Hello, lovelies! Welcome back to Pink Tutu Time Travels! It's your girl, Emma, and this month I'm whisking you back to a truly fascinating era in ballet history, 10th October 1741!
Oh, you guys, get ready for a whirl! This month's journey had me so giddy, I could barely sit still! My beautiful Magic Meg (who, I must mention, is wearing a lovely pink saddle and a shimmering, blush-toned, tasselled bridle, perfectly coordinated with my latest pink tulle tutu, of course!) took me on a trip to France, where things were about to get wildly, wildly wonderful in the world of dance!
Picture this: It's Paris, 1741. The air is abuzz with the excitement of the ballet scene! The OpĂ©ra Garnier isn't around yet (that wouldn't open for almost 200 years!) but trust me, the energy of these ballerinas is electrifying. Theyâre a little more... robust than the elegant, ethereal grace we associate with ballet today. Thereâs a lot of jumping and leaping! Imagine a thrilling, athletic ballet spectacle that truly would have blown your minds!
But, let's get back to our historical tidbit, shall we? 10th October 1741 was the premiere of the iconic, groundbreaking ballet La Poule, a funny, fantastical, feather-light spectacle that caused quite the stir in its time! Now, youâll hear me say âfeather-lightâ a lot, and thatâs not just because Iâm a tutu fanatic (though, as you all know, Iâm undeniably one)! In 1741, these dancers were performing with an amazing sense of physical freedom!
You might not know, but ballet during this time was still very much in its formative years. These performers weren't wearing the pointe shoes that came a bit later; instead, they used the infamous âsoft shoe.â The dancers wore slippers made of thick leather or cloth and sometimes with buckles to fasten, and you know what? They did AMAZING things in them! This period really did redefine what could be accomplished on the dance floor! Imagine jumping high and taking powerful leaps with those types of shoes! La Poule and these ballerinas werenât afraid to put those slippers to the test!
As for the La Poule story itself? Think a colourful and captivating dance of love and adventure in a way, a story of two lovers being separated by a jealous rival and a clever chicken saving the day! Sounds exciting, right? And you bet those chickens knew how to move! These little feathered dancers are the main reason for the ballet's name! Honestly, their feathery costumes looked SO cute, so adorable, SO FUN. They stole the show!
Did I mention it was truly ground-breaking? You see, this ballet, La Poule, it's about a daring exploration of form! We saw the creation of a new dance genre â the âcommedia dell'arte' style ballet, so innovative in its humor, theatricality, and light-heartedness.
Just the thought of these feathered dance-crazed chickens performing on stage gets me all bubbly, and imagine â La Poule started the tradition of using birds in ballet! It's so exciting knowing how La Poule played a pivotal role in the evolution of the ballets we love today!
Okay, but back to our time travels: this trip has got to be one of the best so far! Imagine the sights! I just HAD to purchase a few treasures! There were silks, and lace, and oh, those glorious French bonnets! They've got to be made into tutus, and itâs SO tempting to recreate some La Poule costumes for my ballet classes! We need a feather tutu frenzy, and imagine all those chicken-themed dance classes, with feathery tutus galore, La Poule themed dances, just the idea fills my mind with joy!
Of course, Iâm back to our home here in Derbyshire with a bag of memories! And with those precious mementos, a few lovely bonnets, a whole heap of new inspiration, and a La Poule costume on my wishlist! What I would do for one of those fabulous feathered chicken costumes from that era, just a girl's gotta dream. I also picked up some great ballet stories of that time which Iâm now going to write into my journal!
Right, you know the drill, darlings! If you have any questions about ballet or about time travelling in pink tutus (what, you have other questions? Oh please!), Iâm ready to hear from you! And make sure to stay tuned for the next pink tutu adventures!
I leave you with this thought for this monthâs final thought â Whatâs your favourite ballet character from any era, from any ballet? Are you a fan of a specific ballet, of a costume? What makes that era in ballet history exciting for you? Let me know in the comments below. Don't forget to visit my website at www.pink-tutu.com! And remember to keep spreading the pink tutu love, darlings!
Your ever-loving pink tutu princess, Emma xx
