Hello my darling tutu lovers! Emma here, back with another captivating journey through time, all thanks to the wonders of my magical steed, Meg. It's December already, can you believe it?! This month Iâve travelled to 1899! Can you believe that! It was such a wonderfully stylish year for dance, darling! I was just dying to step back and have a look. Let me tell you all about it.
Before I dive in, if you haven't visited my fabulous website, www.pink-tutu.com, pop over and have a gander. I have been uploading my time travel logs and tons of fascinating tidbits of ballet history there, and sharing gorgeous tutu inspiration, from historical looks to the newest designs!
Okay, back to my incredible trip to 1899. So as always, Meg and I packed our leather saddlebags (mine filled with shimmering ribbons and tiny notebooks to record all the glamorous goings on) and off we trotted, on a journey to see the grand ballets of this period! Did I mention the incredible costumes? I just had to bring home a little inspiration!
You know, 1899 was all about the opulence! The Belle Ăpoque period, as they called it, saw the growth of cities, a surge in luxurious design, and all those magnificent theaters bursting with breathtaking productions. This made ballet the epitome of style, and everyone was enamored by the dancers! I had the most delightful time observing the dancers at the Imperial Ballet in Saint Petersburg and catching glimpses of famous choreographers such as Lev Ivanov, the creator of the famous "Waltz of the Flowers" in Tchaikovsky's The Nutcracker, that timeless beauty that captures everyone's heart! I did a whole blog post about the Nutcracker last year (and Meg and I have been to a production â trust me!) - itâs available on my website. Just click on âThe Nutcracker: An Everlasting Christmas Delightâ in the archives!
But let's return to this fabulous year of 1899. Imagine! On 12th December, in London's prestigious Royal Opera House, they were dazzling everyone with a production of Glazunov's Raymonda. * A majestic tale with a story woven into music as delicate as gossamer - pure romantic enchantment. I even caught sight of the divine *prima ballerina *Mabel Terry taking to the stage - absolutely divine, her technique was sublime! It made my toes twitch! I even scribbled some of her steps into my little book, and let me tell you, they were something to behold! Just *breathtaking â and of course, her tutu was positively magnificent! A full, swirling tulle masterpiece, perfectly tailored for the demanding steps and, most importantly, in the most exquisite shade of pink! I might have whispered a silent âI wish I was there on stageâ while the crowd applauded. Just a little ballet daydream, of course, darling. đ
In France, things were no less magical! Oh, Paris! So inspiring for ballet! It is home to the majestic Paris Opera Ballet, and 1899 was just bubbling over with talented choreographers and a whole plethora of fabulous performances. I took time to bask in the aura of the Ballet Russe at the Châtelet Theatre, the birthplace of the extraordinary, Michel Fokine who later became one of balletâs most iconic creators. I love the boldness of his work - the unleashing of free and emotive movement that felt so modern in that era! A pioneer of contemporary ballet, you could say, as I have! I tried to catch his creative genius in a drawing, just a glimpse of the "poetic dance" style that he cultivated. A symphony of movement and passion captured in my little book!
All that beauty, so full of passion and beauty! You really could feel the shift toward modern ballets happening! I got to chat with a lovely dancer at the Châtelet Theatre. We talked all about the evolution of ballet and Luigi Manzotti, who had such a large influence on dancers. We also got to chat about his work! I really felt transported back in time; a delightful experience, darling! She even showed me how they practiced using a specific barre that was quite popular then. I added a little sketch of it to my notebook - I love finding these little gems from different periods!
1899 saw such amazing dancers and wonderful choreographers. The dance world was alive! Oh, and don't even get me started on the fabulous outfits! Think of swirling tutus with feathers, beautiful velvet, satin that glided like liquid sunshine â so elegant, so dreamy, and, of course, an explosion of colours in all shades of pink. Oh, what a feast for the eyes! I couldnât help but add some snippets of these incredible costumes to my collection, for inspiration of course! You can find them, along with all the little secrets I uncovered in my collection at www.pink-tutu.com!
And of course, no ballet history journey is complete without Anna Pavlova. She is one of the most remarkable ballerinas in the history of the world and, lucky for me, in 1899, she was at the beginning of her dazzling career in St Petersburg! It was truly amazing to watch her dance and her elegant, light form was like a butterfly taking to the air! It took me to a place where it seemed as if I was dancing on air - just like her! Just bliss. I tried my best to emulate her movements, to absorb every ounce of grace and elegance - an invaluable experience! I felt like a little girl all over again! And you know, when I return, I have a few lovely ideas for a ballet performance I'm planning around her swan dancing and my pink tutu⌠you can get a sneaky peek at my swan sketch on www.pink-tutu.com - keep your eye out!
Iâve told you a tiny bit about the world of ballet during that special December. It was full of amazing artistry and inspiring beauty - a whirlwind of gorgeous colours and fantastic inspiration. But honestly, it was truly hard to capture it all in my notebook. So as usual, Meg and I jumped back onto the shimmering stallion, and took off. This journey into the past, back to 1899 was so fabulous. You really couldn't find anything more graceful and uplifting in the ballet world. Just like every time I get back from my time-travel adventures, I'm bursting with ideas, darling! You know what I mean, right? It inspires me to create, to inspire other aspiring ballerina and everyone else. Remember, darling, the world is our stage!
Next month, darling, I will share some fantastic, fabulous, fabulous snippets from the wonderful year of 1923 and some exciting tutu-inspiring ideas!
Stay lovely!
Emma xx.
