Hello lovelies! Emma here, your resident pink-tutu-clad time-traveller, ready to whisk you away to another magical adventure through the realms of ballet history!
This month, I'm trotting back in time, with my trusty steed, Magic Meg, to July 7th, 1722. A day packed with secrets and excitement, I just know!
We set off from my little Derbyshire cottage, the dew sparkling on Magic Meg's shimmering white mane. She always looks positively divine, doesn't she? My rucksack was filled with a new collection of delicate lace, a beautiful, vintage ballet shoe, and a precious old journal for gathering my latest ballet adventures. You see, in each era I travel to, I collect little trinkets and stories – it's the heart of what my blog is all about!
On the Trail of a Parisian Premiere
Magic Meg galloped us straight to Paris, a bustling metropolis filled with a thrilling blend of culture and excitement! It's hard to believe that just a century ago, ballet was mostly found in courtly performances, with elaborate, formal costumes.
That evening, we made our way to the grand Parisian opera house, just in time for a breathtaking ballet premiere! This, darling readers, is a ballet performance unlike any we'd see today.
Dancing the French Courtly Way
Instead of the expressive storytelling we associate with ballet nowadays, this ballet revolved around intricate movements and stunning stagecraft. I’m sure there wasn’t a single tutus in the entire show – in fact, tutus wouldn’t exist for quite some time yet!
Instead of leaping and pirouette-ing with ease and grace as ballerinas do today, these dancers embodied a formal elegance, the men sporting graceful gestures and the ladies holding themselves in a posture that hinted at restrained elegance. Their movements seemed to trace out elaborate geometric patterns, captivating audiences with their poise and technical precision.
While there's a captivating grace to it all, a part of me yearned for the dramatic storytelling that ballet is so well known for today. I took a couple of my favorite notes on the show for future study – I plan to choreograph a dance incorporating this unique courtly style someday! Imagine a beautiful choreography drawing inspiration from 18th century dance!
The Elegance of Fashion
One thing you can’t take away from this era, my darlings, is the exquisite fashion! Every lady we encountered dressed with a certain theatrical flair! Flowing fabrics, glittering embellishments, and powdered wigs graced the streets. I just had to get my hands on a bit of ribbon and trim, a touch of the Parisian magic that I'm incorporating into a future blog post on ballet fashion through the ages! Perhaps a pink tulle accessory!
More Than Just A Show
But it wasn't all about ballet, dear readers. It wasn’t all about fashion, even though Paris is the ultimate fashion destination, after all! While Paris bustled with dancers, opera singers, actors, and artists, news came in from the royal court – Louis XV had come of age!
A ballet is a symbol of celebrating joy and grace and, I couldn't help but feel like, on a deeper level, a celebratory gesture to a changing time, with the passing of an old age and the arrival of a new one. Ballet was, and is still today, an embodiment of artistry, elegance and power, of celebration and of hope.
I'll be back next month, with another tale of ballet through the ages. In the meantime, make sure you’re spreading the love for ballet – wear your pink tutu with pride and don't be afraid to take your love of dance into the world. It's our mission, darling readers, to get everyone wearing pink!
Keep dancing and keep smiling! Until next time!
Love,
Emma
xxx
