#BalletHistory during 1861 05 May

Hello darlings! It's your favourite pink-tutu-clad time traveller, Emma, back with another fabulous adventure from the archives of ballet history! This month, we're swirling back to May 5th, 1861, a date that vibrates with excitement, elegance, and a hint of the new!

My trusty steed, Magic Meg, is pawing at the starting line, her golden hooves twinkling with anticipation. We're off to explore a time when ballet was bursting with new ideas, just as the world was itself. The air is crisp with the scent of spring, and the cherry blossoms are in full bloom, mirroring the graceful pirouettes of dancers across the globe!

But before we set off, let's look at my ballet rucksack. Oh, darling! Just look at what treasures I found tucked away in a dusty old box this month. The most exquisite velvet dance shoes from 1861, so delicate and detailed they're practically works of art! They'd look positively ravishing in my personal collection. The leather, it seems, has lasted amazingly well. I may have to copy this particular design for my new shoes - just think how stylish it would look in pale pink, or perhaps lilac! I've also got a beautifully illustrated book of ballet costumes, showcasing all the latest trends in tutus, ribbons and lace. It's a delightful glimpse into the elegant fashions of the day!

Now, let's saddle up on Magic Meg, her white mane shimmering in the morning light. With a click of her golden hooves and a swish of her tail, we’re off to 1861. Oh, darling, just imagine how enchanting the ballet world was then. It feels so exciting! Time travel is, of course, the most wonderful thing, but you really appreciate how far ballet has come when you get to witness what was fashionable in 1861. As a true ballerina at heart, my life is about finding those beautiful threads and connections of the past that inform where we are now.

London was the heart of the ballet world at this time, as it often is, but dancers and ballets were being staged all across the globe. Think about that! A little Victorian ballerina could, with the help of imagination, see ballet in London, but also in places like New York or Paris. The whole world felt interconnected, and dance had a strong presence in this time period. As we gallop through the countryside, a wonderful new performance comes to mind. A young dancer from my hometown of Derbyshire - what a lovely coincidence, right?! A Miss Fanny Elssler made quite a name for herself back in the day, she was absolutely mesmerising with her performances, but alas, she was already nearing retirement by the time of 1861. Such a shame as she truly was a queen of dance! It's not to say there weren't plenty of up-and-coming talents that year, of course. Some say that dancing had never been as captivating before, and who could possibly argue!

Parisian audiences were swooning over the latest works of the Imperial Ballet. Can you imagine the costumes! I'm picturing exquisite velvet jackets adorned with shimmering sequins, and flowing silk tunics, so wonderfully ethereal. Paris really did push the boundaries for dance back then, but I do think we've caught up a bit now in terms of style! And we know pink reigns supreme today, but in 1861, pink was not as commonly used, but that's all part of the charm. Oh, if only I could transport some of the Paris fashions and make them pink! Can you just imagine a ballerina dancing in an ethereal blush-toned silk tunic? Divine!

But, of course, the fashion of dance isn't confined to stage. Think about those delightful ballet class sessions, with their perfectly coiffed dancers, wearing beautiful leotards, some so simple, others adorned with little bows or lace. My imagination just runs wild!

Across the Atlantic, New York was also embracing the wonders of dance. There's a real passion in American culture, you see, which always shines through so beautifully in dance. Imagine this, it was so common for families to dress up, the mothers in lovely silk gowns, the children in adorable miniature ballet skirts. A truly beautiful picture. New York audiences embraced every element of dance, not only on stage but in fashion.

And let's not forget about those fashion treasures in my ballet rucksack, I can practically hear the whispers of those elegant gowns and tutus as I touch their delicate fabric! I can't tell you enough how vital ballet is to fashion. Think of all the innovations in clothing - the introduction of velvet for costumes in 1861, for instance, gave dancers such graceful movements and the look was stunning.

The more I travel through history, the more I understand how each era informs and inspires the next! In that respect, I am just a cog in a beautiful wheel of dance history, it is a great privilege to continue this tradition for generations to come.

So darling, thank you for joining me on this magnificent journey to the spring of 1861. We will always return to those core elements of ballet: fashion, style, and dance - the true foundations of every single ballet production in the world.

Until next time, keep dancing!

With love,

Emma xx