Hello, darling ballet bunnies! Welcome back to my little corner of the internet, where we journey through time, one twirl at a time! It’s your girl, Emma, back with another dose of ballet history and oh-my-goodness, this month’s trip is absolutely smashing! Grab your favourite pink tutu, a cuppa, and get ready for a whirlwind adventure because today we're celebrating July 7th, 1665!
Now, I know what you're thinking. "1665?! Surely there wasn't ballet then, Emma?!" Oh, my dears, you'd be surprised! It was a pivotal year for ballet, believe it or not. Imagine, it was just thirteen years since King Louis XIV himself established the Academie Royale de Danse, a school specifically for ballet! Fancy, right? And we're on the cusp of the golden age, just brimming with innovative and inspiring choreography.
As usual, my darling Magic Meg – you know, the most fabulous pink, shimmering Shire with golden hooves and the most luxurious mane and tail – was champing at the bit to whisk me off. With my leather rucksack ready to be stuffed with precious ballet treasures, we were off to the past! The air was electric, a touch smoky from the open fires that everyone had back then, and there was a real hum in the streets – almost like the buzz you get backstage at the Royal Opera House, but even more thrilling.
Speaking of the Royal Opera House, let's talk about the ballet scene itself on July 7th, 1665. Sadly, my usual style of waltzing into the theatres and dazzling everyone with my contemporary pink tutu didn't exactly fit in with the Parisian aesthetic of the time! But no worries, darling. My pink rucksack had just the thing: a beautiful (if slightly more conservative) embroidered silk bodice and flowing, bell-shaped skirt. A true Baroque-era masterpiece, wouldn’t you say?
Instead of a lavish performance at the Opera, which had only recently opened, we headed straight for the royal court of King Louis XIV! Now, this wasn’t just any king; this was the man who literally revolutionised dance as we know it! It’s actually rumoured that he danced in ballets himself. Isn't that just adorable? The "Sun King" really was a fan! And we had the best view – from the gilded balcony of the palace! Imagine the drama! All the ladies wearing hoops, powdered wigs, and lace galore. Absolutely exquisite.
Oh, and did I mention that my very favourite choreographer of all time, Pierre Beauchamp, was dancing for the king on this very day? He was the mastermind behind "Le Ballet de la Nuit" – you know, that dazzling performance which involved the first ever choreographed use of ballet flats! What a pioneer, eh? Just brilliant! I got to witness this dazzling display, a true delight to watch with such captivating technique. Every gesture was infused with so much expression.
Even back then, they had their "Ballet Week" – not unlike those fantastic festivals in London today, and what an incredible event it was! You can bet your bottom dollar I got right in the thick of it! There was a "Ball" every single night – literally, non-stop dancing – the true height of fashion! I got a glimpse of some amazing dances, like the Contredanse, where pairs move back and forth, and the Sarabande which was full of stately grace. Talk about an absolute dream! And I learned something fascinating about how they used the ballroom’s floorboards themselves as a "stage", rather than a separate platform!
While I didn't get to perform for the king himself, I had the chance to meet some absolutely incredible people – ballet teachers, dancers, and even composers! Can you believe, there was an actual dance manual – it was practically a bible for the dancers back then! Now, I was very determined to get my hands on it, and I certainly wasn't going to leave without it, darling. My little pink backpack was soon brimming with snippets of early ballet scores, notes on the dances, and even some fantastic period fashion pieces that I had borrowed from the costume department – you can just imagine my delight! It was quite a feat, let me tell you, but as a fellow lover of ballet, you’ve got to embrace your inner historian, haven’t you?
Just imagine – in a small, cobbled street, with shops like milliners and confectioners surrounding us, I learned all about how these talented dancers were literally changing the landscape of dance! There were even women who were beginning to really shine! It wasn't just men anymore - though the ladies were confined to small roles – you know, the flower fairies, cupids, and even (gasp!) trees! They’d be performing these "character" roles as a form of expression while men got all the leading parts, but it was a real sign of progress. Oh, and get this – in the back room of a dressmaker’s workshop, I spotted a gorgeous silken pink tutu… even though it was for the stage and looked nothing like our contemporary versions! I just couldn’t resist picking up a piece of its beautiful fabric! I told you it was a good day!
However, the excitement wasn’t limited to Paris! Remember how we had to start somewhere with ballet, so let’s think of Italy – the country of operatic grandeur and the homeland of our darling renaissance dance styles. Now, on this date, the very first Ballet performance by an actual professional dance troupe – you know, one that didn't consist of courtiers – was actually going on! This troupe even got a paid performance from one of the Royal houses, in Italy, in 1665! Talk about history being made, darling! Can you believe that, less than a century after this incredible display, we would have ballerinas like Fanny Elssler dancing in exquisite tutus to wild crowds? It was a tiny seed planted and on that very date, it sprouted!
And so, with a backpack brimming with memories, and my mind swirling with historical insights, I hopped onto Magic Meg, my sparkly pink Shire. Now, I’ll be honest with you. Sometimes I wish I could stay and tell everyone how ballet developed from then to now, but we would be here forever! My time machine isn’t actually that big!
However, one thing’s for sure, after my historical romp in the 17th century, my dedication to pink tutus is stronger than ever! Why shouldn’t we all get involved in this fabulous, fabulous dance-form, my darling? Now, off you pop to the ballet, my lovelies! Take the spirit of this incredible journey with you, let loose, embrace your inner dancer, and let's make those pink tutus whirl and twirl to new heights! See you next month for our next historical escapade!
Yours truly,
Emma x
