes with lace and ruffles for next yearās show. Just wait till you see the feathered headdresses! We need something extra special to show off just how stylish the ballet court was in this golden age of French dancing.
Finding Inspiration Everywhere
Here's something truly special for you, lovelies: Iām going to show you a secretā¦ Every time I travel back in time, I carry my special, handcrafted leather rucksack, bursting with vintage dance costumes and theatrical items. I have little tiny scrolls with ballet movements penned in faded ink, beautifully embroidered costumes, even a tiny silver ballet shoe! I carefully gather memories from each period and bring them back with me. Today I even snagged a faded ribbon from a vintage ballet programme! It will go beautifully with my 16th-century ballet slippers!
Iāll admit it; itās quite tricky to squeeze all these treasures into my already overflowing bag! It's the best feeling in the world to collect these tiny, evocative tokens from the past. And you can imagine how I canāt wait to share all these with my little tutu family!
And oh, how I just love bringing pieces of ballet history back to present day and creating fashion-forward, beautiful ballet wear from them!
So, letās step back to this special day in 1662! Imagine being in that very moment, amongst the very first people to see the birth of ballet as we know it! Let your imagination soar and twirl through time! Isnāt that amazing, dear friends? Don't forget, itās only by exploring the rich history of this wonderful art form that we can truly understand and cherish its magic!
And if you haven't seen my post last month, we travelled all the way back to Ancient Egypt, where dancers adorned their bodies in lovely little tinkling anklets! That was so much fun. But now, letās twirl forward to next month, darlings.
You won't want to miss out on our next ballet adventure ā follow me on the pinkest path of time travel, becauseā¦itās never too late to twirl!
*www.pink-tutu.com *
I'm signing off for now! I canāt wait to show you what else we've discovered on this trip and to share our new ballet class plans based around French dance.
Until next month my sweet, sweet Tutu-istas, donāt stop dancing, don't stop twirling andā¦ don't forget your pink tutu!
Love, Emma
