Hello darlings! It's Emma here, and welcome back to my monthly journey through time on Pink-Tutu.com. Today, we're waltzing our way back to December 12th, 1731! It's such a magical time for dance, and this month, I've discovered a fascinating glimpse into the world of ballet from that era! Buckle up, my dears, because we're going for a whirl!
As always, my trusty steed Magic Meg and I set off, the pink sparkle of her coat catching the morning sunlight as we galloped across the fields. Meg is a magnificent Shire horse, you know. She's like a cloud of pure magic with her white mane and tail flowing like silk and her hooves, like golden nuggets, make a delightful click-clack on the cobbles. Today, our mission is to uncover ballet's story in 1731 and find some treasures to add to my collection. My trusty leather rucksack is ready for new ballet gems!
As we arrived in London, the air was filled with the bustling energy of the city, even though the festive season was a little different then than now. People are starting to dress in their finest finery for the holiday season, although not a pink tutu in sight! (Honestly, where's the imagination back then?!) The world is a blur of colourful coaches and horse-drawn carriages, a lively hubbub from the market vendors, and, most importantly, I can already feel the energy of ballet radiating from the theatre!
Ballet in the CourtNow, in 1731, ballet is still very much under the royal spotlight. This era is marked by the presence of prominent dancers, but it's still mainly a courtly spectacle rather than the free-flowing art form it would become. A lot of ballet happened in the courts, where noble ladies and gentlemen would grace the floor with their moves. But oh, my darlings, the costumes! We’re talking hoops and crinolines, a far cry from the elegant flowing tutus of our era! Imagine performing with all those layers of fabric!
You know what? Maybe the world needs a little more pink, wouldn't you agree? If I were to visit 1731 in my pink tutu, I reckon I'd turn heads! I'm sure a little dose of colour and my flamboyant personality would make an impact on those stately court dances!
The major highlight of my journey to December 12th, 1731, was a grand court ball hosted by King George II at Kensington Palace. This is where the magic truly began. You see, the ball was a spectacle for the senses, with elaborate decorations, and beautiful ladies, adorned in the grandest fashion, twirling about. But oh, darling, they need more tutus! They had elaborate outfits and jewels, but it was a little too traditional for my liking. You know me, a splash of colour and pink tutus everywhere! It would truly make these dances a celebration of femininity.
There was even a little stage erected where dancers presented an exciting performance. They danced to beautiful, sweeping melodies, graceful as swans on the water. I must confess, the steps were a little slower and more formal than our modern ballets, almost a little stately in their approach. There was elegance and control, a sort of aristocratic stillness. It truly is amazing to see ballet’s roots and how it's evolved. It just made me miss my pink tutu and my favourite ballerina style shoes even more!
But I didn’t stay for the entire ball. Imagine, being in all that stifling air! The palace was positively suffocating with the crowds. I found my journey to Kensington Palace quite stimulating but it reminded me how lucky we are to have air conditioning! I would rather be at the opera in Covent Garden, where I hear the very fashionable people of London flock! Imagine all the ballet fashions I could find!
Covent GardenA grand old theatre built by a fascinating man named John Rich, this one's definitely worthy of a grand pink tutu moment, wouldn’t you say? You see, John was not just a brilliant architect; he also loved the magic of ballet, and even wrote and designed some truly magical dance productions. He believed that ballet could be so much more than just court entertainment, a belief that would influence how we see the art of dance today.
Even the famous actor and comedian, Charles Macklin, who later performed in America! It just makes me wonder if he had some pink tutu plans as well! Now, I hear that John's theatre in Covent Garden has a reputation for being the very hub of entertainment for London’s elite! They hold balls and performances, all very exciting.
Unfortunately, I couldn’t stay for long. Magic Meg and I were rushing on to another ballet spectacle! The theatre itself was built in 1732, a year after our trip. A lot of the theatrical innovations we use today, like footlights, had their origin in the era of this Covent Garden. This grand space is perfect for a performance with a dazzling array of lights, a splash of colour. Ah, if only I could pop up in my pink tutu to make an entrance for their 1732 grand opening.
Now, I'm leaving you with a few insights to help you imagine the dance world back then:
- In 1731, Marie Sallé was a ballerina whose name echoed throughout the European courts! Oh, if only I could have seen her perform, I bet her leaps and graceful turns were magnificent. I do wonder if she danced in any shade of pink, I doubt she ever owned a tutu!
- While there were dancers performing ballets at the royal courts, the ballet style in France was more elaborate, the steps more ornate, and I've heard there are rumours of some ladies performing ballets in silk pants, quite shocking for those times!
- Ballet is now more popular across Europe than in England at this time, it seems.
As always, thank you for joining me on this fantastic time-traveling journey, dears! I hope you've been inspired to do your own dance through the past! I can’t wait for the new year and to see you back here for another ballet journey with my Pink-Tutu time travel! You never know what fascinating secrets await us next month! Remember, if you see a splash of pink, then you know I am somewhere nearby.
I shall leave you all now. As you read this, I'm out searching for a vintage, pink tutu from this time, a few items for my collection and finding out how many pink tutus I could fit in my luggage! Until next time,
Love and twirls, Emma
p.s. don't forget to join the Pink Tutu online forum! I can't wait to hear all about your favorite ballet memories! *
Please note: While I've attempted to stick to Emma's style, the word count limitation has significantly limited my ability to add specific historical details or weave in anecdotes about individual dancers and productions. This response could be expanded to create a more detailed, richly informed blog post, but that would need to exceed the set word limit.
