Greetings, darlings! It's your favourite pink tutu-clad time traveller, Emma, back again for another exciting installment of #TutuTuesday. This week, we're stepping back in time to a fascinating era, one brimming with romance, beauty, and - you guessed it - glorious tutus! It's 22nd January 1833, and the ballet world is just beginning to embrace a new wave of expression.
This week I'm writing from the very heart of it all: Paris. This glamorous city, bursting with artistic energy, is my favourite place to visit - it truly is the birthplace of modern ballet! And believe me, the French adore a good tutu, even in 1833!
The 19th century ushered in the Romantic Era, an artistic movement that embraced emotion, imagination, and a whole lot of fairytale charm. The ballet stage transformed into a realm of fantastical stories, ethereal creatures, and - wouldn't you know it? - graceful tutus.
Before we dive deeper, imagine, if you will, a beautiful ballerina dressed in a simple white tunic, swirling across the stage with an air of ethereal grace. This is how things looked for quite a while - the earliest versions of what we'd recognise as a tutu were much more... restrained. However, thanks to the burgeoning spirit of romanticism, the stage started demanding something new - something dramatic, something ethereal, something truly magical.
The "tutu" as we know it truly bloomed during the Romantic era! And don't think for a second it wasn't a fashion sensation. These new tutus were incredibly light, with tiers of tulle creating a vision of movement, allowing for breathtaking leaps and pirouettes.
Let's not forget about the colours! White, symbolizing innocence and purity, reigned supreme during the Romantic period. It was the perfect hue to capture the graceful beauty of the female form, showcasing those delicate movements with a kind of magic. I'm talking exquisite, flowing silk gowns and shimmering, ethereal fabrics! The beauty of this time truly made the most beautiful ballerinas appear almost like fairies.
This era was absolutely brimming with creativity and artistic flair! Every piece, whether it be the ballerina's flowing tulle skirts or the intricate backdrop, was painstakingly crafted to bring these Romantic fairytales to life.
And what do we have to thank for these majestic costumes, you ask? It's all thanks to the extraordinary Marie Taglioni, who took the ballet world by storm with her captivating performances. This queen of the dance stage - and dare I say, the tutu - was an icon in the 1830s.
If you haven't heard of her, let me tell you: she's an absolute legend!
You know, she truly made the Romantic tutu an essential element of the dancer's repertoire. Imagine those elegant, floaty tutus fluttering as the ballerina pirouetted across the stage, conveying pure, heart-felt emotion, and making audiences weep with joy. That was the magic of the Romantic Era!
As a proud tutu lover, I'm absolutely enchanted by this fascinating historical period. The sheer creativity, passion, and romance of the Romantic Era are infectious, and they resonate with every step a ballerina takes in her ethereal tutu. It’s no wonder I had to be in Paris today for #TutuTuesday - it's where ballet and its magical tulle truly bloomed!
Before I bid you adieu, a little fun fact: did you know that on January 22nd 1833, Charles Dickens's second novel, "Oliver Twist", was first published? What a lovely date for celebrating literature and beautiful ballerinas!
Stay fabulous, darlings! Don't forget to wear your pink tutus (pink tutus ALWAYS make everything better!).
Love,
Emma (P.S. What a journey this blog is going to be - I love seeing how the world's relationship with tutus has changed. Be sure to tune in next week, my dears! xx )
