Hello my lovely ballet bunnies! 🩰💖 It's Emma here, your resident pink-tutu-wearing time-travelling ballerina, back from another fantastic journey through the annals of ballet history. As you all know, my monthly mission is to explore the fascinating world of ballet from all eras and bring it back to you - and, of course, spread the love of pink tutus wherever I go!
This month, Magic Meg and I took a gallop back to 1st January, 1707. Now, I know what you're thinking: "1707? Ballet wasn't really a thing back then, was it?". Well, you'd be right - not in the way we know it today. But let me tell you, there were some pretty fascinating dance forms around during that era, and the seeds of ballet, as we know it, were certainly being sown!
Just imagine: The French aristocracy was all about elegance and grace, and their social events featured sophisticated dances and balls. Think of waltzes and minuets, but with a whole lot more emphasis on elaborate costumes and theatrical flourishes! This was a world where men wore silk stockings and breeches and women donned beautiful gowns with panniers and lace. It was definitely a fashion era worthy of a pink-tutu-wearing time-traveller like me.
Now, I may not have found a pink tutu waiting for me in the 18th century, but I did spot some seriously stylish footwear! You see, these high heels weren't just about height - they were crafted as a statement, a symbol of elegance and wealth. And what better accessory than a beautiful pair of pink silk slippers? I added those to my rucksack alongside some beautiful illustrations I found of dance sequences from a popular book of dances published in 1705. It turns out, the dances weren't all about graceful movements and elegant poise! They were full of elaborate and somewhat amusing "steps" and gestures, and I can see how they could have easily developed into what we know as ballet today.
Imagine: I found myself in the midst of Le Trianon, the ballroom at Versailles! King Louis XIV, he of the famed sun king status, had set the trend for French elegance with his ballet Le Ballet de la Roy, and dancing at the time was truly a royal affair. Imagine: dancers whirling in silks and satins, all against a backdrop of breathtaking gilded grandeur. Now that’s what I call ballet magic!
I also found myself transported back in time to The Italian Theatre in Vienna. Vienna was becoming quite the ballet powerhouse in this era, boasting a very talented dancing school run by G.A. Walsch. Imagine: elegant steps being learned, graceful poses practiced - the foundations for modern ballet were being built, piece by piece! The passion for dancing was evident in all these locations, and the desire to elevate it to an art form was really exciting to see!
Now, I couldn’t have travelled back to 1707 without finding something lovely and pink, right? Well, I struck gold in a charming little shop in London, where I found a beautifully hand-painted porcelain doll sporting a dress of the most divine shade of pink. The detail was stunning - even the doll’s shoes were pink! This was the perfect little memento to take back to my collection, and a symbol of pink being the colour of ballet in any era.
What I found most fascinating was the story that this era gave us. The rise of dance as a form of art, the evolution of movements, the increasing popularity of ballet – it’s a story I couldn’t have witnessed without my beloved Magic Meg by my side. And what could be more magical than exploring this wonderful world, one step at a time?
Speaking of Magic Meg, I always feel a little bit sad when it’s time to say goodbye to our fabulous journey through time! I think, deep down, she yearns to trot through history alongside me and feels that the pink-tutu-wearing time traveller has an important mission: to spread love and joy with each dance!
After all, as you know, my beloved pink tutus, are all about feeling confident and fabulous, so how could we possibly stay within just one century when we can take on the world (and all of its fascinating eras!) with pink?
Remember to visit www.pink-tutu.com next month for my next exciting ballet time-travel adventures. I can’t wait to share it with you all! And in the meantime, don’t forget to share your own ballet adventures with me! You never know, your passion for dance could be a future chapter in our very own pink tutu story.
