Hello darlings! Emma here, and it's time for another exciting journey through time! As always, my trusty steed, Magic Meg, is patiently waiting by the stable door, her pink sparkly coat gleaming under the Derbyshire sunshine.
Today, we're taking a trip back to 11th November, 1734, and you know I’m always delighted when we can get right down to the nitty gritty of ballet history. Let’s saddle up, grab your trusty pink tutus (you never know when you might need a quick twirl!), and embark on a wonderful journey back to the 18th Century.
Stepping back in time:
I've always been a big fan of history, and when you couple it with ballet, it’s like two of my favorite things coming together! It's amazing to see how ballet has evolved over the centuries, from its roots in courtly entertainment to the global phenomenon it is today. Today's date is particularly significant for me, because... we’re actually not heading straight into a ballet performance today, darlings! This time, our time travel journey is taking us to the world of opera, and the Italian opera scene is exploding with creativity and spectacle in the 18th Century, darling!
I must confess, darling, that my own heart beats a little faster for the sheer joy of seeing a dazzling performance under the glittering chandeliers of a grand theatre, surrounded by beautiful costumes and sparkling jewels.
Now, you might be wondering: what has opera got to do with ballet? Well, while the focus of this era in Europe was very much opera, it wasn't entirely devoid of dance! Think, of course, of the graceful ballets integrated into operatic scenes! Ballet is actually woven into the very fabric of many grand opera performances, adding an extra layer of spectacle and dramatic impact. It wasn't just the ballets themselves that captivated audiences but also the amazing costumes! Those swirling layers of tulle, silks, and velvets, adorned with elaborate embroidery, truly captured the hearts of every opera-lover and sparkled even brighter in the candlelit ambience of the grand halls.
And as for me? Oh, let’s just say a few swishing waltzes in my lovely pink tutu would have made this opera even more breathtakingly beautiful!
Fashion Flashback:
As I peek into the world of the 18th century, I must confess to being a tad jealous, darling. You see, there is a certain drama and elegance in the clothes of this period that makes my little heart sing. They embraced the “rococo” style of fashion, with extravagant lace, ornate detailing and elaborate headpieces that were so dramatic, darling! Think of the panniers, the hoop skirts, and the glorious, billowing silk fabrics of those gowns!
I especially adore the Watteau Pleats—the cascade of fabric draping gracefully over the shoulders and backs. Just imagine the perfect shade of pink cascading over those hoopskirts – oh my, darling, it makes my fashion senses soar.
But my biggest secret love for this era? Their gorgeous bouffant hairstyles. These towering bouffants that defied gravity, often embellished with ribbons, jewels and even tiny little flowers. Imagine a ballerina’s sleek hair beautifully entwined with a delicate garland of pale pink blossoms — Oh darling, just gorgeous!
As we prepare for our descent, I grab my worn leather rucksack and carefully select a piece for my collection. Today it will be a rococo style jewelry pendant with beautiful sparkling stones. It’s perfect for remembering the beauty and elegance of 18th-century fashion!
What’s On?
And now, my darling time travellers, let’s have a peek at the world of ballet as it was on this day back in 1734! The world of ballet was booming all across the continent! And who better than Marie Sallé to represent this exciting era! I’ve written about her before, darling! The queen of the ballet world in her own right, she dared to go beyond the stiff elegance of traditional ballet and infuse it with new, dramatic emotion. Her unique interpretations of dances - you must try looking up some of her creations on YouTube, darling - helped redefine what ballet could be. With her dynamic and dramatic interpretations, she paved the way for a new wave of ballets. And let me tell you, those beautiful silk costumes with delicate flowing gowns were absolutely divine! Imagine the graceful flow of a pink silk tutu, designed to mirror the free movements of a dancer – oh darling!
On this date, back in 1734, the Royal Ballet Company at Paris Opera – yes, darling! – was performing one of their very popular ballets, and as it was still a few years until the “Golden Age” of Ballet, when our adored ballet fashion would blossom into full bloom, the ladies of the court weren’t quite yet adorning themselves in tulle tutus – even though there were hints of the tutus in early ballets and it was quickly coming into fashion in this period!
The Ballet Masters had still to embrace the romantic tutu for themselves. They were still embracing their iconic corset – even their dancing tights, and imagine a little ruffle around the edge to soften the look – they would just start moving towards our divine, ballerina tulle in another decade or so. The dancers would soon have their very own ballet tutu fashion statements - I hope I can take Magic Meg there one day, just to see what a gorgeous spectacle those very first tutus would have been in their golden glow!
So, as we close out our blog post for today, I am just so happy that you are part of this incredible journey into ballet’s past, darling! We are discovering so many fascinating insights into the beautiful world of dance as it unfolded across the ages – oh, I do wish you could all travel with me in person, darling, it’s even better in real life!
It’s now time for me to take my leave and say goodbye, darling, but remember, this is a blog about you all! I just want you to know how much I adore all the lovely emails, and I’ll see you in next month’s Pink Tutu Blog!
Now, where’s my sewing needle? I think my ballet wardrobe needs a touch of Rococo-inspired embellishments... I can see a rococo tutu for my next performance... It’s going to be pink, of course! Until next time! Love you all!
Emma x
