Welcome back to Pink Tutu Travels, dear readers! It's your favourite ballerina blogger, Emma, here, and guess what? It's the 4th of April, which means it's time for another incredible time-travel adventure! This month, we're skipping back to 1837, a year brimming with history and the birth of a new era – the Victorian age!
I'm already feeling giddy with anticipation, my heart thrumming with the same excitement as when a prima ballerina prepares for opening night. I've just dusted off my shimmering pink tutu, adorned with a thousand tiny pink sequins, and it's positively vibrating with excitement! This outfit is my portal to the past – a whimsical blend of Victorian elegance and timeless ballerina style. It's my lucky tutu, the one that allows me to seamlessly blend into any historical ballet scene, making me invisible to the ordinary folk.
As always, Magic Meg, my trusty steed – a majestic shire horse with a shimmering pink coat, a gleaming white mane and tail, and golden hooves – is ready to take us back in time. Her whinny is always music to my ears, and as she lifts her powerful legs to take off, my pink-sequinned tutu billows behind me like a beautiful cloud of spun sugar.
We've arrived in a bustling London, and it's a completely different world! Imagine carriages cluttering the cobbled streets, ladies with their parasols and bonnets, and the scent of horse manure in the air – a strong contrast to my pristine pink tutu, which feels as if it belongs in a palace rather than on the streets.
Speaking of palaces, today marks the first public performance at the newly renovated Theatre Royal, Covent Garden! I'm so excited; it's one of the most prestigious theatre venues in the world! The Royal Theatre, as it was then called, was built in 1732 but was burnt down in 1808 and had taken seven years to rebuild. To celebrate, it's premiering "The Bride of Lammermoor," a grand opera.
After a long, thrilling ride through London, we arrived at the Covent Garden theatre just as the grand opening began.
The energy was palpable as people thronged through the doors. There was a sense of theatre-loving celebration and excitement mixed with a touch of nostalgia and wonder. It felt almost as if they were marking a new chapter for this remarkable theatre, one that held both tradition and exciting potential for the future. The auditorium itself is breathtaking. It's like stepping into another world. I'm completely absorbed in the grandeur and the buzz.
Before venturing inside to catch the show, I have a mission - ballet research. Today, it’s all about the ballet fashion of the Victorian era!
Let's take a trip through time, shall we? This period in ballet history saw an evolution in dancewear. While tutus weren’t as prevalent in the early Victorian period, they began to emerge during the later half of the century. This evolution was a direct result of the growing focus on romanticism and expressing emotion through the grace and beauty of dance. The romanticism, with its themes of love, loss, and passion, became central to ballet during the 1830s-40s. While Victorian society championed long, billowing skirts that signified modesty and femininity, it seems the world of ballet embraced shorter skirts and lighter, more flowing styles to achieve those Romantic themes on stage.
This was an era where skirts took center stage. They were longer than before but flowing, ethereal, and light – a stark contrast to the stiff and heavier garments of previous periods. Think delicate gauze, sheer fabrics, layers upon layers of tulle, and intricate, intricate decorations. The emphasis was on emphasizing movement and achieving graceful silhouettes.
It's not just about the costumes, though, dear readers. It's about the entire package! Imagine ballerina slippers, sleekly elegant, the epitome of refined footwork, and long, beautiful white gloves reaching to the elbows. They were considered to be a symbol of sophistication and grace. These elegant accessories made a dancer’s performance even more refined and beautiful! There's just something about that touch of pure white that makes every ballet performance feel grander!
From the long gloves to the exquisitely sculpted ballet shoes to those voluminous skirts, the dance fashion of the early Victorian period played a crucial part in capturing the romantic spirit and expressing the feelings and emotions of a ballerina onstage. And guess what, my dearest readers? These graceful and elegant elements from that time, while adapted to the styles of the day, still echo through ballet today.
After our little tour through the ballet fashion of this era, I’m feeling very ready to dive into the Theatre Royal Covent Garden and see the production for myself!
It was a packed house with excitement buzzing in the air!
I managed to nab a fantastic seat – a little secret – it was just beside the stage. This position offered me a front-row seat to the grandeur and energy of the production! The musicians, with their impressive orchestra, filled the entire space with a dramatic blend of melodies.
There was a hush that descended on the audience when the music began and the opera began to unfold before my eyes! A dramatic storyline, full of passions, revenge, love, and the consequences of fate - the energy of the performance was almost tangible in the air. I sat on the edge of my seat, completely mesmerized by the singers' voices and their impressive dramatic presence. It was truly inspiring and quite dramatic.
You know I just had to document this magical night with photos! I made sure to take photos of everything – from the magnificent architecture and its interiors to the expressive stage costumes. Of course, the beautiful singers, as they commanded the stage with such passionate performances.
A couple of ballet dancers stood backstage – ready to move in as a change of scene happened. The ballet dancers had simple yet stylish and elegant ballet dresses, and those ballet slippers just shimmered with elegance! They moved as a symphony of graceful movements. I captured their poses and the flowing movements of the dancers in my photos, and as you all know, I will be sharing them with you on my website soon.
Just after the final act, I was standing with these graceful ballet dancers backstage – having the time of my life as we chatted. And then, the most exciting thing happened…
My tutu, my fabulous pink sequined one, caught the attention of one of the leading dancers! I was instantly captivated by her charm and energy as she praised its beauty and how effortlessly it combined with the grandeur of this old-world theatre! She asked if she could try it on – of course, she was a total professional – I never doubted her elegance for a second, it felt wonderful seeing the elegance and beauty of that period come together! The beautiful pink tulle seemed to whisper of time-travelling magic, connecting our two worlds.
I also got a fantastic photo with her – of course! My little moment of time-travel stardust landed beautifully here! The ballet dancers were mesmerised as I showed them some modern dance styles - the music that was used and the kind of movements we used today!
They were so intrigued to learn about the ballet techniques and steps we have these days – all thanks to them and dancers like them who inspired dance techniques we use today!
Then, it was time for Magic Meg and me to fly back to my little Derbyshire home – time to work on those photos of my London adventure so I could post them to my ballet website, Pink Tutu Travels!
Just one more thing!
I’ve recently added a section to my site for buying your own vintage-inspired pink ballet outfits – after this amazing time travelling journey, the love of those traditional ballet fashions of 1837 is stronger than ever!
Be sure to check it out, you fabulous, wonderful pink tutu fans, you.
See you on my blog next month, readers. Until then, remember - pink tutus can be worn every day, they are the answer to the world's problems. You can reach me at my blog site www.pink-tutu.com, for any questions. This is post number 2116, for anyone catching up on my time-travelling adventures.
Keep on twirling!
Emma.
