#BalletHistory during 1877 04 April

Welcome back to my pink-tastic blog, dears! This month, I've found myself transported to a most elegant and exciting time. As we saddle up on my shimmering steed, Magic Meg, prepare for a journey back to 1877 and an exquisite world of grand opera houses, elaborate ball gowns, and yes, you guessed it, a world of ballet!

This is blog post number 2596, a record of my exciting adventures, for all of you lovely readers of www.pink-tutu.com You might ask, how does this ballerina blogger travel through time? Well, my dearest readers, it's a bit of a secret, involving the shimmering power of pink tutus, a touch of fairy dust and the boundless energy of the world of ballet! Just remember, my dear readers, we're fuelled by passion, so every performance, every step in the ballet class, and every lovely, swirly, pink tutu we wear fuels our magic and makes these journeys possible!

My darling Meg (she is a majestic Shires, you know, with a white mane and tail like the finest spun sugar, golden hooves, and she glitters like a pink gemstone!) paws the ground impatiently and is ready for this adventure! We've made a quick trip to the theatre (yes, I always sneak in a show in every period!) and I'm sporting a delightfully frilly, ruffled and multi-layered pink tutu, perfect for twirling and time travel, my dears! A lovely hat with a cascade of pink feathers adds that extra touch of drama and a touch of the Grand Ballet glamour, and we're ready to start our time travel journey, all in the name of ballet!

So, we’re landing in London, England, on April the 4th, 1877, and the ballet world, as always, is in full swing, even at this time! Let's jump into some fascinating happenings, shall we?

This grand theatre is truly magnificent and buzzing with activity, so much so that even my own little pink tutu was in awe of the elegance of the place! It is indeed the heart of the London ballet world, where the greats gather to showcase their art and beauty, and where aspiring ballerinas like myself (in my pink dreams at least) could only hope to perform one day.

In April 1877 , the Covent Garden season has begun, with an emphasis on French and Italian ballet. The Opera House is filled with whispers of beautiful ballet and an audience dressed in their finest, a veritable sea of sparkling jewels and beautiful ball gowns, a scene fit for a fairytale. It makes one wish one could truly wear a gown like that and dance under the gaze of all those sparkling eyes!

What’s even more fabulous? This year, they’ve invited the famed Italian dancer, Luisa Bonfanti to the stage! Her technique, her artistry - she was an enchanting sight and the crowd cheered.

You see, in the 1870s, ballerinas are on their way to having much more freedom in their movement. Previously, the rigid styles of the "five positions" demanded long, high lines and precision. However, ballet was moving towards allowing the ballerina to interpret her emotions through movement!

That is what I found most enthralling! In "La Fille Mal Gardée", (the story of the spoilt daughter who won't marry as she’d been instructed to!), one scene was set with a lovely little vignette - a Pas de Deux for a male and a female dancer.

Now, a Pas de Deux ( a duet!) can often be a scene all by itself. In this dance, I could sense the love and anguish of two hearts entangled, and the expression in the ballerina's eyes... my heart went out to her as she sought the perfect dance step! It truly brought a ballet to life!

And this wasn't the only dance being performed. There were also some glorious acts of ballet on stage featuring the delightful French dancer *Maria Sacchetti! * It truly is inspiring for this travelling ballerina, all from the heart of England!

There are exciting developments, even beyond Covent Garden in London! Ballet's popularity is spreading all over the world, with some lovely developments, so it is not surprising that London became a meeting ground for international ballet talent.

In Russia, the Imperial Ballet School is beginning to establish a distinct Russian school of ballet with a special style of jumping! Oh, if only I could visit Russia during the era of the Russian Ballet ! The thought of gliding across the stage with such elegance, is truly delightful, and is giving me inspiration to work hard for my future ballet lessons!

There is such wonderful work done by choreographers, too, that I’m hoping to learn about when I visit these eras. I'm especially thrilled that in Paris, the esteemed choreographer Louis Mérante is still enchanting the public with his original works and innovative choreography. He's creating new, innovative ballet with a strong romantic and emotional heart and I would love to take ballet lessons and learn more of his methods. Perhaps that's a trip for a future visit!

My goodness, my dears, the world of ballet fashion! The costumes, the elegance and the colours in 1877, the pinkest of pinks are my favorite - my time travelling heart is all a-flutter!

While we see the ballerina's tutu as being the most important garment, even now in the modern ballet world, there is something incredibly special about the Romantic Tutu, a type of skirt with a fitted waist and many layers. It evokes a romantic time from when ballerinas became so delicate, graceful and even whimsical, a world that appeals to the imagination!

In 1877, it is no longer a matter of simply keeping your tutus concealed beneath layers and layers of bulky fabrics. It is a time when you can flaunt your exquisite dress with the newer, lighter-weight fabric (known as tulle). My tutu and the romantic style certainly add some charm, if I do say so myself.

The lovely ballerinas of 1877, their tutus seem so ethereal, even fantastical. It's no surprise, that as a blogger, I would love to travel back and discover the secrets of these exquisite designers! There's the grand bouffant skirt in its glory and then the addition of frills ( my personal favorite) and, of course, my favorite color: pink! There’s such romance in a light pink tutu, don’t you think, my darlings?

All my observations on the stage, my wanderings through the ballet world, all the information that is found in my leather backpack to record stories for my blog ... well, they all help remind me of how we have progressed and how ballet has evolved, for such a powerful dance!

In the 1870s, ballet is not just entertainment - it's also an artform that reflects the society we live in, a dance form that has deep roots in history, culture and the traditions of our past! It shows our love of the beautiful, our artistry, our imagination, our strength! It even offers glimpses of history. Ballet tells us stories of the human experience and, for me, a passionate pink-loving ballerina, I've been transported and inspired in a world of fantasy and artistic elegance!

It reminds me that whether we are in Derbyshire, England in the present or in London during the late Victorian era, the passion for ballet continues! And what a magnificent story of history it reveals! As I slip away into my time machine with my bag of treasures and magical pink tutu, I want to say thank you for reading and, until next month, my dearest readers, remember to spread the love of ballet and wear a little bit of pink for good measure.

Until next time!

Your own little ballerina Emma

www.pink-tutu.com