Hello lovely ballet lovers! Emma here, your resident time-travelling tutu enthusiast, ready to take you on a new, pink-hued journey through ballet history. Today, we're setting our shimmering sequins on 4th April, 1690! It’s a journey back to a time when ballet was just beginning to bloom, and who knows what fantastical performances were taking place on that very day!
My trusty steed, Magic Meg, the pink-sparkling shire horse with her golden hooves, white mane, and a twinkle in her eye, is already prepped and ready. My rucksack is packed, eager to gather up ballet treasures and stories from this intriguing period. It’s always exciting to step back in time and witness ballet’s humble beginnings. After all, we wouldn’t have the magnificent art form we have today without those pioneering dancers and choreographers!
Now, onto today's outfit. Of course, I'm rocking a dreamy pink tutu - it's the most fitting choice for exploring ballet's past, wouldn't you agree? The blush shade matches the beautiful blooming apple trees I see in the fields surrounding us as Magic Meg gallops towards our destination! And don't forget my shimmering ballet slippers – a bit less practical for horseback riding but they sparkle beautifully as we ride!
What's On In Ballet World in 1690
Okay, so while the ballet world wasn’t quite bursting at the seams like it is today, 1690 was a year filled with ballet developments, even though there weren't fancy flyers on billboards and posters. Instead, think more word of mouth, whispered gossip about new ballets taking shape at noble courts and whispers in charming cafe theatres.
Did you know that:
- The famous choreographer, Pierre Beauchamp, was still alive! He had actually just published his groundbreaking treatise on ballet, "L’Art de danser" the year before! This book established many of the basic techniques that we still use in ballet today, including codifying the five basic positions! You can imagine the excitement amongst dancers in 1690 as they embraced this new method!
- Lully’s Ballet de cour, (the king's ballet!) were gaining immense popularity in France! Picture a grand, elaborately staged production featuring exquisite costumes, set design, and dramatic storytelling.
- Ballet was still primarily performed within the grand courtyards of French palaces, which explains my fancy riding attire to keep up with the royal fashion. Think about it, ballet as an elegant and courtly art form meant only for nobles and courtiers in the past!
- Opera was starting to gain momentum, and, interestingly, it was merging with ballet, forming a new art form – what we know today as the grand "opera-ballet". How exciting for the budding dance world! It’s such a fascinating shift, with ballet embracing another form and finding its place on the theatre stage, adding to the elegance of opera and contributing to a new and beautiful form!
A Trip to London
Now, if you want to imagine ballet as it existed in 1690, imagine me gracefully hopping off Magic Meg at Covent Garden, right in the heart of London! This theatre was beginning to see ballet productions and would later become known as a hot spot for London’s budding theatre world! While there were no full-fledged dance schools yet, ballet was growing quickly and the passion for this elegant art form was very real. I’m imagining these small groups of young dancers, probably noble-born young ladies and gentlemen learning basic steps and expressing themselves with such graceful abandon!
Of course, as I explore London in my pink tutu, I have to imagine what these "London ballet gatherings" looked like. Did dancers practice in drawing rooms, their steps accompanied by harpsichords, the elegant sounds mixing with the hushed whispers and crackling fire from the fireplace? Was ballet taught amongst these graceful drawing rooms and the candlelit balconies, adorned with luxurious drapery and gilded frames? Or was there perhaps a humble makeshift studio, where a master dancer was instructing a group of eager, giggling dancers? Just imagining such scenes makes me yearn for a peek at this bygone world.
Ballet Fashion in 1690: Elegant But Practical!
For ballet performances, imagine corsets that enhanced posture, allowing dancers to execute movements with fluidity, dresses adorned with lace and embroidery, adding an element of courtly elegance, and of course, hair coiffed beautifully and delicately adorned with pearls, or, possibly even tiny dancing butterflies crafted from feathers and beads.
Ballet shoes during that time were, of course, completely different. They weren't quite our point shoes yet. Imagine supple, hand-sewn slippers made from soft kid leather with ribbons wrapped delicately around the ankles to add a touch of color and artistry. There was even an element of practicality in fashion – as dancing in elaborate costumes demanded grace and poise, shoes had to allow flexibility and quick steps!
Ballet Inspiration
Just a quick note before I go. This trip to 1690 fills me with an exciting feeling - a rush of gratitude for the legacy of the pioneering dancers who came before us! Every pirouette we do, every plié we execute, every graceful step, owes something to the beautiful foundations that ballet was built on.
As I said, a grand future was just unfolding for ballet, and with each step we take in 1690, we get closer to the dazzling art form it is today.
I hope this post has brought the magic of ballet history a little closer! And always remember, you too can be a time-travelling ballerina! All you need is a pink tutu, an adventurous heart, and, perhaps, a trusty pink-sparkling horse named Magic Meg!
Keep twirling and follow me on www.pink-tutu.com for more adventures through time! Until next time, dear friends, happy dancing!
