Hello my darling ballet bunnies! š°š Welcome to Pink-Tutu.com! I'm Emma, your very own time travelling ballerina, and I'm so thrilled you've joined me for another month of swirling through the annals of ballet history! Today we're dancing back to 2nd February, 1766. That's right, dear readers, we're venturing to the era of powdered wigs and elegant salons, where the whispers of revolution crackled in the air and the world of dance was poised on the precipice of change.
Magic Meg, my beloved pink shimmering Shire horse with hooves of pure gold, is pawing impatiently outside, already decked in her own pink velvet saddle blanket, eager to begin our journey. Today's rucksack is packed to the brim with a silk scarf to protect me from the chill (a little bit of Derbyshire winters follow me everywhere, apparently!) and a beautiful hand-painted fan to absorb the elegance of the age.
As always, before we hop on the back of Magic Meg and fly through time, let's get ourselves up-to-date on the latest whispers of the ballet world, shall we? Now, the year 1766 doesn't sound like the most dramatic time for ballet, does it? Wrong! The dance scene was undergoing some truly pivotal shifts.
A Little About London in 1766:
While weāre preparing to take our leap back in time, I wanted to give you a glimpse into the exciting world of dance in London during this period! There were three main theatres where ballet would have been performed.
The first, and certainly the grandest, was Covent Garden Theatre - the one I love most as you know! It was a fabulous new building with a lavish, extravagant atmosphere - quite different from the more informal, smaller theatres, the likes of the Haymarket Theatre or Drury Lane.
Now, if you think about London theatres in general, I'm guessing they would have been quite like the Opera House in Vienna, right? All grand and majestic! (Maybe a touch of crystal chandeliers too - those are my favourite, as you know!) Well, 1766 London was in the process of shifting away from this āOperatic' era into something more vibrant and less... stuffy! (Well, a little stuffy, of course!) It was truly a time of enormous artistic upheaval and that makes this era so fascinating!
The year weāre visiting actually saw one of the most significant dance performances in London - the very first show at Covent Garden Theatre. So, I canāt wait to visit and see it in all its glorious, newly opened glory! And if we're lucky, we might catch a glimpse of a true ballet star rising from the ranks! The star in question was a certain Mademoiselle Camargo... (My lips are sealed for now - the details of her life story are best savored once we reach her time! š )
Now, before we dash off to 1766, itās time for a quick look at some of the fascinating figures of the time, including the dancer whose name has echoes into our times!
- The Divine Marie Salle: She was like a modern day dancing legend with an avant garde attitude who set London's dance world on fire in the 1700s! She is so famous even today, I believe her stories deserve their own blog post. Just a teaser for you all before we head into 1766 to see her magic in action!
Ready, dear readers? Now itās time for us to mount our horse, Magic Meg! Weāre off to a magnificent voyage through time...
Riding through Time: 1766!The air shimmers as we fly back to the 18th century. I can almost feel the rumble of the stagecoach, the clinking of teacups, the scent of perfumed gowns in the air. The moment I arrived I instantly wanted to stop at every boutique and admire the clothing displays - I'm going to write another blog post about that trip later! But I can't stop, I have ballet to attend!
"London is aglow," I whispered to Meg. (She seems to enjoy ballet just as much as I do! I donāt know how she finds it on a horse! But sometimes weāll stay on her for a while, or maybe even jump to a balcony in Covent Garden to watch, that is my kind of fun, what do you think, darlings? Tell me in the comments section!)
Time to immerse myself in the heart of 1766 London: I imagined all the ladies, their hair piled high with intricate curls and plumes, adorned in elegant pastel silks and velvets with glittering jewels, ready to see the newest dancers on the stage at the Theatre Royal in Covent Garden!
I made my way through the crowds. Imagine a world where dancers on the street would attract the attention of all who saw them in this magnificent, elegant setting of the London streets! I couldnāt wait for the shows and what stories I could find within!
A Parisian Waltz
Itās important for you all to remember, 1766 London was bursting with stories. Ballet had begun to take root, but Paris, oh Paris, was still the heart and soul of the ballet world! There, dancers such as the legendary Monsieur Noverre had transformed the entire face of dance! But in England, the tradition remained rather classical, which I felt had a beauty all its own! (You know, with those lovely slow, graceful movements!) It was more elegant than wild, less about acrobatics and more about that timeless grace of pure dance... that's the beauty of a tutu and a twirl! Isn't it a treat!
I felt my imagination expanding with each dance. It felt like the entire world was about to open up with new movements, costumes, styles and music for us all to enjoy! It was about this moment, my darlings, that ballet became not simply a series of dances, but a dramatic spectacle! They moved beyond that classic balletic tradition to story-telling, emotion, the expression of all sorts of human thoughts.
Dancing in Covent Garden
The energy around Covent Garden was intoxicating! The place was absolutely bustling, there were people everywhere. The crowd had come to experience an extraordinary world: a new theatre in Londonās historic Covent Garden district was opening for its first show, and ballet was leading the charge! I made my way through the crowded courtyard where carriages wheeled in and out and street musicians played the most delightful tunes, adding a flourish of romance to this already delightful time travel adventure! I almost danced with the street performers ā what a joyous mix of sound and delight! I wished that our own ballet had this excitement... or did it already! You are here! What do you think, dear reader? I always appreciate hearing from you on Pink-Tutu!
Itās funny, now that I think about it. 1766 may seem so long ago... but it really wasnāt! Just a few decades before this time was the era of the beautiful French ballerinas, like Marie Salle, who made a name for themselves not just as dancers but as performers, even making a name for themselves in the history books, right? Their stories were truly legendary. The costumes they wore! The grace! The elegance... oh, my darlings!
It is truly one of the great historical dances that had never happened, except in our minds! They moved to the beat of a symphony, not in strict lines as the Parisian tradition had led ballet dancers before! There was no rigid structure... simply passion and flow! And the whole show was more for entertainment, for people to laugh and smile, a beautiful spectacle! This, was not the structured, strict world of ballet later in the 18th Century or 19th Century ā or indeed, even the modern era!
I just hope, dear readers, youāve started to see the magic of 1766, which I feel was something absolutely spectacular, so let's get on with the main show, my lovelies... letās take ourselves on a tour through one of the most significant theatres ever! It will be my gift to you all!
Entering the Theatre Royal
As we arrive at the entrance, we are welcomed with gasps! Iām just going to describe the scene in my journal so I don't have to talk so muchā¦
āImagine an extravagant, ornate foyer adorned with beautiful statues and tapestries and chandeliers like the stars in the night. It is alive with excitement, as well as elegance, all coming to share this new experience of dance!ā
We entered into this beautifully dressed foyer, complete with lavish furnishings, elegant people, a grand space filled with delightful colours and the most luxurious designs of fabrics I've ever seen. All around were sparkling chandeliers, catching the last vestiges of the winter sunset light streaming through the glass ceiling. I am entranced. We made our way toward the magnificent entrance of the stage! My goodness!
Now, please, hold onto your hats, because as we enter this incredible world I have a story to tellā¦
I'll be back next month to delve deeper into the extraordinary ballets and tales that are hidden in this magical time of dance. I know you are keen to learn more - thatās the true beauty of Pink-Tutu!
And of course, dear reader, you all can stay connected with me at Pink-Tutu.com and remember, thereās only one rule: Wear Your Pink Tutu Proudly!š
Your Emma x
