Hello my darlings! Welcome back to www.pink-tutu.com, where every month, I journey through time, swirling and twirling in my favourite pink tutu, ready to discover a world of ballet history. I'm Emma, your ballerina blogger extraordinaire, hailing from the picturesque Derbyshire countryside (where the hills are alive with the sound of tutus!) and armed with my faithful steed, Magic Meg, a pink sparkling Shire with golden hooves and a mane like spun moonlight.
This month, I'm whisking us back to July 7th, 1743, where we'll be exploring the world of dance with all the grace and elegance that only a tutu-clad time traveller can!
The Ballet Scene in 1743
Oh, how the ballet world was abuzz in 1743! Just think - this year saw the première of Jean-Philippe Rameau's masterpiece "La Princesse de Navarre"! Rameau, the French composer, truly brought a new energy and grandeur to the world of ballet. His scores, rich with melodic flourishes and soaring harmonies, really set the stage for what we consider the "golden age" of ballet music! Can you imagine? Those ballets would have been glorious. Imagine the ornate costumes, the shimmering lights and the applause of the crowd – all against the backdrop of such powerful music! It really makes you wish you could slip back in time to witness it all, wouldn’t it?
But 1743 was a time for other notable ballet personalities too. The legendary ballet dancer, Marie Sallé, was enchanting audiences with her performances in Paris! She's often credited with helping ballet step into a new era, blending the graceful moves of the classical style with more dramatic expressions. I bet her performances were thrilling to watch! She moved with an airy, natural fluidity, a real inspiration for dancers of today!
Time-Traveling Tutu: Fashion Inspiration From 1743
As always, one of my favourite parts about traveling through time is uncovering the incredible ballet fashions of the era! Oh, wouldn’t it be divine to find myself in the elegant world of powdered wigs and powdered faces? Imagine a ballet dancer, in a beautiful pastel gown, adorned with exquisite embroidery and laced with ribbon and bows, all topped off with a head of impossibly coiffed, powder-white hair. This was the ballet aesthetic back then! It was certainly more dramatic than our contemporary attire!
Of course, back then the tutus we know and love weren’t the main event. Those full skirts we love today are a more modern development! Imagine how they must have looked, dancing gracefully in their voluminous gowns! It’s a world of elegance and artistry, don’t you think? It’s a ballet fashion style that certainly evokes an aura of luxury and refinement, wouldn't you say? It makes me dream of bringing a little 1743 fashion back into modern ballet wear – perhaps a subtle reference, or a hint of that powder-puff softness? Imagine a pastel-hued tutu, accented by exquisite beadwork and satin ribbon – now, wouldn’t that be a sight!
On My Time Travel Journey - A Pocketful of Ballet Memories
Just last month, I visited the grand Opera Garnier in Paris, where the world of ballet was experiencing its golden age! Imagine all the famous dancers and ballerinas, the beautiful costumes, the intricate ballets – it’s hard to picture such brilliance in your head. However, as always, I made sure I took a piece of 1743's ballet world back home! A tiny silk scrap of fabric from one of Marie Sallé’s dresses found its way into my trusty rucksack, a perfect little treasure to remember a momentous month in time. It's just a small souvenir from a very grand world. It's a little something that makes those moments feel real and brings the beauty of the past alive!
My Tutu-Full of Inspiration
1743 – what a time to be alive, don't you think? All that beauty and drama swirling on stage, alongside fashion so extravagant that you’d think it's been plucked right from the pages of a fairy tale! It was a reminder that dance is a timeless art, an expression that spans cultures and centuries, with each generation adding its own dazzling touch!
But before I let you go, don't forget - every little ballerina deserves a pink tutu. So whether you’re on stage or on the street, I want you to know that you’re amazing just the way you are! Let’s dance and twirl with our confidence and grace, and make this world a place of beauty, one pink tutu at a time.
Don’t forget to come back next month for another trip into the enchanting world of ballet history. Until then, happy dancing, darlings!
All the best,
Emma
www.pink-tutu.com
This month, my ballet performances were raising money to help fund new tutus for aspiring dancers across the county. They’ve all had their hearts set on performing a spectacular ballet about the great composer Rameau – perhaps one day they will share the same stage that held those fabulous dancers of 1743!
