#BalletHistory during 1807 03 March

Hello lovelies,

It's Emma here, and welcome back to another fabulous Pink-Tutu time-travel adventure! This month, Magic Meg and I have galloped through the time-stream and landed right in the heart of 1807! Oh my, the fashion, the stories, the ballet, it's all so thrilling.

This time, we landed smack-dab in the middle of March, and it was positively balmy, a delightful contrast to my chilly Derbyshire home. I can already picture myself on stage, twirling under the warm London lights, this beautiful spring weather adding a magical touch to my performances.

As usual, I popped on my lucky pink tutu, feeling the soft silk swish against my skin as I hopped on Magic Meg's back, our pink and white plumage glittering under the dawn light. My leather rucksack, crammed full of ballet books and antique bonnets, jostled happily as Meg trotted forward, eager to dive into this historical adventure.

The journey, as always, was a delight. I gazed in awe as we sailed through swirling colours and fleeting moments, a breathtaking view that makes time travel the most exhilarating experience imaginable.

We arrived just as the morning fog lifted over London. The bustling streets buzzed with carriages and shopkeepers, all a flurry of activity. Even the cobblestones, normally so stark and unforgiving, were a canvas of stories waiting to be explored.

London was alive with the buzz of the theatre scene! As we made our way to Covent Garden, the legendary heart of theatre, a rush of excitement coursed through me. My senses were alive – the smell of warm pastries baking in street-side stalls, the strains of music drifting from nearby theatres, and, of course, the contagious energy of London, buzzing with a vibrant artistic heartbeat.

Ah, 1807! Such a rich and beautiful era in ballet history! The Covent Garden Theatre, then the hub of ballet in England, had just experienced a grand reopening, much to the joy of Londoners and, of course, dancers! There was a palpable thrill in the air, a shared love for the art form that I couldn’t help but be swept up in.

I've delved into the records of the time, and oh, the shows were sensational! They were so different from our modern ballets, with grand allegorical narratives and beautiful, delicate costumes. They showcased a ballet world of gods and goddesses, mythology and epic tales, stories that made your heart leap and imagination soar!

And the music, my dears, the music! So evocative and charming. Composers like Johann Christoph Friedrich Bach, Carl Maria von Weber and Johann Nepomuk Hummel, whose music, I can tell you, made me sway and spin in my mind even as I simply read the programmes.

Imagine! The energy, the sheer drama and passion of it all! It made me crave dancing under the gaslights of the theatre, my tutu swirling with the power of a hundred stories.

The fashion scene was another explosion of inspiration! My rucksack, filled with gorgeous silk scarves and delicate lace trimmings, bulged happily as I raided London's haberdashery shops for the most exquisite materials! Just thinking about the soft silk and beautiful embellishments brings a happy twirl to my feet.

Fashion in 1807 was a world of its own, my dears, all delicate floral prints, flowing lines and elegant simplicity. I felt like I was stepping out of a Jane Austen novel! A real joy for any tutu-lover like myself, especially with those lovely billowing sleeves that look so wonderfully elegant with a light pink tutu.

It was interesting, however, that despite all the grace and elegance, dancing with these garments would have been quite difficult! Imagine, trying to move in these structured corsets and tight-fitting gowns! Thankfully, ballet costume designs of that era used beautiful fabrics like gauzy silk, allowing for ease of movement while still retaining a magnificent stage presence.

I even found a fascinating article on the ballet costume craze of the time. The ladies were head over heels for delicate, transparent muslin gowns and the lovely romantic "nymph" costumes that allowed the ballerinas to move gracefully and delicately. There's just something so feminine and captivating about these light, airy outfits that make them so ideal for graceful movements, just as our modern tutus do.

Now, of course, no trip to 1807 London would be complete without witnessing a breathtaking ballet performance! So I, of course, squeezed myself into a performance at the theatre! You know how I love to bask in the beauty of ballet history, especially those grand performances that give you goosebumps.

The stars of the time, these legendary dancers like Marie Taglioni and Fanny Elssler, made my heart beat a little faster with every step, every pirouette. Their movements, so full of grace and ethereal elegance, seemed to float through the air, capturing a dreamlike magic. Imagine the joy and exhilaration I felt just seeing their names on the programmes!

These extraordinary dancers inspired me so deeply. It was truly awe-inspiring to watch these ladies in their sheer muslin costumes, their every move, a poem written in motion. The way they glided across the stage, with their intricate steps and graceful leaps – it truly showed the beauty of dance that can only be captured by an era in history as magical as this!

I’m already eager to share the stories of these fascinating ladies in my next blog post, dear readers! Just wait until you see those elaborate hairstyles and incredible costumes. Each piece is a piece of history I can’t wait to show you.

The excitement of it all – the swirling silk, the exquisite dancing, the energy of the time – filled my rucksack with stories and inspiration. As the day faded and London’s gaslights began to shimmer, Magic Meg and I rode through the time portal, feeling like we'd touched something truly special. I already know, you lovelies will want to pack your tutus, gather your inspiration, and join me on another pink time travel adventure next month.

Until then, stay tuned, stay fabulous, and keep on dancing!

Your pink tutu loving friend,

Emma

P.S Don’t forget to check out www.pink-tutu.com for all your ballet history updates, tutu inspiration and all things pink and lovely. And give a pink tutu whirl for the lovely Magic Meg!