February 2nd, 1667: The First Royal Ballet Master!
Hello darlings! Emma here, your favourite pink-tutu clad ballet blogger, ready to whisk you off on another magical time travel adventure! This month, I've found myself in the heart of Parisian history, right at the very dawn of professional ballet as we know it. Oh, how the excitement bubbles!
Imagine my delight upon discovering that today, 2nd February 1667, King Louis XIV – the Sun King himself – appointed the dashing Pierre Beauchamp as the very first official ballet master! This announcement ushered in a golden age of ballet in France, solidifying the position of ballet as an art form worthy of royal patronage. I couldn't wait to gallop Magic Meg over to the Palais Royal to witness this historical moment first hand!
Magic Meg, my darling pink-sparkling Shire, who boasts golden hooves, a flowing white mane and tail, doesn’t really know where she's going half the time, but she just trots along, as she always does, in her quiet, gentle way. And she really does love to eat.
I have my pink rucksack slung over my shoulders – it's full of ballet ephemera from the different periods, little trinkets and stories that I've found along the way. It’s my way of documenting the beautiful evolution of our beloved art form, a tapestry of exquisite detail, as you may recall from my blog post #38: "My Tutu Tales: The Evolution of Ballet."
Speaking of which, darling, I found the most divine pink ballet slippers from a vintage Parisian boutique! My, how they set off my pale pink tutu, with its swirling, delicate layers, perfectly complementing the delicate beading and embroidery, and those beautiful shimmering rhinestones! Imagine a pink cloud that twirls and leaps – that’s how I felt wearing this delightful creation! The shopkeeper was such a dear, and he even promised me a copy of "L’Art de la Danse", an essential guide for all serious ballet enthusiasts, authored by my very own favourite dance master – Mr. Beauchamp! I can't wait to share all of his valuable insights with you – the perfect subject for my next blog post, perhaps. Don’t forget to keep your eyes peeled for the pink tulle fabric I snagged to recreate the graceful costumes for the Royal Ballet, as I’m keen to show you how our contemporary dance attire is directly influenced by these glorious predecessors. We’ve come so far from those exquisite skirts – a true journey for all our tutus!
Anyway, as you all know, this particular time period marks a turning point for the art of ballet. It’s like a delicious pink-sugar frosted fairy cake, bursting with exciting and decadent possibilities.
So, to celebrate, we're going to dive headfirst into the swirling history of the very first royal ballet master – Mr. Beauchamp – who created the famous five basic ballet positions! Isn't that just the most elegant, exquisite, and totally enchanting starting point for every ballerina’s journey?! You see, those classic positions aren’t simply mere leg postures, darling. They are fundamental steps to a glorious and powerful expression. I mean, just imagine all the ballet icons who graced the world with their dazzling steps – we all stand on the very solid shoulders of Pierre Beauchamp, you know! Just a whisper of this thought has me waltzing my way towards a perfect fifth!
Mr. Beauchamp, although undoubtedly the father of French Ballet, had his roots in Italy! His travels as a performer and teacher exposed him to the beauty of Renaissance dance – which is exactly where we are going to transport you now! To imagine where the origins of this art form began, imagine how much magic must have been floating in the air when Mr. Beauchamp visited Rome for his ballet tour! He's credited for taking a theatrical Italian style of dance and infusing it with a French flavour – it’s a cultural exchange worthy of a hundred royal salutes.
And we’re all so lucky to have witnessed this elegant and elegant transformation in a pink cloud of tutus! (Just think of it darling, our history has such pink undertones – it's truly enchanting.) And I believe you can't have true pink elegance without an underlying beauty of theatre. If you want to feel the passion behind a grand spectacle, the stage was ready in Italy, the home of Opera, and just a tad less “controlled” compared to our French counterparts, darling, so we are off!
Now let's jump onto Magic Meg, with a graceful pink-sugar dusting and an “excuse me” to the horses beside us – let’s take a journey to discover more about the history of Ballet – where our tutus, oh, dear ones, were first twirling around our beautiful world. I promise that every step in this beautiful pink wonderland, in this beautiful ballet ballet land, will be totally exhilarating. And darling, just imagine the fashion!!
A Ballet Blog about the World
On this day in ballet history, there are events that stretch far and wide beyond our own charming pink shores! Even as we see the beginnings of structured ballet, it's worth knowing that even in places far far away, there are stories to tell about ballet. And because we are all about tutus, oh darling, we’re all about showing our global solidarity, right?
To give you a quick snapshot, consider the extraordinary cultural and historical dance styles on the other side of the globe: On this day in Japan, it was said that Japanese ladies of status were engaged in the lovely Kabuki and Butoh performances, their lovely, delicate gowns echoing our swirling ballet skirts. Imagine such artistic parallels – it's all about elegant movements and beautiful art! I think we can all agree that these graceful traditions are both breathtaking and breathtaking! In China, I read about elegant sword dances and performances that reflected the majestic beauty of nature and all of life, a true fusion of strength and femininity, reminding us that it's all in the pose! We have much to thank those incredible ballerinas, the dancers and artists who inspire us with every lovely performance, wherever we are! Even on February 2, 1667, while we celebrate the roots of our lovely French ballet style, we remember to salute the dancers in Japan, China and across the globe whose stories enrich our understanding of the beauty and variety of the world’s ballet arts, the world of grace, beauty, and oh yes darling – fashion!
And you can find more fascinating discoveries of those cultural treasures, dear reader, when you join me for a future adventure, don't you dare miss it!
As ever, darling, let's all have a wonderful dance week. It's important to spread the love and, of course, the joy of ballet in any corner of the world! If you haven’t seen it yet, grab your pink tutu, darling! Come with me to our local theatre for a grand show or join your local ballet class!
Don't forget to check back on the Pink Tutu blog next month for our next adventure in time – who knows where we’ll be? I can’t wait to share our ballet time travels and discover how we have arrived in such stylish glory.
See you on the dance floor, darling,
Emma, The Pink Tutu Blogger.
And don’t forget to wear pink.
