Bonjour mes amis!
Welcome back to Pink Tutu! I'm Emma, your resident pink-loving tutu enthusiast, and it's #TutuTuesday, which means it's time for another dive into the glorious history of the tutu!
As you know, my mission in life is to get everyone twirling in a pink tutu! It's not just a garment – it's an embodiment of grace, beauty, and, let's face it, fun! So, let's travel through time together to discover how the tutu evolved, step by step, and what it was like to wear one in the past! This week, we're whisked back to the 1830s. Paris, of course, my dears, where the air buzzes with romance and the whisper of revolution hangs in the air like perfume.
We're in 1832, on the 8th of May, and I've just caught the train to the City of Lights! I simply love train journeys – they always feel so exciting. And Paris – oh, the je ne sais quoi of Parisian life, darling! It's quite extraordinary how a whole city can have a mood. From the cafes and boulangeries to the streets overflowing with l'amour, Paris exudes a unique kind of passion! Even the air has an edge, you know?
You see, 1832 Paris was the perfect place for a new wave of art to sweep the nation. It's almost as though the turbulent times were asking for some escape! It's all very romantic.
Right here in Paris, we were at a crossroads of dance! It was here that a radical innovation began to flourish, one that was to change the very way we saw the ballerina.
Oh, you all know I just love going to ballet, n'est-ce pas? It's such a glorious, enchanting experience. So many pirouettes, so much elegant artistry, all contained in a few graceful movements! But you're here to know about tutus – and in 1832, something wonderful was happening, darlings! I'll explain, but we must delve into the time...
Up until this point, tutus were what they called panniers – which is, frankly, hideous. I'm talking bulky, layers upon layers of fabric. They made the dancers seem like… well, like massive, uncomfortable pyramids! You see, panniers were created for polonaise, not ballet. And this made it very difficult to dance – I just imagine the sweat! They also served no purpose.
Now, my dears, there are three important reasons why the ballerina's tutu changed:
- Romance and drama. You can't have romantic dances, and the expressive elegance of ballet with panniers! Imagine Romeo and Juliet or the haunting love story of Giselle with those clumsy monstrosities in the way – dreadful, I tell you!
- Innovation. Imagine a ballet with a dancer who cannot twirl. Or move quickly or leap into the air! Imagine them unable to gracefully bend their bodies or extend their limbs to express the emotions of the piece – simply tragic!
- Audience: It just wasn't as fun to look at a pannier, darling. I would feel so bored and sorry for them. The dance needed a sense of liberty!
So in 1832, the revolutionary French dancer Marie Taglioni took the stage in La Sylphide. Now, you all must remember the story! I don't want to spoil it but ooh… how much emotion. What she did with La Sylphide, ma belle!, was she danced in a tutu that was light as air, showing off the dancer's legs. Her performance made everyone in the audience stand up, that good.
Suddenly, with this light and airy tulle, tout was transformed! I bet you just imagined the audience watching this delicate enchanted ballerina floating through the air – she was free! And, importantly, gorgeous!
Now, don't worry because you don't have to wear a pannier at all, cheries! The modern tutu, well, that was shaped specifically to make your silhouette long and slender! It also has *more layers than a simple *pannier, but with the soft and bouncy tulle it moves as the dancer does – beautiful! I love to see a tutu in motion – such artistry!
From those elegant pointed toes to the skirt flaring out in all its glorious layers! You see, dear readers, it's the dance and the artistry that inspire! The graceful limbs that are free to fly. And that's exactly what a ballet tutu is all about!
So my lovely dancers, this is where the real evolution began. I love how fashion changes over the years. Imagine having those cumbersome panniers – who wants all that unnecessary fabric? The new era was elegant and expressive, showing off every delicate movement of the ballet. And then, my dear readers, we just keep moving forwards in a sea of tutu-related fabulousness!
And speaking of moving forward – I have to dash, darlings! I’m going to catch a glimpse of one of the most famous Paris attractions: The Arc de Triomphe! Can you believe it’s been standing here for nearly forty years! How incredible to think that the great Napoleon himself passed under that magnificent structure. It gives me chills just to imagine the history embedded in every stone of Paris.
But don’t forget, you lovely things, we must always remember to add a splash of our individual styles into any outfit – I would wear a pink tutu with a silk flower – perfect for a stroll under the Arc or at any rendezvous with ma belle ! What about you, what fabulous ideas will you try next Tuesday?
Until next week, cheries!
