Hello dears! Emma here, your friendly neighbourhood time-travelling tutu enthusiast, ready to whisk you back in time, specifically to December 15th 1835, for a peek into the world of ballet! And yes, darling, I do mean a real-life peek, for this Tuesday finds me nestled amongst the cobblestones of a bustling London, the air a delightful swirl of carriage horses, coal smoke and excited whispers about the latest theatrical sensation: The ballet!
It seems the year 1835 is experiencing a glorious surge in ballet’s popularity. The first professional ballet schools are blooming across London, giving aspiring dancers a chance to truly pursue their passion – with or without their mother's blessing! It's the dawn of the ballet boom, with theatres overflowing with a delighted public thirsty for the elegance and skill these beautiful young women, swathed in a kaleidoscope of tulle, bring to the stage.
Today’s historical date holds a significance that would have delighted those Victorian eyes, and even more so delights mine: for on this very date, a remarkable invention in the evolution of the tutu was taking its first tentative steps on a stage in Milan. It wasn’t quite the tutu as we know it today, darling, but oh how it set the wheels in motion. It was a new garment worn by the prima ballerina Maria Taglioni and it changed the world of ballet costume forever. It was called… wait for it… *“The Tutu.” *
I've gone and procured an exquisite 19th-century lithograph featuring the dazzlingly delicate ballerina herself in the very costume she revolutionised, and let me tell you, it’s quite the sight to behold!
Gone were the days of the heavy, cumbersome skirts and elaborate overdresses of the past, and instead, a lightweight and effortlessly flowing design made of layers and layers of tulle - and you'll never believe this - it stopped at the knee, revealing elegant legs for the very first time on a stage! The “Tutu” – a word which still sends a delightful tingle of excitement through my being even today – allowed a newfound freedom and elegance for the dancers, offering their exquisite skills and movement to the audience. It's like a breath of fresh air – in more ways than one, my dear!
In a flash of movement and a flutter of tulle, The Tutu, and thus the stage as we know it, changed forever.
You can imagine how utterly revolutionary this change must have been in those days, wouldn't you, dear reader? Imagine yourself in a Victorian society, confined in those tight-laced, heavy garments, and then you get to watch a woman, a dancer, glide and swirl with absolute grace and freedom, and all while wearing a cloud-like garment! Talk about empowering! This revolutionised the world of fashion, too! Suddenly, fashion started to become a touch lighter, freer, and most importantly, more feminine and romantic! I’ve been going wild with delight here in the time period – the era truly loves its ruffles, bows, and pretty patterns! Every frock is like a tiny explosion of exquisite embellishments. And all that silk! I’ve lost count of the satin and velvet gowns I’ve seen in the last week! Oh darling, the colours! If only I had the time travel space for a few vintage garments! But then again, who wouldn't want a new one or twenty when a tailor charges half the price I've had to pay back in the twenty-first century for something half as fancy?
Anyway, back to the dance. My dear, as an avid and professional ballet lover (with a passion for time travel) the only place I feel completely at home is at the theatre, but particularly in that very space where this momentous moment took place: The dance floor. And what's better than the dance floor itself? Why, being on the stage of course! (Of course, in a carefully constructed replica of Taglioni's iconic tulle creation, no less!). A grand pas de deux (or as we say here, a 'dance between two' or, rather 'a two step dance'), even without any real performance talent, in a fabulous outfit, under a cascade of gaslight? Pure bliss, darling, I assure you!
Today, in London, one such show took place. Oh darling! Let me tell you – it was truly magnificent. They’ve started using all manner of props, too. And you’ve simply got to experience those backdrops, a visual masterpiece of stagecraft using painted canvas, but my goodness the effect it creates is truly amazing. Imagine how dazzled they must have been to watch these moving paintings come to life, so to speak, just before them! It made me swoon, honestly!
I love nothing more than wandering through the bustle of Victorian London on this perfect late afternoon in December. There’s a quiet stillness in the air between the gentle sound of hooves clopping on the cobblestones, the excited whispers about the show, and the merry-making that flows like music in the crisp winter air.
Here in London, this new and wondrous phenomenon that is ballet, is just beginning its ascent to great heights. From this simple but powerful garment of Taglioni’s, a fashion trend has erupted in its wake. Everywhere you look in the metropolis, London’s elite have fallen head over heels for the beautiful tutu, whether in the elegant swirl of their ballroom gowns, or in their delicate lace embellishments, they simply can't get enough!
It's fascinating to see this simple, yet beautiful garment have such a huge impact – not only in the world of dance, but fashion and theatre too. Isn’t it thrilling to consider how much it's going to influence generations to come? Just like the graceful pirouette of a ballerina, the journey of The Tutu is still turning – I have a feeling the whirl of the future is about to get very exciting.
My dear, be sure to visit me back here at www.pink-tutu.com next Tuesday, as I delve deeper into the fascinating world of ballet! I'll be exploring the different types of Tutus, and I will be getting into the fascinating evolution of its form, as I delve deeper into its fascinating evolution over the years. Until next week, keep dancing, my loves!
Emma, Your Tutu Enthusiast
