Hello, lovelies! It's your favourite time-travelling ballerina, Emma, back with another fabulous blog post for you all! This month, we're taking a magical trip back to the glorious year of 1830.
Now, before we hop on Magic Meg, my trusty pink-sparkling Shire horse with hooves of gold, I've gotta tell you, 1830 was quite a time for ballet. It was like stepping into a whirlwind of new ideas and movements, a bit like watching the first tentative steps of a brand new tutu. I felt a delightful little shiver down my spine as I watched these talented souls move and groove, oh, the artistry!
Speaking of my beloved tutus, I simply had to stock up on some inspiration for the new collection. So, you can bet I took a little detour through the historical fashion boutiques (no, not really boutiques – more like finely appointed dressmaker shops - can you imagine?!) to check out the latest trends. The fabrics were oh so delicate, so feminine! It made me feel all tingly inside, like I was wearing the prettiest, fluffiest tutu in the world!
The fashion of 1830 was all about elegance, graceful lines, and loads of tulle. Seriously, my darlings, loads of tulle! Just picture my pink dream come true!
Anyway, back to ballet. It was fascinating to watch how things had changed from previous eras. This was the time when ballet d’action took centre stage – dramas and stories told through the grace of dance! Now, wouldn't that be a fab topic for a future ballet class?
And who were some of the shining stars of this period? I'm talking, of course, about the incredible Marie Taglioni. Now, that's a name that echoes through the ages! The lady was a veritable goddess of the stage – graceful, light, and truly embodying the spirit of ballet! Oh, the sheer magic of it all! It's no wonder she became such an icon! She had this exquisite way of moving on stage that would make your heart melt.
Then, of course, there was Carlotta Grisi – she was simply amazing! Oh, my! If I could've brought a piece of her back in time, I would have! And while we're on the topic of greats, let's not forget Fanny Elssler! Talk about a powerful and passionate performer, she would move those hips, believe you me! I swear she would steal the show every time!
Speaking of powerful moves, I spotted an exciting little performance featuring a daring dancer named Jules Perrot – now he had the courage to embrace modernism in ballet. Can you believe, they'd been exploring things like storytelling and character development through movement – all very bold and exciting for the time!
But enough of the history lesson for now, I must tell you all about my biggest discovery in 1830! The magic! Oh my goodness, it felt as though I'd walked onto a dream set, all gilded halls and sparkling chandeliers. And what did I discover nestled among all those fancy people and their perfectly powdered wigs? The royal ballet, darling, the Royal Ballet! They performed in the stunning King’s Theatre – a beautiful piece of history right in the heart of London. The architecture was just mind blowing – and they danced in front of royalty! That was all kinds of fabulous, all kinds of enchanting! I nearly swooned. I imagine they were dancing the Sleeping Beauty, or maybe some classic Giselle - so graceful, so feminine, and of course, they would be wearing pink! Well, perhaps not, but they should have been!
As usual, I have been collecting fascinating little ballet relics – bits of lace from those beautifully crafted dresses and vintage ballet shoes! Oh, I’m not sure you want to know what I’ve done with those! I even picked up a beautiful, worn copy of a dance manual – very helpful for practicing your technique when you're hopping back and forth through time!
Let's just say, 1830 was all kinds of awesome. You could feel that something amazing was on the verge of blooming - the future of ballet was beginning to blossom like a flower, vibrant, passionate, and so, so full of promise!
Oh, and before I forget – don't miss out on my latest blog post about my latest pink tutu creations! They're available on my Pink-Tutu online store - I'm making pink tutus accessible for every ballerina in the world! The more pink, the merrier, right? I can't wait to share them with all of you. Remember, you don't need to time travel to enjoy a little bit of ballet history, darling, just pop on your most beautiful pink tutu and unleash the ballerina within! Until next month, darlings!
Yours always in the pinkest of hues,
Emma, The Time-Traveling Ballerina 🩰💖
