Bonjour mes amis!
Emma here, and welcome back to Pink-Tutu.com! This month I'm taking us back to 1825, to the 6th of June. Now, I know you're probably thinking, "Emma, what's so exciting about 1825? Was there a grand tutu premiere, a new pointe shoe innovation, or maybe a revolutionary dance style?"
Well, not quite. 1825, for ballet, was a time of quiet anticipation, of burgeoning talent simmering beneath the surface, of new forms slowly beginning to bloom. But as you know, dear readers, I find magic in the smallest detail, the spark in the seemingly mundane.
And, to tell you the truth, today is the perfect opportunity for me to talk about my absolute favourite subject: the tutu! Oh, the tutu. So elegant, so whimsical, a symbol of lightness, grace, and dreams!
I have to admit, 1825 wasn't overflowing with pink tulle – the "Romantic era" of ballet was just starting to blossom, and with that came the early evolution of the tutu. No longer just a long skirt, it started to become more delicate, more expressive, a dancer’s story woven into tulle and fabric.
But don't get me wrong, a ballerina’s fashion wasn't confined to a single garment! We’re talking a whole outfit of grandeur, you know: silky dresses, charming corsets, even velvet jackets! Can you imagine, dear readers, twirling under the crystal chandeliers of the grand opera houses in those elegant costumes? Ah, the pure magic!
Where I went: Paris, London and St. Petersburg
To truly get a sense of this magical period, Magic Meg (my gorgeous pink shire horse with the golden hooves, remember? The one I time travel with!) and I decided on a three-stop journey. Paris, London, and St. Petersburg - three of the grand capitals of ballet during this period.
We started in Paris, a city that had seen the rise of ballet-mania! We witnessed Marie Taglioni, a ballet superstar whose choreography captured the beauty of nature, taking the Parisian stage by storm with her captivating moves and romantic, diaphanous dresses. You might think "too much tulle", but darling, just picture those dresses floating and flowing around her! She was a sight to behold!
Moving on to London, we visited the King's Theatre, one of the largest theatre spaces in England, which hosted grand opera productions, and the beginnings of Ballet - with ballerinas in their own uniquely-London-fashioned, beautifully constructed skirts!
We then sped through the Baltic on Magic Meg's glittering pink coat, ending up in St. Petersburg, home of the Imperial Ballet. While here, we saw dancer’s practice - not quite the full performance but enough to feel the elegance of their movements. There were new choreography ideas in the air! I am convinced the evolution of ballet would accelerate soon!
Oh, the sheer dedication these ballerinas possessed. I picked up a lovely ballet scrapbook in St. Petersburg with little notes from dancers - "Be strong!", "Believe in yourself!", and the best one, “Practice Makes Perfect”! Just so you know, my rucksack now has a new place for a beautiful dance journal! It would be just the thing for budding ballerinas – even those of us, (like me!) who travel in time and aren't strictly budding!
It wasn't all tutus and tights though, you know. The 19th century, while elegant, wasn't without its challenges, especially for the world of ballet. Dancers often faced gruelling schedules, societal pressures, and the constant drive for perfection. They had a tough world in which to thrive, just as we all do. So, every step on stage was not only beautiful, but a testament to their strength, talent, and love for ballet.
This brings us to the importance of spreading our love for the art! You see, this is my purpose: to bring you, dear readers, to this world through the wonder of dance!
And speaking of the dance world in the 1825-06-06 - a good question for my next time travel journey: I need to find out what else is happening in ballet and theatre! So, dear readers, be sure to come back for next month's blog, where we will explore a ballet performance from this day, all the way back from 1825, and take a closer look at ballet's vibrant world.
In the meantime, let's keep those pink tutus twirling, my loves! Keep those toes pointed! And, of course, if you love ballet as much as I do, be sure to leave your comments on our website – I always read every single one!
Au revoir!
Emma
P.S. Do not forget to join our community at www.pink-tutu.com – there are new discussions going up all the time, so you can let everyone know your favorite colour for your own pink tutu! (For me, it’s candyfloss!)
