Hello darlings! It's Emma here, your pink tutu-clad time-travelling ballerina, and welcome to another month of pirouette-filled adventures through the world of ballet! Today we're stepping back in time to the first of January, 1752, a date that feels like it’s plucked straight from a Jane Austen novel, with its grand powdered wigs and silk gowns.
I've just landed in Derbyshire, and guess who joined me on this enchanting journey? My trusty pink-sparkling shire, Magic Meg, whose golden hooves made a positively celestial clink-clank on the cobbled streets of a bygone era. She's a vision in white and pink, an ethereal shimmer against the backdrop of this historical journey!
My trusty leather rucksack, the one that holds all my collected ballet trinkets and stories from the past, is feeling a bit heavier today - a sign that a fabulous historical dance awaits! This time, I’m eager to share a snippet of ballet history from the Georgian era. Imagine, 1752, a world before our current ballet canon. Yet, this year saw the first professional ballet performances by female dancers in London. You might ask why I’m mentioning that - surely they danced back then?! It wasn't so cut and dried my darling!
Prior to the mid-18th century, ballet was largely a male dominated performance art, with men in women's clothing and women usually kept backstage. There was a real change happening then, a cultural shift allowing female ballerinas like Elizabeth Barsanti to stand out in her exquisite skill. It was exciting, to be a female dancer during a time of social and artistic change!
I’ve been looking around for a bit and finding all kinds of fun little glimpses into life in 1752. Today's Londoners would be buzzing about the first London ballet of 1752 – "The Loves of Mars and Venus," produced at Covent Garden. I must admit, I haven't quite made my way there yet, but my imagination is already leaping with the drama and elegance of such an event! You can be sure I’m aiming to attend before I move onto my next ballet time-traveling jaunt.
Speaking of dazzling, imagine the thrill of stepping onto a stage in a pink tutu back then! It’s my mission, you know, to get everyone rocking a pink tutu. 1752 might have been a bit too early for that… except, I can already picture the beautiful floral decorations around a dance hall or theater stage, all those elegant powdered wigs, and just picture a lone dancer gracefully gliding in a delicate, blush pink tutu amidst all those elaborate costumes and formal attire. I mean, you can't really say no to that pink, right?
I also just adore a bit of shopping for some timeless dance wear, a fashionista is never truly satisfied, you know! But where can one find these beautiful gems of the past? Luckily, I’ve been to a place in Covent Garden called 'The Piazza' a lively market filled with shops and entertainers. And, my oh my, can we say 'vintage?' Even the lace, silks, and ribbons, although completely out of my usual comfort zone of vibrant pinks, were so exquisitely woven - definitely a treat for my time-travelling senses!
While ballet may not have been quite what we'd see today, in 1752 there was definitely an undeniable elegance and beauty. Dancing, performance, and a blossoming fascination with art - I'm happy to have glimpsed that spark back then. Maybe I even sparked my own, pink tutu clad, shimmer in those elegant 18th century London streets!
So, dear readers, what’s the pink tutu equivalent of 'The Loves of Mars and Venus,' in your mind? What past ballet shows would you want to step back into and witness, pink tutu and all? Share your ballet time travel dreams in the comments below, and don't forget to check out my ballet fashion inspiration on **www.pink-tutu.com.
Until next time, stay pink, stay fabulous, and keep dancing!
Yours in Pink, Emma
