#BalletHistory during 1700 12 December

Hello, darlings! It's Emma, your resident Pink Tutu Time Traveller, and welcome to post number 480 on www.pink-tutu.com. This month, I'm taking you all on a journey to 12th December, 1700, for a peek at the dazzling world of ballet, and wouldn't you know it, it was a simply divine day for a royal performance!

As always, Magic Meg, my pink sparkling shire with the golden hooves and snow-white mane and tail, took me on a swish through the centuries. Her powerful pinkness was the perfect match for my vibrant pink tulle tutu, especially against the crisp, wintery air. We arrived in a bustling, yet elegant, London, the very heart of the English ballet scene.

The rucksack on my back, a leather treasure trove of stories and ballet ephemera from every era I've visited, was already brimming with excitement. I felt a tingle of anticipation in the air - you see, darling, this date held something special for the world of ballet...

Stepping off Magic Meg, I found myself on the very grounds of the imposing St. James’s Palace, home to the grand and flamboyant King William III and his Queen Mary. This date marked a day of extraordinary entertainment! Not only was a grand ball taking place, a celebration of pure, aristocratic delight, but within its elegant walls, there was a performance unlike any I’d encountered.

Can you imagine, dear readers, a masquerade ball complete with masked revelers, swirling gowns and sparkling jewels - the epitome of extravagance! This wasn’t your average country-folk performance, oh no, this was a production for the very elite!

But what was the dance? Well, my dears, this was the era of the Court Ballet, a captivating, courtly form of dance that involved theatrical dances often featuring mythical characters.

Imagine grand courtly steps interwoven with captivating stories about kings, queens, nymphs and gods. Think grand waltzes and stately minuets - but woven with a narrative! It's not the "Grand Jeté" we see today, but the ancestors of the beautiful ballets we enjoy now were just starting to develop!

The performance, I was told, featured dances, costumes, and storytelling, all beautifully woven together. The costumes? Pure splendour! Rich satins and velvets, adorned with jewels and plumes, danced across the stage as a symphony of vibrant colours. Imagine it, darling, the drama, the sheer visual brilliance, it was enough to make a ballerina's heart sing!

It was then I realised - it wasn’t just about dancing for these performers. It was a blend of theatre, dance, and courtly etiquette. These elegant performances were the ultimate spectacle, the most lavish and awe-inspiring entertainment, designed to wow the royal court with every elegant gesture.

Now, while it may seem like a long time ago, ballet was still taking root and gaining momentum at the end of the 17th century. While we may associate ballet with Paris in the 19th century, it was London that held the torch during the 1700s. The famous Drury Lane Theatre, which today boasts its rich ballet history, was a major player.

There's no denying, dear readers, ballet was the ultimate form of social interaction, and in the heart of the British monarchy, the power of the artform resonated through every movement.

What would the theatre be like now? I found a magnificent stage complete with lavish scenery - a backdrop that transported viewers to different realms. But no ballerina in pink yet! Imagine the buzz of excitement in the audience. The grandeur of the setting combined with the anticipation of the performance. The audience would be expecting to be swept away by this magical display.

Now, a touch of curiosity always tickles my senses. Did the performance involve a graceful, pirouetting ballerina adorned in a shimmering, pink tutu? Alas, not exactly. Tutues weren’t common, darling, yet... but there was the allure of stunning, grand, courtly dances, costumes filled with opulence and that element of theatre. And perhaps, just perhaps, there was a ballerina out there somewhere dreaming of being the first to dance in pink, her own little world a vibrant hue in an elegant and royal era.

From that regal night at St. James’s Palace to this very blog post, one thing is clear - ballet, even in its earliest forms, is a beautiful, compelling, and transformative art form. The excitement, the fashion, the storytelling... it transcends time and speaks to the human heart in a way few other art forms do.

And it sparks a pink dream for this Time Traveller! The story of ballet is a tapestry woven with moments like this, grand events like the Court Ballet - each one contributing to the beauty, grace, and magnificence of what we enjoy today.

So dear readers, embrace the past and let your imagination take you on a whirlwind of ballet magic. And while I can’t always bring you to the past, I hope to inspire you to embrace the wonderful world of ballet wherever you are!

And don't forget, I'll be back next month with another adventure in time!

Until then, dance on, darlings!

XOXO

Emma

P.S. Visit www.pink-tutu.com to find my favourite ballet shops and a selection of ballet books, so you can keep dancing along with me! I even include the perfect pink ballet tutus for you to shop - every month!

And for my favourite ballet events across the globe, check out my calendar on www.pink-tutu.com!

Happy dancing my lovely ballerina friends!