#BalletHistory during 1692 05 May

Hello, darling dears! It’s Emma, your favourite pink-tutu-clad time traveller, back with another whimsical journey through the world of ballet. This month, we’re whisking ourselves back to 1692, a time when powdered wigs and extravagant gowns reigned supreme! Buckle your dancing shoes and let’s take a spin!

May the 5th, 1692 - what was going on in the world of ballet, you ask? Well, let’s just say, it was a different world altogether. This was way before our beloved tutu – can you imagine! It's crazy to think there was a time when ballerinas weren’t twirling in this magical confection of tulle! But the foundations were being laid for what we see today!

You see, dear readers, my lovely Magic Meg and I, we travel through time to capture these beautiful, forgotten stories – to show you how ballet evolved from a dance of the aristocracy to the global phenomenon it is today! We can’t skip through the ages without first dipping our toes into the glorious past, and this particular date has got me particularly excited!

I had to squeeze my pink tutu through a little bit of a crowd at the French court to witness this fascinating time. Now, in 1692, ballet was all about courtly grandeur, not unlike the ballet of my Derbyshire village back home! (Except in my village, we tend to leave the powdered wigs out.) You can’t imagine the splendour, my darlings. Imagine Louis XIV, the Sun King, a shining beacon of elegance, and his courtiers - they were practically living works of art in their elegant costumes. They danced these stately dances with precision, showing off the skill of the choreographer, a clever fellow called Jean-Baptiste Lully. He’s credited with developing the grand ballets de cour, which were grand events where dance and storytelling were combined with breathtaking scenery, ornate costumes, and dramatic music! I have it on good authority, from my trusty rucksack of secrets, that they had incredible painted scenery that practically whisked them away to mythical landscapes! Just imagine a world of dancing princes and enchanted castles… what a fabulous thought!

The dancing was all about elegance, precision, and theatricality, my dears. There were lots of beautiful gestures and poses, showcasing not only grace, but strength. They had elaborate costumes, not a pink tutu in sight, of course, but just as spectacular - the dresses were richly embroidered, like little walking paintings! It's enough to make a girl swoon. Oh, and don’t even get me started on the hats – these had feathers, gems, you name it. We’re talking theatrical grandeur at its finest! Imagine all these things with beautiful music... you can practically see it in your mind, right? It makes you feel that they’re more than just dancers - they are performers who move you. And that, darlings, is what makes ballet truly special.

A Parisian ballet at that time would have been an evening out in the city! Not quite like our theatres with the tiered seating, oh no! These shows were held in palaces, halls, and gardens - sometimes even in public squares! They'd invite everyone and anyone! It was a fantastically popular pastime!

Of course, a good time traveller always likes to observe fashion! The dancers themselves wore the beautiful French courtly costume – and don't be thinking, “boring” – we’re talking embroidered jackets, breeches (which is a pair of tight pants, my lovelies!), long scarves, hats, you name it! But they were less concerned with showcasing their legs – not like us! Their movement was much less airy than modern ballet, which focuses so much on grace and beauty. It's actually a very masculine kind of dance. The focus is on elegant strides and steps! The women were expected to be graceful but kept the dancing rather simple. There were some women who could move around the stage in a very lovely fashion but the idea of "pointe work," where a ballerina dances on their tiptoes, was far off!

You know I can’t leave without telling you about a beautiful show I stumbled upon. This dance piece was a mythological ballet by a famous composer of that time – his name is Lully! A very grand name for a very grand dance!

My favourite moment, my dears, was seeing the king, dressed in all his finest, participating in the dances! It was utterly captivating – truly an extraordinary spectacle. Imagine being there in that glorious hall, the air filled with the whispers of silken gowns and the rhythm of the drums.

Now, as always, darling readers, I encourage you to slip on your finest pink tutu (even if it’s only for a tea party), and let your imagination whisk you back to this grand time of dancing!

And remember, we’re not just sharing stories – we’re creating them. This ballet-obsessed time traveller’s journey is just getting started, so keep a lookout for the next edition!

Until then, dance with love,

Emma xx

PS: Have any questions for the Time Travel Blogger? Drop me a comment below, or find me on www.pink-tutu.com. You never know what ballet wisdom we’ll discover together.

xx