Hello darlings! It's Emma here, your favourite pink-tutu clad time-travelling ballerina, ready to whisk you away on a dazzling journey through history! This month, we're dipping our toes into the enchanting world of 18th-century ballet, landing on the 8th of August, 1704.
My trusty steed, the magnificent Magic Meg - a pink-sparkling Shire horse with a golden mane and tail, as you all know! - is ready to gallop us through the centuries. Her hooves sparkle like a thousand tiny diamonds, making her look even more fabulous than usual.
I've packed my trusty leather rucksack with a fresh, new pink tutu (oh, it's divine! Softest silk, layers and layers of tulle, the perfect shade of pink!), and my journal for scribbling down all the fascinating ballet tidbits I discover. My favourite thing about time-traveling is collecting stories from different eras – it's like gathering a unique collection of treasures.
Speaking of treasures, I couldn't wait to share with you all what I've been working on – I've been designing a brand new pink tutu range, perfect for modern ballet dancers. They're inspired by the styles of different eras – a nod to the history of our beloved ballet, yet so on-trend and chic. It’s hard work – balancing my performances, my time travelling and my blog – but so worth it. The first drop comes out later this month, with a grand reveal in my Derbyshire studio. There'll be refreshments, a mini-fashion show and I might even do a quick demonstration for you, if you're lucky! I’ll post more details on my social media, and of course, here on www.pink-tutu.com – you know how I love to share!
Anyway, let’s get on with our time travelling! Today's journey brings us to the heart of 18th-century France – a time of extravagant courtly dances and the rising star of a certain Monsieur de Camargo, a French dancer who became known for her daring leaps and spins! I wonder if he was a fan of pink tutus…? (Don’t laugh! It would have been very revolutionary – tutus are a pretty modern invention!)
In the year 1704, dance was flourishing within the French royal court, a spectacular form of entertainment where ballet played a starring role. Louis XIV, aka The Sun King, was still on the throne, known for his lavish, extravagant life and the grandeur of his ballet performances – not a surprise considering he founded the first professional ballet company, The Academie Royale de Danse! He even graced the stage himself with ballets he composed – what a performer!
Now, in my experience, if you’re lucky enough to have royalty in attendance at your ballet performance, you've got yourself a guaranteed hit, darlings! These noble guests were definitely serious about their ballet - even royalty! Imagine that – the queen's got her eye on your leaps!
There are, of course, the more formal, traditional dance forms of this period - graceful minuets, waltzes that were gaining popularity and elegant courtly dances - you know the type – where everyone gets dressed up in elaborate outfits and performs choreographed sequences of elegant movements, all to impress each other. There are still people in Derbyshire that attend fancy balls and I get invited often to give dance performances, however it is rare to get a real audience like they did back in 1704. Imagine that – being entertained by some of the richest, most famous and powerful people in Europe. Now, there's a dream come true for a ballerina like myself!
For this trip, I am sporting a pink tutu made from soft satin. It's all very beautiful, but just think of the hours and effort put in!
I’ve learned that the ballets in 1704 were pretty serious business – they required strict choreography, elegant gestures and impressive footwork, so ballet dancers needed to train very hard. That sounds very similar to us dancers today, but luckily my tutus are less complicated than they were 300 years ago! They'd often wear lavish, extravagant costumes for these ballet performances - the whole spectacle had to be as stunning and magnificent as the performance. The emphasis on spectacle is something we see still today! I know some dancers who have massive, long flowing tutus and when they’re doing pirouettes and fouettés – it is incredible, magical! I've taken to wearing longer, more billowing tutus since starting my time travel, so I can get a feel for the styles of earlier times and create modern designs from what I find.
I always love looking for beautiful vintage fashion finds and one of my most favourite finds is a stunning 17th-century ballet book - think intricate drawings of ballerinas in their elegant, stylish costumes! That beautiful detail and the style of those ballet clothes… oh, the inspiration! I've always found it so interesting that what might seem "out of fashion" at one point can suddenly make a grand comeback years later – maybe our current styles will become the “in” thing a few centuries down the line – imagine that, my darling readers!
Oh, and don’t even get me started on the ballet footwear – delicate satin slippers for the women, heeled shoes for the men - It's all so different to today. I have one shoe made by the best boot-makers in Derby – made in pure leather, it fits like a glove, or perhaps a foot. I haven't gotten one that actually fits, yet!
What really blows my mind about 1704 ballet is that they performed on a stage without a curtain! So there you have it - a dazzling world of spectacle and dance waiting to be explored, right at our fingertips – just as glamorous and spectacular, yet completely different. Imagine the pressure, dancing with no curtain, so the audience could see everything! It must be all about the beauty of the movement then. Just a thought…
I’m hoping to track down one of the ‘serious’ dancers from the era, maybe even get a chance to see one of these spectacular performances, but even if I can't get backstage, I'll keep you posted on everything I learn! You all know I have a thing for the costumes – think bouffant dresses, glittering embroidery, lavish ornamentation – the ultimate combination of fashion and fantasy!
Of course, the real star of the show has to be the magical world of the stage, my darlings! In 1704, theatre wasn't quite the glamorous experience it is today. It's a far cry from my favourite grand, atmospheric theatres in Derbyshire with their velvet seats and ornate décor – my perfect evening. I love seeing the way audiences react – the excited whispers, the anticipation – it really is magical. There's no greater thrill than hearing the applause after a fantastic performance!
This 8th of August 1704, the world of dance has a lot to offer, so let’s keep dancing, my lovelies, keep spreading the love for the magical art of ballet! Oh, and of course, I am encouraging all of you to put on a pink tutu this month – don't worry, we all need to express ourselves – that’s what ballet is all about! So, don't be afraid to be your fabulous self! I’m already looking forward to my next time travel adventures! Don’t forget to tune in next month to find out more – and keep those pink tutus sparkling!
With love and twirls,
Emma
P.S. Don't forget to visit my website www.pink-tutu.com – It's packed with all the latest on my ballet fashion collection, my time travel adventures and much, much more. Keep shining!
