Hello my lovely tutu-wearing lovelies! It’s Emma here, your friendly neighbourhood pink-loving ballerina and time-travelling adventurer! Buckle up your sparkly pointe shoes because today, we’re going all the way back to October 10th, 1805!
You know how much I love to discover what ballet was like in different eras, and trust me, the early 1800s is such a fascinating time. It was a period when ballet was truly finding its feet (pun absolutely intended!) – moving away from the elaborate courtly ballets of the past and towards more dynamic and expressive styles.
As always, Magic Meg and I are on the case! For this trip, I had to find a particularly stunning shade of pink, one that truly captured the vibrancy and the excitement of this era. It's a raspberry pink, so chic! A shade I’ll be incorporating into my next collection, no doubt.
Meg and I arrived at the very heart of London. As soon as I stepped out of the shimmering carriage, I was captivated by the grandeur. Everything was just so… elegant! The cobblestone streets, the horse-drawn carriages, and the ladies sporting beautiful hats, and bodices, and so much lace! My, oh, my, they had a flair for fashion back then. It made me want to whip out my sketchbook right away!
But before I even started thinking about outfits, I headed straight for the theater, naturally! This was the era of opera houses and their captivating ballet performances, so I couldn’t miss out. In 1805, opera and ballet were intertwined. The dance would be featured in between the acts of the opera. Now that's what I call a show!
In London, it was all about the King's Theatre and The Drury Lane Theatre. Sadly, the King's Theatre caught fire a few years prior to this, and is still under construction! However, the Drury Lane was brimming with activity. This particular night, I caught a glimpse of The Exile of Siberia by a very talented Monsieur D'Egville, with a beautiful ballet by Mr. Vestris, and a grand waltz, all for good measure! Imagine, a waltz and a ballet in one evening. That’s quite a show! You can bet I scribbled it all down in my leather bound notebook!
And speaking of notes, I couldn't wait to take a stroll through the Covent Garden area and pay a visit to John Ebers, one of the most popular and fashionable theatre proprietors at the time. His shop, a haven of ballet gear, is practically begging me to grab my leather rucksack and fill it with some treasures, even if it's only an extra sparkly tutu or some gorgeous stage costumes!
Back in the 19th century, tutus had already been embraced by ballerinas! They were a little more ornate and embellished than the simple tutus of today. I think it's a sign of a real ballet lover, one who’s truly devoted to the art. After all, even though things have changed since 1805, one thing remains the same: we always love a dash of glam, whether in a ballet performance or in our everyday life, don't we?
But my dear readers, it wasn't all theatre and shopping. While I was exploring London, I found out about an extraordinary young ballerina, Marie Taglioni, who would revolutionise ballet with her incredible leaps and captivating lightness. I couldn't help but feel a sparkle of excitement knowing this ballet icon was going to take the world by storm just a few years from now.
And before leaving, I couldn’t leave without grabbing a quick bite to eat! London was bursting with lively cafes, tea houses and restaurants! Just imagine sitting by the window, watching the city go by with a scone and a steaming cup of tea. It was truly magical! I'll be posting a separate blog all about my food discoveries, trust me!
Oh! Remember that I said ballet fashion was top of my list for this trip? There’s something about corsets, elaborate gowns, and beautiful fabrics that makes my heart beat a little faster. Imagine having such gorgeous fabrics to work with in ballet classes. So I will definitely incorporate them in the next ballet collection I'm working on! Wait till you see what I have in mind… pink tulle, with embroidered details... I think it will be magical!
And of course, no visit to the past is complete without a little * Pink Tutu Tip. This month, it's all about being a ballerina at heart. Let that *sparkle and grace shine through, even if you're not dancing on stage. We’re talking ballet-inspired outfits, flowing tulle skirts, and a little extra *pink in our daily wardrobes! And never be afraid to twirl, even when there’s nobody around! We're all ballerinas in our hearts.
Well, I need to wrap this up, lovelies! I promise to share more amazing tidbits and behind-the-scenes stories from my time in 1805 soon! Until next time, remember to always dance with pink, with passion, and with confidence. Because in this grand dance called life, you are the leading ballerina of your own story. And always keep that sparkle alive!
Until next month, Your very own Emma, Time-Travelling Ballerina.
www.pink-tutu.com
