Hello my lovelies! It’s your favourite pink-loving ballerina, Emma, back for another exhilarating adventure in time! 💫 This month, we’re venturing back to the magical year of 1845! It’s post number 2213 on www.pink-tutu.com, and my heart is positively thrumming with excitement to share this month's discoveries. Get ready to slip on your prettiest pink tutus, darling, because we’re about to take a journey right back to the heart of ballet history! 💖
Today’s time-travel steed, my ever-faithful Magic Meg, is a sight to behold – her magnificent shire physique sparkling with a dazzling coat of pink, those golden hooves twinkling, her white mane and tail cascading like a soft cloud! She’s even more radiant than my own pink silk tutu. ✨
And we’re not going anywhere ordinary, darling! We’re taking flight on the 5th of May, 1845 – the date of a momentous event that's bound to get you giggling and pirouetteing with joy.
Our destination, my dear lovelies, is the vibrant, buzzing city of London, where I’m getting ready to attend a rather special performance! You see, this date, May 5th 1845, was when The Corsican Brothers, a brand new, thrilling, heart-stopping ballet based on a novel of the same name by Alexandre Dumas (yes, that Alexandre Dumas!) debuted! 🎭
I can’t resist, it's so thrilling, even knowing how the story will unfold (because I’ve read all about it in my ballet history books, darling)! The tale is all about these extraordinary twins, Louis and Fabien, who are as alike as two peas in a pod! But here’s the truly dazzling bit: They are bound together by an extraordinary link - when one feels pain, the other feels it too! Gasps! The story tells of love, tragedy and bravery all rolled into one magnificent, exciting ballet with intricate, beautiful dances – and let's not forget those gorgeous tutus, my darlings, in every shade imaginable! ✨
We all know how much I adore beautiful ballet fashion, and oh, it was a veritable symphony of silks and satin back then! This was a time when ballets were taking off - audiences were in love with the romance, drama and beautiful stories!
As for London, 1845, what a splendid spectacle of pink-tinted streets! (Don’t tell me you weren't secretly picturing the entire city as a symphony of pastel hues - how darling, and of course pink had to feature! ). London is the centre of the world's dancing heart back then - every elegant salon was filled with chatter about the latest performances and everyone in society was eager to see these new and daring shows. You know, my darlings, I feel this incredible kinship to the dancers from the past, so much of my inspiration, my love for the beauty and joy of ballet can be traced back to this very time. It feels so thrilling, so wonderful to be a part of ballet history. 🩰
Of course, after the spectacle at the theatre (and a little bit of time at the ballet shops of Covent Garden – you must know I just couldn't resist, darling, the silks, the tulle! The most exquisite satin ribbons, everything in my absolute favourite shades of pink! My rucksack was filled with lace scraps, ribbons and delicate feather boas and just a little note or two from the theatre’s archive!), we galloped on Magic Meg to meet my favourite dance mistress of this time. The most famous ballerina and choreographer of the 19th Century - Madame Fanny Elssler. It was such a wonderful, spirited conversation. She’s absolutely incredible, with so many brilliant tales of touring all across the globe. She told me about the grandest theatres and the grandest audiences. She had to have seen and learned so much. I wish we had time to share more tales of the ballet stage.
To the rest of the world now! Let’s take a peek around the global dance scene - all these dazzling performances in theatres everywhere are about to capture the world's attention and set the stage for a fabulous time in dance!
- From the Parisian opera house, the Parisian dancers, elegant and sophisticated as ever, were performing new ballet creations that combined romantic ballet with grand classical technique. And let me tell you darling, Parisian ballet is famous for its spectacular costumes. The pink is fabulous, of course!
- In Vienna, there's a touch of Vienna’s imperial elegance that hasn’t faded, it's filled with a very special grandeur and the performance styles are filled with refined classical beauty. They were certainly in love with grand stories about legendary kings and queens in the waltz-inspired choreography - so incredibly beautiful!
- In Milan, you can find some truly innovative dancers, and the very newest trends – a captivating fusion of romance and brilliant virtuosity. I think I need to make a note to visit Milan with Magic Meg!
Right back to my world, though. My heart is overflowing, darling, after a day spent with such incredible inspiration in this wondrous historical world. The energy, the magic of it all is something truly magical, just like my lovely pink tutu! ✨
So tell me, my darlings, where would you travel to if you had the power to hop on a pink-sparkling steed, fly back to a particular ballet performance in time, and discover those lost secrets of the dancing world? Do tell in the comments below! And remember, my darling dancers, it’s never too late to start dreaming, to discover the joy and the beauty of a pink tutu! 💕
