Hello, darlings! It's Emma here, back from another fabulous trip through time, and let me tell you, 1686 was absolutely a whirlwind!
As you know, my mission in life is to get the whole world wearing pink tutus. Now, it’s a bit trickier when you're zipping around through the ages, but let me tell you, a pink tutu still manages to make a statement, even in the 17th century. Imagine, darling, the look on everyone's faces when they saw this gorgeous pink tutu prancing through the cobbled streets!
This month, I headed back to a time when ballet was really taking off. Now, I'm a big fan of ballet history, and I have to say, I find the very early stages absolutely fascinating! We were way back in the 17th century, to be precise, on 1st January 1686, to be even more specific. Imagine, my dears, that glorious new year feeling, all those centuries ago!
I was back in my favourite spot for time travel: Derbyshire, England. Don't forget, my fabulous, pink, sparkling Shire horse, Magic Meg, is always my loyal companion for these journeys! We took off on her golden hooves, with the wind swirling around us, and a glorious pink sparkle to guide our path. Magic Meg really does know how to travel in style, darlings. She knows that for any pink tutu travel blogger, fashion is everything!
I'm lucky to have a fabulous, old, hand-stitched leather rucksack, which my lovely, late Grandma Rose gifted me for my 16th birthday. It has the perfect number of compartments for storing the wonderful ballet finds and treasures I collect in each time period I visit.
Now, about that ballet, darling, you’ve gotta check this out. Ballet was booming, but it wasn’t like what we know today! The biggest, most fabulous events in the 17th century weren’t huge, lavish productions, but more like these beautiful, intimate gatherings. Imagine being a guest in someone's beautiful French château, and being presented with the spectacle of ballet de cour. These ballet spectacles, which started as elaborate court dances, had music and costumes as the highlight! It was pure beauty, elegance, and expression, with movements, gestures, and the stories told through dance itself. No gigantic stage, just this exquisite story unfolding before you. Isn’t that utterly captivating?
The first professional dancers were becoming very important and popular, and even ballet schools were popping up across Europe. And of course, fashion was a huge part of these gatherings. I mean, imagine those ladies with their gorgeous powdered wigs, their elaborate gowns, and delicate jewelry, all creating a vibrant spectacle that added to the majesty of the dances! I had to stop myself from heading off to a silk store!
Let me tell you, I definitely enjoyed getting involved! You should have seen me in the middle of a ballet de cour! My pink tutu was making quite a splash in this beautiful era! We really had to move as quickly as possible as tutus weren’t a fashion hit in the 17th century! However, those lovely ladies who graced these beautiful gatherings were definitely taking note of the colour pink! There is something so utterly magical about wearing a pink tutu and sharing this ballet joy with others!
As usual, my trusty old rucksack is full of amazing ballet snippets for you, darlings! In this bag, there’s an enchanting, faded piece of velvet that I found tucked away in an old music library, probably once a fragment of costume. I can see it now: a gentleman dancing, so elegant, his hair powdered, and that velvet draping beautifully over his shoulders! And there is the most gorgeous miniature drawing I snagged from the very heart of a 17th-century fashionista's salon! You've got to see it - it’s a dancer, so elegant, so beautiful!
I found an absolutely magical book tucked away in a dusty, ancient, forgotten corner of a historic library! The cover, beautifully aged, whispers secrets of time. And inside, the pages tell me all about a dancer named Mademoiselle Camargo, one of the most brilliant dancers in this period. And of course, I collected stories from locals about how this new art form of ballet was bringing everyone together – it’s amazing how history is made one beautiful movement, gesture, and story at a time!
I’m back at my flat in Derbyshire now, surrounded by my ballerina things, and it's time to share this fantastic journey with all of you! This month's ballet performances are all set to benefit my travels - so don't forget to check out www.pink-tutu.com to find out about my next event!
Oh, darlings! Don't forget to wear a pink tutu whenever possible! Remember: if we want to get the world to wear pink tutus, it all starts with us! I am forever the ultimate pink tutu blogger, so don't be shy and do get in touch with me if you have any ballet travel ideas! Until next time, my lovely darlings, stay fabulously fabulous!
Emma
