Hello lovelies! Emma here, ready to take you on another time-travelling adventure, this time hurtling back to the 19th Century for a little bit of ballet history, or should I say history in tutus! This month's blog, darling readers, is dedicated to one of my favourite eras, the era of the Romantic Ballet. Think delicate tutus, sparkling music and breathtakingly graceful dancers - this era is absolutely overflowing with charm and beauty!
Remember my faithful pink sparkling Shire, Magic Meg? This time, we've had a wild ride through the annals of time, landing right in the middle of this wonderful era!
As always, my trusty leather rucksack is full to bursting with fabulous discoveries from the past - all those elegant ballet shoes, dainty ballet slippers, stunning costumes, and precious mementos, all tucked away for you to peek at.
Let's take a journey through history, through the graceful steps and shimmering tutus of a bygone era. I hope you're ready for a whimsical ballet extravaganza!
Stepping Back in Time
Oh my! I've just discovered the most stunning costumes in this vintage shop. I was just oohing and aahing at the beauty of these outfits. They were practically falling apart but just imagine - they were once worn by ballet dancers! The silks were soft and delicately floral. The sheer fabrics were still tinged with an otherworldly luminescence. They weren't those typical, you'll find in a modern ballet outfits. These were a work of art - pieces of art crafted to be worn.
Then came the most beautiful pair of dancing shoes. Imagine if I could step back in time to wear those! Oh! These slippers are the ones - so elegant and simple, crafted from fine leather with delicate bows. Oh, what a sight these must have been on a dancer, performing those flowing, Romantic Ballet moves.
It makes me feel all tingly! Imagine the dancers, pirouetting in those beautiful, long, billowing tutus and their sparkling tights... It must have been the most stunning spectacle, with the lighting playing across those delicate fabrics and catching those silken, elegant moves. I just love how dancers then used every piece of their body to convey emotion and storytelling through movement, with that ethereal and magical charm. Those costumes - simply beautiful, a pure delight!
But how lucky was I to meet some truly brilliant ballerinas in my travels!
We talked about how dancing and costumes evolved in those times and they even told me stories of how their ballet company, (one of the most famous, ever!), got their start. I couldn't believe what I was hearing! Can you believe these girls had to work so hard in the early days. Not all of them were given leading role status as dancers - it seems so cruel to us in these modern days, but back then, things were different! So often, they'd even share costumes. The costume budget was practically non-existent and then...well you would imagine that ballet dancers would get through loads of tights...it’s a true marvel that some even made it to become stars at all.
Oh dear me - I nearly forgot, they've got this brand new, amazing building...it's all shiny, sleek, all for their ballet dancers. Apparently, there are a couple of rooms where they all work on their moves, their costumes, even how they hold their hands for every role - that strictly ballet instruction we all hear about! It was all about the graceful lines, that beautiful poetry in their moves...so enchanting. I felt a real need to put on a tutu just from listening to their stories! They showed me some of their costumes, and wow, there were just stunningly vibrant and feminine in the most breathtaking hues. They wore silk and satin that sparkled, tutus that reached the floor and even hats. They showed me their footwear - so different to our flat ballet shoes. These were beautiful, pointy soft shoes for those beautiful, lyrical moves and they even did pointe work - just like the dancers on that stunning little silver shoe statue in the center of the square outside. Wow! What an era, with those fabulous dancers in their fabulous attire.
They even told me that some of them became super stars in the theatre world. Imagine, ballerinas were famous on the stage. They got all their moves perfect and then even worked out some acting to go with it, as well as a whole orchestra to support their steps - an all-round incredible spectacle! It made me feel that, as ballerinas, we need to be strong. But most of all, we must remember what these wonderful, feminine women did to bring this ballet style to our lives - thank you ladies, you are amazing.
A Touch of Ballet Magic in 2020
And speaking of those modern times, we have a special date on July 12th in our timeline. That was the date that Giselle, a romantic ballet by Jean Coralli and Jules Perrot, with music by Adolphe Adam, debuted! This was the first truly Romantic ballet, a masterpiece that gave ballet a whole new meaning. And look what happened after that - ballet has never looked back since, taking all the best from this stunning ballet to inspire dancers, fashion and beauty for almost 200 years now. It’s been a ballet masterpiece for all those years - just like I feel with every single show I see at the local theatre and every single one I put on to bring this magical story to life myself! The romantic style and feeling still lingers and lives on today, and will always continue to be part of the ballet world. How fantastic!
As you know, I am a true romantic when it comes to the art form! So let’s step back in time - it is an era worth visiting. You know what I think, dear readers? We should all have a go at ballet at least once! It is truly a special art form that inspires such beauty.
If you are planning a visit to Derbyshire this month, there are lots of wonderful opportunities to explore the local ballet scene - it's fabulous. Don’t be a stranger. You can visit me on the www.pink-tutu.com site - the time is now!
And darling, for those of you reading in this beautiful time of the internet - go on - get yourself to a local show and check it out. You never know, maybe the stage is waiting for you.
It's always pink with tutus - until next month!
Love
Emma x
