Welcome back, darling dears, to Pink-Tutu.com! It's your favourite Tuesday, and I'm back with another dazzling dose of Ballet Tutu History. I'm so excited for todayās post because, well, letās just say itās positively brimming with pink! Itās #TutuTuesday, and as always, weāre going back in timeā¦ this week, we're stepping into the glittering, romantic world of ballet back in 1836, the year the ballet Giselle - a tale as old as time, but certainly not old hat ā was born!
I mean, imagine 1836 in London ā cobbled streets, lampposts casting long shadows, gas lamps illuminating the stages of the Royal Opera Houseā¦ Itās pure Victorian romance, wouldn't you say? The theatre's abuzz with excitement, fashion is positively flourishing - think crinoline dresses, lavish gloves, bonnets with sweeping plumesā¦
Ah, but hold on! Youāre probably thinking - āWhat about the ballerinas, Emma?" Cue the dramatic flourish. They were waltzing their way through the Romantic era with even more extravagant outfits. Forget todayās sleek, modern leotards; these beauties were clad in a dizzying array of tutus, with tiers of billowing tulle cascading down their slender frames ā picture Marie Taglioni at her most elegant.
The tutus we see today are a long way from their 1836 beginnings, you see. The shortened, layered, ruffled tutu, what we think of as the iconic tutu, it wasnāt around yet! The earlier ātutusā were longer, closer to the āromanā skirtā, with less volume. They gave the ballerinas a sense of flight, like the wispy clouds drifting through the night. *1836, ladies and gents, was a golden age for *tutu inspiration. Imagine being swept up in this artistic whirl of romanceā¦
So, whatās been happening on 2nd August 1836? The world of ballet has certainly been keeping busy:
Just three months ago, March 28th, was the premiere of Giselle, which was a groundbreaking piece for ballerinas. The iconic, heartbreaking role of the titular Giselle was danced by none other than Marie Taglioni, the star of the show - I do hope Iāve inspired you with that little name drop! Giselle, the romantic tale of a village girlās devotion and sorrow, captured hearts worldwide and became a staple in the ballet world! It's a must-see! You must see it if you haven't. And even if you have, it's a joy to watch, so see it again. Oh, my goodness.
Speaking of iconic ballerinas, Carlotta Grisi made her debut this year - and yes, she did wear the more romantic-era long, gathered skirts - but her sparkle has certainly sparkled throughout history. This amazing woman danced Giselle, but not only that, she created her own iconic character as the Sylph in La Sylphide, another ballet set in the mystical woodsā¦
And remember ā itās all thanks to the designers, the fabricators, the costume makers. It was their talent, their imagination, that brought these magical creations to life on the stage! Oh, I could swoon with every delicate fabric and delicate layer! You can see for yourselves if you travel back in timeā¦
You're likely picturing myself in my vintage-style pink tutu, swooning with a tiny bit of exaggeration as I tell this, but my inner child loves to watch all of these amazing creations brought to life! I can almost hear the music, see the sweeping pas de deux. Oh! *Itās almost like being thereā¦ *
*Now, speaking of tutusā¦ *
Pink! I just canāt get enough of the gorgeous hue of this year ā so dreamy. I even went for an absolutely divine pink sari the other dayā¦ yes, darling, you read that right. And as you know, when it comes to tutus, it's pink, pink, pink!
And, my dears, 1836 was truly the era when pink exploded onto the stage! If the pink tutu was the queen of fashion at that timeā¦ and they werenāt in their shortened form at this pointā¦ But if they had been? Well, donāt worry, ladies and gents, *weāll be revisiting those iconic, layered pink creations in due course!
The pink tutuā¦ ah! Let me share my latest shopping discoveries, because a good ballerina never stops searching for the perfect pink, for the perfect tulle! I canāt resist sharing a delightful dress shop - oh, it was almost a little hidden gem. Now, it was quite a trip, you see. There was the station, and then the bustle of the coach travelā¦ But once you get inside, you are greeted with racks upon racks of luxurious silkā¦ Oh, dear, so divine!
The *gorgeous silk in that beautiful shop... sigh... that divine blush of pink. So, I did have to indulgeā¦ Let me assure youā¦ a new tutu, for myself, for the collectionā¦ it will arrive next weekā¦ And it may beā¦ oh dearā¦ a bit on the bold sideā¦ Ahem. We might see a little preview on the Pink Tutu social media pages...
Donāt forget, darling readers, we travel the world together on these #TutuTuesday journeys!
Next weekā¦ well, the future of fashion is always full of surprises. Andā¦ whisper thisā¦ we might see someā¦ *very pink surprises comingā¦ *
Until then, keep twirling, keep shining, and stay glamorous!
Much Love,
Emma
Pink-Tutu.com
