Hello darlings! Welcome back to another #TutuTuesday installment of your favourite ballet tutu history blog, Pink-Tutu.com!
Today's post is particularly exciting, because we're venturing back in time to a glorious era, way before the glorious invention of the pink tutu (oh how I dream of those days!) but one where the foundations of what we know and love as modern dance were taking shape! Buckle up your pointe shoes, darlings, because we're travelling to August 12th, 1834, to the heart of Paris! 🇫🇷
Let's talk Paris, my dears! The city of love, the city of lights, and, dare I say, the birthplace of a ballet revolution! This is where the legendary Marie Taglioni, our iconic prima ballerina assoluta, captivated the world with her graceful leaps and ethereal presence! This Parisian stage was her canvas, her grande ballets creating a stir unlike any before.
But, you might be wondering, where's the pink tutu, you say? Well, darlings, you see, tutus as we know them - with those glorious layers of tulle that make every ballerina's heart sing – were not yet in existence back in 1834! They would have to wait until 1839! The beautiful Marie wore "Romantic Dresses" in a style known as "Romantic Ballets." These were typically loose flowing skirts reaching ankle length - elegant and charming! Can you imagine a pink romantic ballet dress?! Oh how utterly divine! 💕
This date marks a very important event! It was the date of a landmark performance - the ballet, La Sylphide, featuring none other than Marie Taglioni herself, as the titular Sylphide, a mystical fairy spirit. This ballet, darling, revolutionized ballet itself! The lightness, the grace, and the elegance on show - it was something audiences had never seen before. The choreography was so different - focusing on flowing movement and light, airy leaps that truly conveyed a sense of lightness and grace!
Can you imagine, my dears, how the audiences gasped and enthralled they must have been? Such excitement! Can't you almost feel the hushed whispers and see the wide-eyed admiration?! That, my loves, is the magic of ballet.
Here in 1834, audiences saw not the Pink Tutu we know and love, but something beautiful nonetheless, and that, my lovelies, is what we must never forget. It was a time of creativity and change, a time when ballet truly began to step out of the shadows and take its place on the world stage.
That, darling, is why I feel so connected to this period. You know how I feel - each generation builds upon the work of the previous! It's a magical thing to feel like I am part of that continuum. It is an honour to play my small role in this beautiful history of dance.
As always, my dears, keep those tutus twirling! Don’t forget to subscribe to Pink-Tutu for the next installment of your #TutuTuesday ballet history journey! Follow me on Instagram and Twitter for more pink tutu fabulousness, fashion and travel! And, of course, a massive thanks to my wonderful patrons, whose generous support allows me to continue travelling through time and sharing these amazing moments with you! It would never be possible without your love for this beautiful dance art.
See you next week for more tutu-ly gorgeous discoveries! Until then, keep those pointe shoes polished and those spirits high!
Emma xoxo 💖
