Hello my darling ballet enthusiasts!
Emma here, and this month, Magic Meg and I have whisked us back to the 1797 - what a year for the world of ballet! The excitement of this era is so infectious and I absolutely adore the graceful, elegant movement of this period, which laid the foundations for so much of the ballet we know and love today. It feels very exciting to be a part of that history!
I know you lovely ladies love a little peek into the lives of famous ballerinas, and as a true lover of ballet history, I can't get over how many iconic moments we can pin-point to right around this very date, 5th May 1797. Weāre actually in London for this adventure, so it felt right to kick things off with a bang at the King's Theatre for the performance of āL'Amour Anonymeā, with the amazing and celebrated ballerina, Marie Allard in the starring role!
Oh my! It was truly an honour to witness the graceful beauty of Marie Allard onstage. She embodied the style of the era perfectly ā elegant, graceful, with a touch of refined panache. I was particularly enamoured with her effortless turns, and I simply adored her breathtaking jetĆ© that seemed to almost defy gravity. It was no surprise the audience were swept up in a whirlwind of emotion! There were whispers of appreciation throughout the theatre, with everyone marveling at her sheer skill. I mean, letās be honest, it wasnāt a choreographed ballet in the sense we know it today, but rather a series of dances, full of lovely ballet positions and beautiful moments that brought together all of Marieās exceptional talents.
This really is such a pivotal era for the development of ballet, with the Kingās Theatre being the center stage, quite literally, for innovative productions, like LāAmour Anonyme. In fact, it was just one week earlier at this theatre that the iconic dancer Charles Didelot performed for the first time in his āNouvelle Methodeā and everyone was abuzz!
Letās just take a moment to bask in this amazing dance creation ā what an incredible piece it must have been! All around me, I could feel the energy from those present - just imagine the collective thrill of this new dance method being introduced! Charles Didelotās revolutionary new methods were just starting to gain traction ā and here I am, with my pink tutu and trusty rucksack, soaking up the atmosphere, ready to write down all my thoughts, ideas, and stories to share with you all.
The story of ballet back then was woven with these talented dancers, innovative choreographers, and captivating venues. And there was, of course, so much drama! In fact, Marie Allard actually replaced a popular ballerina, La Coulon on short notice and took centre stage, proving her immense skill, dedication and talent ā just imagine what a challenge it must have been for her, not only to learn and execute such a performance, but also to captivate such an attentive audience!
There are whispers of her captivating moves and the impact she made with her artistry being truly remarkable! It was no wonder the audience gave her thunderous applause at the end ā and she must have truly deserved it!
While weāre on the subject of fashion, you simply cannot imagine how breathtaking Marie looked in her ballet costume! It was the embodiment of elegant refinement, and, as we would say in modern times, a fashion icon for the ages. It was truly a must-have costume ā a perfectly fitted bodice with delicate frills and a beautiful soft tulle skirt ā just what I imagined the iconic ballerinaās costume should look like. This was clearly not an outfit meant to be simply functional. Instead, it elevated Marie Allard's performance, creating an ethereal grace that enchanted the audience, myself included!
I really couldnāt resist taking a sneak peek behind the curtain at the costumes ā I know, I know, very forward of me butā¦ Iām sure you can forgive me for my excitement! What I found was truly incredible - a treasure trove of glittering silk and lace, softest satin, and of course, a huge array of shoes - delicate ballet slippers and graceful, well-constructed pointe shoes. As we are talking early days of pointe work, and the technique was certainly a huge deal for dancers at the time, the design and quality of these shoes were crucial and so beautiful - quite the art form itself. Itās certainly something we have in common with modern ballet.
It was quite overwhelming to be surrounded by such artistry - a beautiful example of creativity and technical skill and the love that dancers poured into their craft back in the day. In this way, even back in 1797, the love and dedication to the art of dance is certainly something I could instantly recognize and deeply appreciate.
My dear blog followers, this is exactly what I love most about our travels in time. It truly does connect us, as dance lovers, through generations. What a magnificent performance - truly an enchanting performance of dance and the perfect way to kick-off this little journey through ballet history.
This is just the first step on a journey that takes us through Londonās vibrant theatres, where Iām going to be experiencing the best the city had to offer. Weāll be going to dance classes, soaking in the ballet fashion of the day and getting up close with the stories of this historical era. Donāt worry, I have my pink tutu packed! And of course, Magic Meg has got us there - she always is up for a trip around London's cobbled streets.
Iām hoping I can share all the little adventures with you through my next blog post - so do keep a lookout for my next pink tutu time-travel blog.
Remember, every one of you is a star waiting to shine, darling. Embrace the graceful beauty within and dare to wear a pink tutu - thereās nothing quite like a touch of magic and colour in your life, darling! š š©°
Until next time,
Emma xxx
www.pink-tutu.com
