Post #169
Hello my dearest Tutu-lovers!
Welcome back to another whirl through ballet history, your favourite Tuesday tradition! Today, we're waltzing all the way back to March 24th, 1835.
Now, let's get those pink tutus twirling â you know the drill, a good splash of colour always lifts the spirits! Weâre headed to the most glamorous city on Earth⊠drum roll Paris, darling! And itâs all thanks to that wonderfully eccentric, fashion-forward Italian chap, Carlo Blasis!
You might be asking yourselves â how did we even get a date for a tutu, considering the whole point of them is that delicate, whimsical feel? Well, that's where our good friend Mr. Blasis comes in.
Remember the Romantic period, darling? Full of swooning emotions and the perfect era for beautiful costumes to match. Well, before 1835, ballet tutus were really just what they called the long skirts of the time, swishing about like glorious waves. Mr. Blasis, whoâd just released his "Traite elementaire, thĂ©orique et pratique de lâart de la danseâ (or as I call it â a masterclass on ballet tutus!), took those romantic skirts and decided they needed more, darling! He cut them just above the knees and, wouldn't you know it, that little slice of cloth opened up a whole world of pirouettes and fouettes!
You know me and my obsession with all things pink! Itâs almost divine retribution, darling. Why was the 1830s all about a splash of pink, and here we have Mr. Blasis bringing the shorter, lighter, more twirl-worthy tutu, just as the color is becoming wildly popular! It's as if destiny was handing out tutus for every occasion â thatâs fashion for you, babes.
Now, where were we? Paris in 1835, with all the drama, all the passion, all the flair, all the beautiful colours of the Romantics â who wouldn't want to be there! Itâs truly inspiring to picture those grand, theatrical stages, ladies with their voluminous skirts, the twinkle of gaslight shining down on them⊠Imagine being the first person to see Mr. Blasisâs new creation! It must have been the most thrilling feeling to witness the elegance of a dancer, pirouetting and gliding like a graceful swan!
Fast forward a little bit! Imagine Parisâs streets full of ladies in their little pink dresses â so cute, so adorable â then imagine someone bringing the tutu out of the stage and into the streets, into the world! Just think of all the colours you could have addedâŠ
There would be green, there would be red, there would be turquoise and yellow! Think of all the fabrics you could have incorporated â satin, silk, tulle! What a time to be alive, right? (But no, we must not change the course of time, remember, just enjoy the peek.)
To put things into a more modern context: 1835 was basically when Mr. Blasis set the trend! That short tutu became iconic. Just like this fabulous pink one I have on, my dearest friends!
Fashion forward or time traveller? You decide!
I bet you're thinking â 'Well, thatâs interesting Emma, but what happened on March 24th 1835, to add to your fantastically pink and tutu-ful story?**
Thatâs what makes history so fascinating. I, myself, haven't managed to find anything particularly noteworthy happening that specific date except for the beauty of ballet. Imagine how amazing it would be to be present for the birth of ballet tutus, like theyâve just popped up on the world! But we are here in the present!
What are your thoughts on 1835âs ballet? I know I wouldâve loved a tutu back thenâŠ
Itâs all about embraceing fashion! Weâre on a mission, babes! Everyone will wear pink! Let me know what you're wearing to class today â donât be afraid to add some sparkle, and a pink tulle for the most fabulous feeling!
Until next week, darling!
Stay chic, stay fabulous, and keep twirling!
*Yours truly, *
Emma (your ever-so-slightly-time-traveling pink-tutu blogger).
#TutuTuesday #BalletHistory #FashionHistory #Paris #PinkTutus #TwirlingTime #ThePinkTutuProject
