Hello darlings! It's Emma here, your friendly neighbourhood pink tutu-wearing time traveller, back with another dazzling adventure! This month, Magic Meg, my gorgeous pink sparkling Shire with the golden hooves, whisked me back to the 1st of January, 1696. Imagine - no mobile phones, no TikTok dances, no Instagram ballet reels! Gasp I'm shivering just thinking about it.
But don't fret, dear readers, for even in 1696, ballet was still twirling its way into history! It might not have been all tutus and pirouettes, but there were certainly some fabulous foundations being laid.
We landed on the cobblestones of London, and what a bustling place it was! I couldn't resist adding a touch of pink, naturally. Imagine - everyone in grey, brown, and black! I wore my brightest, most extravagant pink tutu, the one with the hand-beaded trim, and you wouldn't believe the stares I received! I truly think I had everyone convinced I was some sort of magical fairy! (Who knows, maybe I am...)
Anyway, the point is - even in 1696, the ballet world was alive! Queen Mary II had been quite the ballet enthusiast. The London theatres were hosting performances with dancing being quite popular at the court. My dear rucksack is full of manuscripts about court balls and elaborate dances that were a spectacle to behold! I've got pictures too - although, you can't imagine how hard it was to get hold of a proper camera back then! Thankfully, I have my trusty, and slightly out-of-date, smartphone, hidden within a pouch to capture the historical wonder!
One fascinating fact I gleaned is that while the term 'ballet' existed, it wasn't quite what we think of today. They were actually doing something called "opera-ballets," where dance would interweave with a story that was also being sung! Fancy, right? My guess is that back in 1696, audiences weren't too keen on having all-out full-length ballets just yet - it might have been a tad too boring for those used to the flamboyant costumes and action-packed narratives of the opera stage.
Naturally, I did have to get into some of that vintage ballet style action. You see, I discovered a quaint little dance academy, nestled behind a cobbled lane, which hosted "French dances" and "Italian dances." They looked incredibly fun - think minuets and pavans, with lots of dainty hand movements and graceful bows! It wouldn't be long, my dear readers, before these would evolve into the waltzes and quadrilles that I loved! (I also couldn't resist snagging a pair of beautiful, silk, embroidered gloves and a ribbon-trimmed fan from their workshop... They're perfect for the next London ball I attend!)
What's amazing about time travel is seeing how those seeds of the ballet world I know and love were planted so long ago. And it makes me even more grateful for our incredible world of modern ballet today, which, let's face it, just gets more dazzling with each new tutu creation and spectacular performance!
Now, who wants to see some more fabulous 1696 fashion, inspired by those gorgeous velvet costumes I discovered tucked away in the dance academy's attic? (They're just as lovely now - although a touch faded.) I've got some fabulous outfit ideas! Plus, I’ve a secret weapon tucked away - I may have even learned a few steps from a private performance for the court. (Shhh, it's not a big secret, the Queen is lovely, but she would want her dances kept private!) But don’t worry, darling readers, you can have the secrets all to yourselves…
Just check out www.pink-tutu.com next month to join my time travel adventure for another fabulous date!
See you soon, and don't forget your pink tutus!
Love,
Emma xx
