Hello darlings!
Welcome back to Pink Tutu Time Travels! Itās your favourite pink tutu-clad ballerina blogger, Emma, back with another thrilling time-hopping adventure. It's been a whole month, but now you can put your feet up and indulge in a bit of time-travel escapism, courtesy of Pink Tutu Time Travels, blog post number 2511! (Can you believe we've had so many already? We truly are time travelling connoisseurs now!)
As you all know, weāve been flitting around the globe for years now, documenting the wonderful history of ballet in all its flamboyant glory, with me in a pink tutu and Magic Meg, my gorgeous pink shire horse, carrying all our time travelling luggage (she loves tutus, too, donāt you worry). And this month? Well, itās time for us to gallop into 1870, landing smack bang on March 3rd! Oh, the grand ballrooms, the glittering gowns, and the majestic grace of the ballet world at that time - let's have a peek, shall we?
First, a little chat about our trusty steeds: Magic Meg is a little diva herself, so naturally, this month, we're travelling in the very best fashion. Itās no old rickety cart for us, darling. No, this month, we are arriving in style. Megās all decked out in a blush-pink carriage fit for a queen, pulled by two gleaming black steeds, all plumes and pomp. Naturally, thereās a footstool for me, in case I fancy a change of footwear. Itās important to look our best when exploring time, isnāt it? Especially when our time travel goal is to inspire a whole world to don a pink tutu. (Donāt worry - Magic Meg is looking absolutely spectacular, a vision in her gleaming pink satin harness and feather plumes).
What's Going On in the Ballet World This Month?
Our arrival in London in 1870 leads us straight to Covent Garden, where we discover something exciting. On this very date, we see an announcement in the theatreās weekly bulletin! It seems weāve arrived just in time for Madame Adeline GenĆ©e, one of the great ballerinas of the era, to showcase her dazzling talents on stage! You all know my love of ballerinas and their gorgeous, expressive movements, so naturally, Iām utterly delighted. We just HAVE to grab some prime seats for this performance. It's going to be divine, with the costumes, the stagecraft, and Madame GenĆ©eās brilliance.
My leather rucksack (filled with all the important ballet bits and bobs I find along the way, of course, along with little trinkets and stories from each time period) is getting filled quickly today!
Speaking of fabulous costumes, my dear, it's practically compulsory to talk about ballet fashion in the 1870s. Now, we all know tutus are lovely and airy. This era takes the whole notion of airiness to another level with tulle, a very delicate fabric, gaining traction. This gives the dancers so much movement, darling, it's utterly mesmerising to watch them fly.
And of course, in such a time of elegant dressing, no ballerinaās outfit would be complete without layers of glorious frills and ribbons, and long, flowing hair. I even caught a glimpse of some lovely ballerina shoes made with silk. I just adore the way they shimmered, and I can just imagine those intricate steps, so effortless, gliding across the stage. This period truly takes dance to a different level, with those sweeping graceful gestures - you know I love this style of dancing.
Travelling to Vienna: The Vienna State Opera
But weāre not only exploring the wonders of the ballet in London. Magic Meg is ready to take us on a whirlwind tour across the globe, so naturally, a trip to the heart of Vienna, with its world-famous Opera house, is simply essential. This gorgeous building is the birthplace of operetta, so, for my darling friends who like a bit of light-hearted theatricality, a visit is an absolute must. It seems the Viennese love their ballet and we discover they are putting on an incredible performance of the operetta 'The Beautiful Galatea', written by Franz von SuppĆ©. Iām already dreaming of the elegant costumes and the catchy tunes - itās sure to be a delightful treat!
After Vienna, we make our way across Europe to Russia! Yes, weāre venturing to the birthplace of the illustrious Bolshoi Theatre, the most prestigious ballet company in all of Russia. My heartās racing just thinking about it! You see, darling, the Bolshoi has played such an important role in developing ballet in its glorious and unique style ā youāre probably picturing those glorious swirling leaps, soaring jumps and impressive dramatic narratives that really pull you into the story, much like myself and Magic Meg are being swept up in this wonderful time-travelling adventure!
I hope you've all enjoyed reading about this fantastic ballet trip, just like Magic Meg and I are enjoying a whirlwind exploration of 1870, weāll be bringing you more historical fun and fantastic adventures in the world of ballet next month! (And, naturally, our journey to inspire the world to wear pink tutus - we can't give up on our dream, can we, darling?). Until then, remember to keep your tutus in the spotlight.
Until next time, and do send me all your favourite stories, experiences, and anything you've learned about ballet ā there's always something new to discover and you know, as they say, āsharing is caringā.
And remember - don't forget to follow Pink Tutu Time Travels on www.pink-tutu.com, to find out where our travels lead us next!
Yours,
Emma (and, naturally, Magic Meg!).
