Hello, darling dears! Emma here, your resident Pink Tutu time-travelling ballerina, reporting live from... well, not live live - you know I'm a little behind with my blog posts because, well, the time-travelling life is rather demanding. This month, we've travelled all the way back to the year 1875, a mere whisker shy of Queen Victoria's golden jubilee!
Oh, the excitement! The Victorian era is practically dripping with delightful ballet stories. And as you all know, I can't resist a bit of fashion inspiration from history. This trip has been particularly thrilling as the 3rd of March 1875 just happened to fall bang smack in the middle of the "grand opera ballet season" in Paris!
Imagine: sparkling chandeliers, gilded balconies, elegant ladies in swirling silks and gentlemen with dapper waistcoats all swooning over graceful ballerinas pirouetting across the stage. It was a world of plush velvet and whispers, of twinkling footlights and whispered applause. Truly, tres chic!
Now, wouldn't it be a simply darling dream to see this with my own eyes? I mean, wouldn't anyone love to peek behind the curtain and glimpse those Parisian ballrooms where the very birth of ballet was practically being born? Ooh la la!
But before we go waltzing into that captivating era, let's pause and consider, what else was happening in the world of ballet on this date?
A Spotlight on HistoryFor the curious amongst you, here are a few ballet snippets from this particular 3rd of March in 1875:
In London, at Her Majesty's Theatre, the beautiful La Fille mal gardée was on show. It was originally created by Jean Dauberval, but this was a revival starring the Italian dancer, Rosina Galassi, who was a bit of a rising star back then. I did get to see her in one of her performances and she's a complete natural!
At Covent Garden, it was Romeo and Juliet, by a renowned French dancer, Mademoiselle Eugénie Fiocre. They still tell stories of her incredible grace, oh, the elegance! My imagination runs wild just thinking about her spinning through those famous sets! Imagine a graceful ballet performance with elaborate, hand-painted backdrops - it truly is the epitome of Victorian romanticism, don't you think?
Then in New York, there was a whole host of exciting ballets, all quite traditional really. A lovely production of Giselle, one of my favourites, Paquita (always popular) and the wonderfully whimsical The White Cat â an absolutely perfect choice for this year of feline fashion, my dears! (Remember my obsession with cats - that's a story for another time!)
On this very date, there was also talk of Coppélia, though this ballet was rather in its infancy back then. But oh, the costumes in those early renditions are simply breathtaking. Such dramatic elegance! You can just see a young Mademoiselle Fiocre in a sumptuous, pink silk gown - almost a tutu in its own way, don't you think?
Oh, if only I could have gone to all these ballet performances. What a magnificent opportunity! But alas, one girl can only manage so much time travelling in a single month...
Meeting the Mademoiselle herselfRight then, let's return to the Parisian "grand opera ballet season". This wasn't just any run-of-the-mill performance. No, no. I found myself right in the midst of the dazzling opening of the French national ballet company's premiere at the Palais Garnier. What an experience!
Just imagine the shimmering dresses, the ladies' elegant hats perched like butterflies on their coiffed heads, the gentlemen with their top hats held gracefully in their hands. The theatre's gilded décor made the whole evening an utter fairytale!
This is where the ballet really took off in Paris - not that it wasn't already a big deal. I had the pleasure of meeting the grande dame of the era, Marie Taglioni, considered a leading ballerina of the time and considered the embodiment of Romanticism and grace in movement!
And do you know what? I found a whole box of the most extraordinary old programmes! I think she even autographed one for me! Oh my goodness, you should see it. My favourite page is a poem dedicated to her about her artistic beauty. What an inspiration she is.
But of course, it wasn't all high-class, waltzing gowns and elegant ladies. There was a more informal side to ballet. In some of the cafes of Montmartre and the salons in Saint Germain des PrĂšs, dancers, dancers, everywhere!
For those of you who love the streets and want to experience that feeling, youâd simply have to go to one of these places - no need for time travel! Just pop down to your local arts centre. Theyâre all still happening even in our day, just less formal! Oh, the excitement!
### Magical Meg takes us on a Tour
We visited a dance school in Montmartre that was teeming with dancers, so excited and lively! The most delightful sight, really! All so young and passionate!
It was so charming to watch their young steps, those simple little kicks and turns, just beginning their ballet journey. Some even wore a sort of short, lightweight tutu-like garment - such an inspiring start, my dears!
I had Magical Meg, my sweet pink-sparkled Shire horse with a mane as white as new snow, wait patiently in the yard outside, eating the most glorious Parisian clover. Of course, you wouldn't believe the amount of attention Meg garnered, especially from the street musicians who were playing right by the school! The locals thought she was just about the most magical creature in the world.
Imagine this: an enchanting little French dance studio, with wooden floors that creaked under the weight of tiny feet and Meg, patiently awaiting me, a radiant vision of pink sparkle in the Parisian sunshine!
What would I give for a Pink Tutu Montmartre in our time! But for now, this ballet fantasy is one of my fondest travel memories.
### A Spot of Victorian Shopping
You simply can't go time travelling in the Victorian era without doing a bit of shopping! We visited the most incredible Parisian milliners! Now, as any true fashion aficionado knows, a milliner's shop is a place of pure joy, and believe me, this one did not disappoint!
They had every shape and colour of bonnet, veil, and hat imaginable - all delicately trimmed with velvet ribbon, satin flowers, feathers, and jewels. It was like a kaleidoscope of colour and craftsmanship. I found the most beautiful feather hat, so feminine, so romantic, so perfect! It practically screamed âEmma the Time Travelling Ballerina!â Quelle joie!
As we know, London and Paris were leading lights of fashion in 1875. So, there were plenty of places to shop in a range of prices! For a young ballerina with a penchant for a certain shade of pink, I found so many delectable frills and fineries. One shop, filled to the brim with silks and lace, even had the most gorgeous tutu-inspired garments in all colours and shades imaginable.
Now, wouldnât that have been a magical photo op, darling? Imagine: Emma the Time Traveller, bathed in the soft glow of the Parisian evening light, wearing the most fabulous pink silk frock with all the frills imaginable, just the hint of tutu and my rucksack filled with more historical treasures⊠I wouldâve done just about anything to capture the moment on my camera! But you see, the truth is, no modern-day gadgets could possibly live up to a timeless story!
A Word to my DarlingsNow, darling dears, Iâve probably told you more than you bargained for this month!
But you know, there is nothing more important than celebrating the past, the present, and the future of the world of ballet! I would simply love for us all to celebrate, not only those fantastic ballerinas, but to all inspire you to be bold, wear pink and dance freely like a pink tutu clad Victorian era enchantress And then - take it one step further! And put that pink tutu on, because darling, you're absolutely ready to go on your own adventure - no matter where that may take you!
For now, though, we are off on another magical time travelling adventure and weâre going to see where this next time period takes us, who we'll meet, and what we'll be able to tell you all next month! But before we go, darling dears, I simply can't let you go without sharing my love of everything Pink Tutu. It's been an absolute joy to take you all on a tour through 1875 and share my latest adventures in this fabulous, frivolous world. Until next month, darling dears, remember to dance your way through the day and wear your pink tutus with pride! *Bisous! *
