Welcome, my darling tutu-loving friends, to post number 289 on my time travel blog, Pink-Tutu.com!
This month, Magic Meg, my shimmering pink Shire horse, and I are whisked back to a chilly January day in 1685. Imagine: frosted windows, a crackling fire in the hearth, and a flurry of excitement in the air! This is the day that a brand-new ballet debuts in Paris, and trust me, darling, it's going to be huge!
We're galloping through a bustling French city, my pink tutu billowing behind me like a cloud of sweet-pea petals, and, let's be honest, my darling, there's nothing quite as satisfying as feeling the wind rush past you on the back of a magnificent pink steed, even with your fashionable, floral-trimmed velvet cape billowing in the air! It's the ultimate fashion statement, don't you think?
Now, let's talk about the Parisian ballet. The show is Le Ballet des FĂ©es, which translates to âThe Ballet of the Fairiesâ, and believe me, the fairies in this ballet are unlike any Iâve ever seen!
Imagine shimmering wings, fluttering skirts and, darling, lots and lots of sparkles. This, my dear, is not just your standard, everyday, provincial ballet, this is a ballet born from the court of the Sun King, the legendary King Louis XIV, and believe me, he set the standard for dramatic flair and opulence!
This particular ballet tells the tale of Queen Anne's marriage to Louis XIV. Imagine: intricate costumes and dramatic dance routines woven with opulent tapestries and extravagant decorations. Think towering castles, glistening palaces, and the very essence of elegance dancing across the stage, right there in Paris. Now, imagine that on a stage, and picture my pink tutu floating amongst them! Darling, my imagination goes wild!
Now, you might be thinking, âWhat on earth, Emma, did a ballet performance look like back then?â Well, my darlings, while we think of ballerinas today leaping and twirling with seemingly effortless grace, back in the 17th century, ballet was a much more grounded, theatrical affair. They didnât just dance, darling, they * *acted ** through their dance. Think a tapestry of elegant movement, captivating gestures and emotional stories told in the graceful language of the body. Imagine the excitement building, the music swelling, and the beautiful dancers gracing the stage with an energy that speaks volumes to all those who behold them.
While they did move, it was more akin to what we might see in a grand ball today â think waltz-like steps, courtly gestures, and grand, formal movements. No, my dears, we wouldnât be seeing any leaps and fouettĂ©s just yet. The âmodernâ ballet vocabulary â the graceful pirouettes, leaps, and aerial stunts that you might find in a Tchaikovsky ballet, hadnât even begun to flourish just yet. Imagine a ballet that focused on stories and the graceful, artful telling of those stories. Now imagine that in my lovely pink tutu! I simply love it.
Of course, no talk about 17th century ballet is complete without mentioning the exquisite, opulent costumes! These ballets, darling, were like dazzling pieces of art themselves! I just know that those tutus, even if not quite like our own in form, would be dazzlingly exquisite â full of frills, lace, velvet, ribbons, jewels and so much sparkling detail. The dancers were literally wrapped in a kaleidoscope of colourful finery. Imagine the shimmering colours, the cascading ribbons and the exquisitely designed hats! Each costume, darling, would be a mini masterpiece. Imagine them adorned in all of this magnificence, dancing beneath the elegant chandeliers and shimmering candlelight, and just think of it all in my little pink tutu too, a symphony of fashion and dance!
Now, the exciting thing about this particular era in ballet is that this period in time â the reign of Louis XIV, also called âLe Roi-Soleilâ, (The Sun King) - is when the modern art of ballet truly started to shine. Ballet began its journey from just another courtly entertainment, to a real form of art. Just imagine, it was a pivotal moment, a real turning point for ballet, and here I am, darling, right there, on the brink of history, a tiny, pink tutu-clad butterfly fluttering amongst the giants!
It is a magical and awe-inspiring place, darling, to be â to see the evolution of this fascinating art, and imagine my little pink tutu a part of this legacy! My darling friends, donât forget to pop over to www.pink-tutu.com, and check out some of my extraordinary photographs from my trip to Paris.
I must admit, though, that the trip has taken me right down to the wire, darling. It's just 48 hours before the debut of Le Ballet des FĂ©es, and my show is tomorrow night at The Playhouse in Derby. I'm always torn, darling, between my insatiable desire for adventure and my love for performing, but for now, it's time for a quick waltz through the Derby Theatre.
Oh! And a bit of shopping. One simply has to!
I hope to see you at the show.
Remember to keep dancing your dreams,
Your dearest Emma xx
