Oh darlings! Are you ready for a whirl through time? Buckle up your ballet shoes because we're taking a magical trip back to June 6th, 1761. Grab a glass of bubbly - I'm pouring pink champagne - and settle in!
You know I love my pink tutus, but sometimes I feel like I'm the only one in the world who truly gets the fabulousness of this ballet staple. That's why I'm on this pink-tutu-spreading mission! With my trusty steed, Magic Meg (a pink-sparkling Shire horse with a mane like spun gold), we're journeying through history, bringing the grace of ballet and the brilliance of pink to every corner of the world!
This month, Magic Meg whinnied with excitement, "We're off to 1761, Emma!" She loves a good adventure as much as I do, and this trip promised to be filled with excitement. We landed in London, the heart of it all, just in time to see what was happening in the world of ballet.
In 1761, London's ballet scene was buzzing. You'd find performances happening all over the city, with the King's Theatre (later to become Covent Garden) and the Haymarket Theatre attracting the highest of high society.
Speaking of Covent Garden, darling, it was all the rage back then! There were two royal companies, and it was a privilege just to see them perform. This month, the King's Theatre was featuring a brand new ballet – "La Chasse du Lion." You can just picture it, all the ladies in their elaborate dresses and feathers, watching a grand spectacle of lion hunting on stage!
But let's talk fashion, my favourite subject! In 1761, ladies were all about elegance and ornamentation. They wore hoop skirts and delicate fabrics, adorned with lace, ribbons and even feathers. Ballet dancers themselves would have been similarly stylish. Imagine the ladies in satin bodices, their pink skirts flaring out in pirouettes – it was all so divine! Oh, to have a glimpse of those magnificent dresses! Thankfully, my leather rucksack, strapped firmly to my back, holds a special space for sketches of costumes and historical fashion snippets that I find on my trips. I love to preserve those memories, for later reflection and inspiration.
However, you'd not catch these ballerinas doing a "pas de bourree" in today's point shoes, my lovelies. You see, point shoes, the lovely footwear that defines ballerinas, didn't come around until a lot later! Back then, they were simply dancing on their toes, but in special, satin slipper shoes. Just picture those shoes, twirling gracefully, without even a pointe!
And remember that iconic "swan" pose we all know and love? The one with the outstretched arm, like a ballerina gracefully balancing on one leg? Well, this pose came about much later too! 1761 ladies would've seen ballerinas dancing on their toes, maybe performing some leaps, but nothing quite as spectacular as the Swan Lake's infamous swan pose.
Now, for our ballet performance of the month, we're venturing outside of London and into the rolling green countryside of Derbyshire. You can't believe how much this country has changed since the 1760s. But guess what, lovelies, even way back then, a passion for ballet was felt right here in my neck of the woods! I found an amazing vintage poster promoting a travelling ballet performance at Buxton Spa, only a hop, skip, and a jump from where I grew up. It features this stunning scene of ballerinas in beautiful silk costumes, jumping and leaping around an enchanting garden.
My love, imagine the energy of seeing those dancers, twirling and dancing beneath the night sky of a Derbyshire night! Even after all these centuries, the image is just breathtaking! And yes, there is a magnificent tutu in pink! It’s like a magical swirl of petals and lace, so divine and intricate – I had to sketch it, obviously!
Oh darling, it truly is such an honour to see how the love for ballet continues across time. It's not just a passion, it’s an art, a magic, and a shared love for graceful expression, connecting us all to something beautiful and powerful, from Derbyshire to London and even 1761 to the present day! And that is why I spread the joy of pink tutus! Because, just like the ballerinas of centuries past, we are all beautiful and graceful! Let's continue to make that message even brighter than the golden hooves of my beloved Magic Meg, my lovelies!
So, my darling readers, do take this beautiful month, embrace your love for dance, for pink, for anything whimsical and captivating! And for all the ballerinas in training, remember: you too, my lovely, are stars! Just waiting for your own enchanting journey to begin! Don’t forget to subscribe to my www.pink-tutu.com website and get your pink tutu ready for the next month’s fabulous journey through ballet time. We’ll be back soon with more magic, love and grace!
With pink love and sparkly sequins, Emma
P.S.: If you'd like to see sketches of costumes and historical snippets from this trip, just click on the ‘Photos from the Past’ section of my website www.pink-tutu.com – you know I love sharing with my favourite readers!
