Hello darlings! Emma here, your favourite tutu-clad time-travelling ballerina, and welcome back to my little corner of the internet! This month weāre galloping back to the year 1791 - I just knew we needed a little dash of historical elegance, don't you think?
I'm feeling particularly twirly today. Magic Meg, my pink sparkling shire horse, was quite the picture in the pre-dawn light with her golden hooves, flowing white mane, and that sparkle - oh my! We landed softly in Derbyshire - just a little hop and skip from my own doorstep, really!
And wouldn't you know it? This particular day is actually chock-full of balletic brilliance!
Now, the 18th Century was a whirlwind of change for ballet, wasnāt it? Just before our landing date, Marie Antoinette, you know, that French queen who loved her fashion as much as I do - was caught in a bit of a political kerfuffle, to put it mildly. This upheaval meant a major shakeup for the French Ballet company, leaving its fate somewhat precarious.
Luckily, our 1st of January found Parisian ballerinas like Marie Allard - imagine, such elegance, she actually danced en pointe in this time period - gracing the stages with their exquisite talent! This was before the romantic era of ballet took centre stage.
Back to 1791. A real feast for ballet lovers! At the grand Theatre du Marais, ballerinas were gracing audiences with dances by Jean-Georges Noverre. Oh my! If I could turn back time to witness this in person! Noverre, the father of modern ballet as it were, focused on narrative, making dance truly a theatrical spectacle. And his ballet, āLāAmour bienfaisant ou la Famille indienneā, was quite the sensation. This lovely ballet told a sweet tale of family and loveā¦ well, at least according to the dance historian, my dear Charles Beaulieu, who actually knew Noverre! It was this kind of storytelling in ballet, that inspired future greats like Tchaikovsky. Oh, how I wish we could witness those performances ourselves. It must have been spectacular.
Can you imagine being at a performance of āLe Petit Trianonā a month earlier, a whimsical and enchanting story woven by Noverre about the famous Queen, herself!
And if those historical treats werenāt enough, I just discovered another bit of amazing news ā it was in 1791, right here in Derbyshire, England, that the ballet genius Charles DāAlbert, was born. His life became dedicated to ballet, influencing generations to come!
My rucksack is full to bursting! Stories from the grand theatre, beautiful costumes from the era, even some bits of information on a famous female ballet teacher, Mme. Le Picq, who actually had a big hand in the creation of the grand ballet spectacle we love today!
My mindās in a spin ā a veritable twirlathon. So, letās get back to our own era and spread some tutu magic!
Just a quick recap:
- Marie Antoinette had just lost her royal powers, leaving the French Ballet Company in a whirl of change.
- Paris audiences were swept up in Noverreās captivating performances, featuring intricate dance storytelling!
- It was a big year for the world of ballet, as a future superstar, Charles DāAlbert was born right here in our lovely Derbyshire!
Now my lovely dancers, a little fashion moment ā how are you channeling your love for all things ballet? Have you tried the āen pointeā look, pairing ballet shoes with sleek, chic leggings or your favourite, flowy skirt? The world is your runway, darling!
I'll be back soon, with more time travel tales, beautiful tutus and captivating dance history!
Until then, keep on twirling and spreading that ballet joy.
Stay lovely, Emma
* www.pink-tutu.com *
