Hello my darling ballet bunnies! Welcome back to another magical month with Pink Tutu Time Travels! As you all know, October is the month of all things spooky and beautiful, so naturally Iām in a most spectacularly spookily, girly, sparkly mood! To celebrate I decided to whisk myself back to October 10th, 1692, in a most delightful flutter of tulle and glitter on the back of Magic Meg!
For those of you new to my little corner of the internet, my name is Emma and I am a Derbyshire-born ballerina with a passion for time travel! Now, if you have an urge to travel through time in the most fabulous manner, I strongly suggest a pink tutu - after all, what could be more glamorous than a shimmering ballet skirt to transport you through the ages? Itās practically magical, darling.
The trick to time travel in style is finding a very special companion, a time-traveling steed! And for that my friends, look no further than Magic Meg. She is my dearest friend and my most magical mount - a breathtakingly beautiful shire horse with shimmering pink coat and golden hooves. Her mane and tail flow like spun gold, perfect for gliding through time with a flourish.
Today weāre stepping back into the exciting and sometimes chaotic world of 17th-century London, and let me tell you, dear readers, itās a most captivating spectacle! As we gallop through the cobbled streets, the hustle and bustle of a fast-growing city spills out around us - it's absolutely bursting with people, markets, carts, and even a few carriages (very impressive indeed)!
Just a little historical nugget before we continue on our ballet time travel adventure! You know me - I adore history! In the 1600s, the world of ballet was transforming from a lively and colourful dance, almost like an elaborate form of ballroom dancing. This era is just starting to see ballet take on the elegance we know and adore today, especially thanks to some fantastic French influences! It's a time of both dramatic changes and graceful development - a truly exciting time in the evolution of dance.
As we pranced through London in all our pink, glittery glory, the first thing that struck me most immediately was the lack of our darling pink tutus! Not a single frock in sight, oh my dear! However, the Londoners did possess their own version of ballet style: graceful ruffles, long flowing sleeves, and beautifully embellished garments were everywhere! The ladies' hair was adorned with elaborate and colourful jewels and it was truly an elegant era of fine fashion.
But dear readers, we all have to accept it, some things will never change - it seems fashion and food were just as popular back then as they are today. Now, there are few things a ballet bunny loves more than shopping - and I absolutely had to explore some of Londonās most bustling marketplaces! Imagine my delighted surprise as we strolled into a market square and came upon an assortment of colourful fabrics - satin, silks, velvetā¦ perfect for tutus and dancing frocks! My dear, I could hardly contain myself - such fabrics, such a lovely rainbow! Imagine the delightful swirl of pink, green, and crimson as I flit through the 1690s in my own dream creation.
Now, when we speak of food and indulging in lovely delights, Iāve discovered a lovely little secret about London's 1690s culinary scene: there was this delightful meat pie they called "chicken pie", and it was a favourite of mine for that particular day - but donāt be tricked, it contained not a drop of chicken - the name likely came from the shape and colour of the dough that was used to resemble chicken.
But oh, what a glorious surprise it was, my dear readers, to discover that there were even theatres and dance performances in this grand and beautiful city - truly exciting! And here is where things took a most magical turn!
You can imagine the twinkle in my eye - a true ballerina in her element - when we reached a lovely little theatre known as Drury Lane! It was a marvel! From the beautiful architecture to the bustle of the crowds and the glimmer of the stage - there was such thrill and magic hanging in the air! Now, donāt get me confused, ballet was not the only performance on show, but there were performances of lively dances within the plays. In this way, the influence of the court ballets was just beginning to find their way into more popular performances, bringing a touch of royal grace to the stage! I even happened to notice a group of dancers practicing in the corner of the theatre grounds ā a wonderful, whirling display of energy and movement - such graceful figures and light steps! Enchanting! I truly felt like a child in a whimsical, sparkling ballet story!
Before I bid you adieu for another month, darling readers, I do need to share with you one last incredible experience. Whilst on my magical ballet-themed adventure in 1692 London, I was given a gift from a lovely young man. You may think Iām just a girly ballerina with a flair for fashion and a love of pink but oh my dear readers, you must know this - my love for dance and the history of it knows no bounds!
As I wandered back through a beautiful, charming square, a friendly boy approached me. He was a writer, and in his hand, he held a collection of beautifully written plays. One play in particular caught my attention, its name was āLoveās Last Shiftā - a very grand, dramatic play indeed - and I asked if I could read it. Oh, it was a lovely, sparkling read indeed, so enchanting and captivating. This gift is now going to find a cosy home in my leather ballet travel rucksack - alongside other historical trinkets from my amazing journeys through time! To keep stories of ballet alive for centuries to come!
My dear ballet bunnies, I am ever so grateful that youāve joined me on my time travel escapades today - October 10th 1692 was an absolute whirlwind of colour, excitement, and elegance! Now remember to spread the ballet love, wear those pink tutus, and until next month's magical time travel adventure, be most stylish and wonderful! And donāt forget, for all your ballet dreams and sparkly time travel inspiration, come and visit me at www.pink-tutu.com!
Until then!
xoxo Emma
P.S I hope you enjoyed the glimpse into London life from 1692! I love finding these historical snippets and sharing them with you - they're quite fascinating, don't you think? Did you know you can often discover wonderful tales about ballet even within history books or novels, even in unexpected places like play scripts and plays? So always be sure to keep your eyes peeled, dear readers! You never know what historical gems of ballet you might stumble upon!
And lastly don't ever be afraid to ask any questions or share your favourite ballet memories, dear reader, in the comments! I adore hearing from you! And oh, my dear, if you are looking to experience a bit of 17th-century style in your life, a simple touch of pink will always make every event just a tad bit more fabulous!
xoxo
