Hello darlings! It's your favourite tutu-clad time traveller Emma here, ready to whisk you away to a glamorous night in 17th Century Paris.
December 12th, 1675. Can you imagine? That's when the Ballet de la Reine, or Ballet of the Queen, premiered at the magnificent Château de Fontainebleau! Fancy, huh? It wasn't your usual ballet - the King was also on stage, but more about that later.
This time, I left Derbyshire on Magic Meg, my pink, sparkling shire horse with her golden hooves and cascading white mane and tail, just after the fog had cleared over the rolling Derbyshire hills. The sunrise painted the sky in glorious shades of pink - talk about an auspicious start! We rode through the night and the first tinges of dawn saw us approaching Paris. My trusty pink leather rucksack was packed, as always, for gathering treasures.
Let me tell you, finding this Parisian performance was no mean feat! But nothing stands between a girl and her ballet, so Magic Meg, ever the steadfast companion, whinnied a path for us to the Château de Fontainebleau. Just picturing myself swirling in my pink tutu, walking along those long corridors, it was almost a swoon-worthy moment, darling!
I knew from my time-travelling archives that the Ballet de la Reine was a grand affair - a dazzling spectacle created for none other than King Louis XIV! The whole court was involved - there were dancers, courtiers, and even the King himself took to the stage. It’s an amazing piece of ballet history that's worth knowing about!
King Louis XIV had an unusual habit of dancing on stage. I mean, how do you compete with the King? So there he was, King Sun, as he was called, in a sparkly costume with all his noblemen swirling around him - think tutus, swords and silk galore. This, my darlings, was French ballet royalty!
For a peek at 17th-century Parisian dance style, I’m sure it involved long, fluid movements, expressive hand gestures, and a lot of elegant leaping. It's said to be based on court dances. So think of a more energetic waltz or minuet, where emotions were communicated through dance rather than spoken word. Oh, darling, the sheer thought of it makes me tumble into a fantasy world!
Can you picture the whole affair? Ladies in dazzling gowns and men in powdered wigs, swirling across a lavish stage, surrounded by glittering chandeliers, with King Louis XIV in a show of power and grandeur. Talk about a Royal en pointe moment!
Of course, no trip back in time is complete without a ballet fashion find. Now, here's where the story gets exciting, darlings! The women dancers wore extravagant dresses, flowing skirts with intricate embroidery, sparkling with pearls and ribbons. I am SO getting one of these costumes copied - a pink tutu of 1675 would be just the thing!
This is what I absolutely love about ballet - the journey is always exciting. I saw an amazing pink costume on display in the costume house. The intricate fabric detailing, the soft blush tone... I actually did a demi-plié just from seeing it. Imagine that - a delicate flower design with silver thread, it was like stepping out of a storybook.
I tucked some snippets of this incredible 17th Century fabric into my rucksack for later study, of course! The fabric was made from silk - soft as a butterfly wing. They just don't make things this beautiful anymore!
I also saw an old book on “ballet à la cour”. Oh, darlings! Talk about a vintage find! A gorgeous book, illustrated with dances drawn by the artist Jean Bérain, detailing the court ballet’s importance. Just a hint: they were all about honouring the King and celebrating national pride! There's history in this book and it’s so interesting to look back to these beginnings!
For my dear followers, it was all just a grand jeté to get back on Magic Meg, with my heart overflowing, ready for a trip back to Derbyshire, my hometown! I already have several ideas to incorporate these stunning looks into my own style. After all, as all the ballet lovers know - fashion in ballet is forever evolving, a constant piqué towards perfection!
Do pop over to www.pink-tutu.com - I am excited to share some sneak peeks on how we can recreate this look for the modern ballet fan!
Until next month, stay twirling and be sure to catch the next blog - we're travelling all the way to Italy!
