Hello darling dears! It's Emma, your Pink Tutu correspondent, and welcome to the 3015th instalment of my time travelling blog.
I am absolutely brimming with excitement, ready to take you on a dazzling journey to a rather spectacular date: the 3rd of March, 1912. I must admit, when I saw the dates for this trip, my little ballet heart was doing pirouettes, because 1912 was a year brimming with fabulous, dazzling performances! Oh my, I simply couldn't wait to don my finest pink tulle tutu, jump onto Magic Meg, and venture back in time.
I know some of you may think a 1912 trip wouldn't be terribly exciting – ballet was pretty different back then! – but let me assure you, darling friends, the ballet world of 1912 is full of surprises!
Firstly, I must show you the wondrous spectacle that was my time-travel outfit for this adventure! My gorgeous, frothy, shimmering, bubblegum-pink tulle tutu. It was simply too perfect for the occasion! My very pink "Emma"-shaped sequined bow made its appearance, with its pink ribbons tied together into a giant sparkly bow around my waist. My beautiful pink satin ballet shoes matched perfectly! (Though, darling, do you know the best part? The satin has sparkles, I mean just imagine that! Sparkles are never too much for my taste.)
I know you all like to hear about the performances. And I won't leave you hanging: In London, they're featuring the Grand Theatre in Clapham Junction, offering up a delightful spectacle: The Beggar’s Opera. It's a bit of a novelty, a true spectacle for London in 1912! There is a story about a gentleman and a ballet dancer. She loves him and the whole theatre is agog to see if they find true love! (Let's just say this will not end in a happy marriage!). In Birmingham, I couldn't miss the magnificent His Majesty’s Theatre with its spectacular performances of the enchanting La Bohème by Puccini! Imagine, this tale of the doomed Parisian seamstress Mimi, and the artist Rodolfo...oh darling, the emotions, the passion, it's just too much for my poor, tiny ballet heart!
Speaking of my heart, you can just imagine my excitement when I saw Magic Meg, my darling shire horse, ready and raring to take us back through time. Magic Meg was a delight as always, wearing her matching pink satin saddlecloth and a beautiful pink pom-pom attached to her silver bridle (she just loves bling!), all ready to journey back through history! The magic that filled my pink backpack that I use to collect ballet stories and costumes – I simply love gathering these beautiful trinkets from the time! – almost made her leap into 1912.
Our journey was like something out of a fairy-tale, floating through history. London and Birmingham, in the twinkling of an eye! What I wouldn't give to take a few more trips back there, wouldn't you all?
Now, let me share my most important tidbits of information about 1912, with some special attention to ballet.
Oh my, where to begin?! Ballet history, like every story, is not without challenges! But you know me: I only see the bright side, even with a history lesson about that period. I must tell you: 1912 was a significant year for the balletic arts in the UK. It saw a revival of some iconic ballet forms, and a growth of appreciation of ballet around the country.
Imagine… The British Isles are already falling in love with the Russian Ballet performances featuring the famous dancer, Vaslav Nijinsky. (Oh, the romance of him! The elegance and grace are simply spell-binding!) This Russian troupe was performing at The London Coliseum! You can imagine how absolutely beautiful it was to see Nijinsky!
And what was in the air back then? You'll just be delighted to learn that a wonderful Russian dancer named Anna Pavlova had already conquered London! This darling was captivating the crowds at the Palace Theatre with her mesmerising, ethereal performance of the classic, “The Dying Swan”. You should just imagine the enchantment that she brought to the ballet scene in 1912 - simply phenomenal! I can see her, all dressed in gorgeous costumes, her tiny ballerina shoes on, captivating the crowds with her stunning moves.
But 1912 was also the year that saw a blossoming of ballet outside of London. Think of how wonderful! Ballet's popularity, dear readers, was starting to extend from the grandeur of London's stages to cities such as Edinburgh and Birmingham, and into regional towns, villages, and hamlets! Oh, what a magnificent sign for the love of ballet spreading throughout the nation, I mean, who knew?
Ballet wasn’t just performed in these towns – in the homes of aristocrats, ballet performances and ballet schools began to flourish! In fact, during my little time trip to 1912, I found an interesting little fact about one famous family: The Cavendish family, those charming folk, you know, with their stately home at Chatsworth in Derbyshire - they were so wonderfully dedicated to the arts, they even established a wonderful ballet school in 1912! The more you learn, the more we realize what a fantastic and wonderful impact ballet was having! It's even making an impact in the homes of aristocrats in beautiful Derbyshire - the same county as me! (How delightful is that!)
Of course, I cannot forget the fashions in 1912, darling, they were oh, so absolutely splendid! Think full-skirted gowns with elaborate trimmings! It wasn't just on stage, the elegant ladies everywhere were taking inspiration from the stunning fashions of the ballerinas and it's oh-so-delightful to see it trickling down. Imagine a tutu that is even longer and full - that was just so delightful for ballet. This really was the dawn of ballet, as I see it - where the fashion was the most important! (After the dance, of course.)
Do you know what else makes me smile? Back in 1912, there was no real “pink tutu” look as it was back then. Just the thought of a world without the delight of a beautiful pink tutu just breaks my ballet heart!
Well, my dears, my journey into the past of 1912, full of excitement and magic, has come to an end. But don't despair, you know how I feel about time travelling - it's always a lovely excuse to indulge in more adventures! But now I need to take some time to reflect, look back on the memories I've collected in my pink rucksack, and, most importantly, work out where I'll be travelling to next month!
Until then, remember to be brave, be bold and never, ever stop believing in your heart's passion, for ballet, just like magic Meg will carry you wherever you need to go! I always encourage all you delightful, inspiring ladies to share your love for ballet in any way you can, just like I do - it's truly the best way to spread the pink tutu joy! Until next time!
Yours always in tutus and time travel! Emma, Pink-tutu.com
