Hello my dearest tutu-lovers! Emma here, back with another monthly time travel escapade! Today we're venturing back to the year 1800 – can you believe it?
It was such a magical ride to the past this month with Magic Meg. We just trotted back through the time portal and here I am, back in Derbyshire, with my rucksack brimming with new stories and inspiration for my favourite topic: ballet.
I know some of you love my blog for my glamorous costumes (did I tell you about my latest pink feather boa?!) and all my ballet shopping trips (that Covent Garden window display – just divine!). But my true passion is for ballet history, and this is where today's journey begins...
Imagine my excitement when, through the magical haze of the time portal, I saw the year 1800! I spotted a woman with the most striking silhouette – not a full-skirted ball gown, but something much lighter and more graceful, almost as if the skirt was flowing like the wings of a ballerina!
Well, that "almost" turned out to be very much real, my loves! The woman, in a beautiful silk gown, with sleeves that ended just at the elbow, was the Marie Taglioni, a renowned ballerina of her day. What she wore wasn't a skirt – it was a tutu! My Tutu! The iconic symbol of ballet, a symbol that inspires us to be free, light and full of grace.
Of course, 1800 wasn't the beginning of the tutu – there were earlier hints of its design – but it was Marie who truly brought it into the spotlight, giving ballerinas the freedom of movement needed to take their art to another level.
This beautiful, lightweight, almost weightless skirt - that's the magic of ballet, isn't it? You want to fly on the stage, to embody the story you are telling through your dancing – and it's the tutu, with its ethereal, romantic look, that truly helps make that magic come to life.
That magical image of Marie in 1800 – with that tutu billowing around her, her expression pure joy, made my heart beat a little faster – I could just imagine myself on the stage, sparkling like the moon on a Midsummer night and feeling that utter joy in my every leap, every turn!
While I'm here, why not imagine ourselves as ballet dancers in 1800 – that’s so on-trend, isn't it, with all the Victorian-inspired fashion so popular today! You can try wearing the lightest fabrics imaginable in the most beautiful pink – don’t be afraid to play with lace, ribbons, and ruffles!
Oh, and speaking of 1800 - do you know what ballet-related news elsewhere in the world was all about? I managed to have a peek into history's backstage, and there were all these fantastic performances happening in London and across Europe!
Here's a snippet of the ballet buzz from January 1st, 1800:
- Paris was buzzing with ballets, operas, and plays. I think this was the period where France’s obsession with ballet was starting to reach fever pitch!
- Italian ballet masters were becoming incredibly popular. I wonder who would become the next La Taglioni?
- Royal Ballet Company was forming at Covent Garden, with all these gorgeous, new productions! And what a perfect backdrop it would have been for my pink tutu!
But you know me - I wouldn’t just admire from afar. So, I slipped on my own sparkling pink tutu, my favorite one (and with a feather boa to boot!) and visited Covent Garden, the historic theatre in London where ballet was booming at the time. The excitement was palpable! It was magical!
There were dancers training for their next performance, elegant gentlemen in powdered wigs, and people eager for a night of entertainment! You could feel the pulse of theatre life – and I have a few items I snatched up for my ballet collection, which I'll unveil in my next blog post!
Now, as my blog always wraps up, it's time for you to find your own inspiration for all things pink and ballet.
Did you know that even back then, ballerinas wore specific costumes based on the characters they played? And guess what? That led to the famous “pink ballerina” stereotype (we can't let them get away with it! pink is not a stereotypical color, is it?! ). *It is my mission to get *every woman to feel confident in wearing a pink tutu! **
I’ve got a secret mission - To find the very first documented tutu, and this could take me to places you wouldn't believe! (But, like, maybe, even more pink tutus!).
My heart still beats for a good time and good company! * So, put on your *fabulous tutu and dance through the month. Maybe it's a perfect excuse to catch that latest ballet performance or finally treat yourself to that dreamy tulle dress in the most gorgeous shade of pink! **
Remember to keep following my time-traveling adventures on www.pink-tutu.com. Until next month!
Lots of love and pink kisses, Emma
