#TutuTuesday Ballet Tutu History on 1834-01-28

Hello darlings, and welcome back to Pink-Tutu.com! Today's #TutuTuesday is taking us on a grand tour through time! Buckle up, my dears, because we're going back to 1834. Can you believe it? All those layers and petticoats, and none of the fabulous, twirly tutus we know and love!

Today I’m channeling a Victorian era aesthetic in my pink tutu, because there was so much history being made right now in dance! Now, don't think that those ladies didn't love their dancing. They did! But those long, swirling skirts – imagine trying to pirouette in those! No thanks! 😉

Right then, let's get into some fun facts:

The year 1834 was a bit of a whirlwind! Queen Victoria was just 18 years old and the British Empire was at its peak! So many new ideas were buzzing around, and I can't help but wonder how these exciting times affected the world of dance!

Speaking of exciting, have you seen those stunning ballgowns? They were seriously elaborate, layers upon layers of tulle, silk and velvet, with ribbons and embellishments everywhere! Think about it – so many of those ballgowns must have been absolute nightmares for dancing! It really makes me appreciate how much more freedom a tutu gives us, don't you think?

Our 1834 journey takes us to Paris, where the Paris Opera Ballet was having a roaring success with ballerinas who were truly taking center stage, leading the way with incredible, dramatic moves and powerful displays of artistry. The ballet itself was starting to mature from the beautiful but rather rigid court dances, taking on more emotion and expressiveness – can you imagine? Such exciting stuff!

Sadly, this era still hadn't caught onto the sheer magic of a tutu. Even though the length of dance dresses started to shorten, the emphasis remained on these layers of tulle and silk, beautiful in themselves, but definitely hindering the movement needed for a real pirouette or an arabesque. Oh my, I think we would have quite a lot of tutus in our luggage on a trip to Paris 1834, wouldn’t we!

Here in England, dancing was certainly alive and kicking. Dance schools flourished, from ballet classes to private lessons. Can you picture these elegant dance halls, all lit by candles, filled with the delightful strains of the pianoforte?

It wouldn't be long until dancers took to the stages of theaters across London. Some of the greats of the time were starting their careers now – Carlotta Grisi, Fanny Cerito and Lucile Grahn were a few of my absolute favourites. It was a really special time to be a ballet dancer.

There’s no mention of any of our darling ladies dancing in tutus in this era but don’t despair, tutu-loving followers, I’ll keep you informed about their wonderful evolutions, right here on Pink-Tutu.com! I’ve read some amazing accounts of how, slowly but surely, dresses were becoming simpler and easier to move in, opening the way to much more fluid and graceful moves and of course…to the most spectacularly liberating tutu of all time! I must pop over to my attic and rummage through some dusty old tomes. I’ll let you know when the history of the tutu really takes off, I think it’s coming very soon…

Now, you might be saying "Emma, 1834? That's a bit far back!" But trust me, finding inspiration from the past helps us appreciate our own times even more, wouldn't you agree? So how can we give a little bit of 1834 ballet history style to our own lives today?

I always think a tutu is always a good place to start. Try accessorizing with a pink ribbon in your hair, or adding a touch of tulle to a special outfit – you'll look and feel truly charming! And always, remember to add that bit of elegance and grace in your everyday life – a tiny touch of tutu magic can make the whole world a brighter place, and doesn't a touch of pink always brighten up your day?

That's all for now, my dearest friends! Be sure to join me next Tuesday for another fantastic journey into #TutuTuesday history, on the same site, Pink-Tutu.com. Remember, if you love to dance, a little tutu magic in your life never hurts!

Until then, happy twirling, and don't forget to wear a pink tutu! 🩰💖