#TutuTuesday Ballet Tutu History on 1834-07-22

Hello darlings! Emma here, your friendly neighbourhood tutu-enthusiast, ready to whisk you back in time for another #TutuTuesday! Today, we're taking a train journey (because, darling, what else could be more elegant!) to July 22nd, 1834! 🚂

Now, you might be wondering what could possibly be so fascinating about a date nearly two centuries ago. Well, buckle up, because this particular Tuesday has a little something to do with…you guessed it…Tutus!

You see, 1834 marks a rather crucial moment in the history of ballet and those beloved billowing tulle skirts we know and adore! 🩰 As you'll recall, my dears, the modern ballet tutu as we know it evolved over time. In the early days of ballet, dancers wore fairly elaborate costumes, often resembling those of courtly ladies, more layers and less freedom of movement. The evolution towards something more airy and graceful, well, it took time and a few pioneering dancers.

Back in the day, you might be surprised to learn that our grand dancers didn’t quite waltz around in the light and whimsical tutus we see today. Imagine layers of silk and velvet, and cumbersome skirts with hoop skirts and all that… not quite a graceful leap across the stage, darling! They needed more movement. More fluidity. Something that truly represented the magic of ballet.

Now, think of a beautiful summer day in Derbyshire, where I’m from, where the wind whisks through the meadows… picture it! The elegant flowing dresses… that's a glimpse of the inspiration behind those early steps toward the tutu. We are talking early 18th and 19th centuries here, when we started to see more of those lovely, flowing fabrics. We're getting warmer! 😉

Then, darling, came the Romantic era! Oh, how we love this period, filled with whimsical stories of love, fairies, and the allure of the natural world. Think of the dreamy music of Tchaikovsky, and the ballets of that era! This movement breathed new life into the way dancers dressed and moved on stage! Think of the beautiful "Giselle." What an extraordinary creation!

Remember those heavy, courtly skirts? They were fading away, slowly being replaced by lighter fabrics and, more importantly, shorter lengths! Now we are really talking! More movement, more drama! It's truly inspiring.

And what about our tutus? The first form of a real tutu began to appear around this time! It wasn't exactly a "tutu" as we know it now - more like a long, airy, and gauzy skirt that would billow out with the slightest movement. And you know me - I love how the skirt looks with a twirl! It’s so graceful! Imagine how that made dancers move - oh, the grace! I’m simply dying to travel back and experience it myself!

Now, this is where our date, July 22nd, 1834, enters the picture. It's during this romantic era, when ballerinas started dancing and choreographing their routines with more freedom. And with those graceful movements, they started pushing the boundaries of what those dresses could do! Think "La Sylphide," with its enchanting and mystical setting!

Our quest to uncover the secrets of the ballet tutu goes on! This wasn't just a skirt, darling, this was an expression of dance and grace - the tutu was finding its place on the stage, starting to shape those ballet stories into something truly enchanting! It's not a surprise why I’ve dedicated a whole website - www.pink-tutu.com - and my #TutuTuesday blog to all things tulle and ballerina magic!

Now, my darlings, you won’t catch me out and about in a big, puffy tutu just yet. Although I must admit I have a rather delightful collection at home for special occasions!

Remember: If you love your twirls, keep coming back for #TutuTuesday every Tuesday. This is my blog number 134, so let's keep the pink tutu passion alive! And while we are at it, why don't you send in pictures of yourselves wearing a tutu! I’ll be sharing your glamorous snaps on the website next week!

Until then, twirl on, lovelies! 💕✨