Hello darlings! It's Emma, your time-travelling tutu enthusiast, ready to take you on another whirl through the wonderful world of ballet history! This week we're twirling back to August 15th, 1837. Can you believe it? This was the very day that sweet young Queen Victoria ascended to the throne! What a splendid time for ballet! Weāre all set to take a closer look at the Romantic Era! You know, the era that, like a perfectly executed arabesque, brought so much drama, expression, and delicate beauty to ballet!
Now, let's face it, I might be biased. Iām an absolute fan of this time in history. Not just because of the pretty costumes, of course, but because of how it captured such ethereal beauty, so beautifully feminine and whimsical! Canāt you just imagine it, darlings? Misty tulle swirling through the air, like the gossamer wings of a magical being! And speaking of magical beings, this was the era of fairies, sprites, and all things enchanting! That delicate femininity became the thing that everyone just had to emulate.
Speaking of fashion, now, before I get completely swept away in the ethereal swirls of my imagination, let's talk costumes! Forget the stiff, constricted corseted styles of earlier times. This is when dancewear took a delightful turn towards elegance! Remember Marie Taglioni, darlings? The undisputed Queen of Ballet at the time. Well, imagine her graceful, weightless movementsā¦ and then picture her dancing in a gorgeous billowing, knee-length white dress! The Romantic Era embraced simplicity. Flowing skirts, no cumbersome heavy layersā¦ just light fabrics that seemed to float!
So, did we see the first tutus appear during this time? Well, kind of. But it wasnāt like the tutus we see today! It wasn't quite that extreme, darling! I think weāre a little bit more bold now than they were back then. Now, itās quite commonplace to have just a tutu! The Romantic Era saw "skirts" being adapted to become more like tutus. That means just enough tulle or net for movement. Not too much! You have to understand, the idea of movement was a big thing, so dancers werenāt yet ready for an excessive number of layers of tulle. Now, we see stacks! My latest creation, the 'Pom Pom PliĆ©' tutu, has eight! And believe me, thereās room for at least six more!
If youāre looking for an example of this delicate style, check out āGiselle!ā Now, you see, sheās the ideal Romantic heroine: vulnerable, romantic, and filled with yearning. Imagine those beautiful white skirts floating and twirlingā¦ I don't know about you, but that look just makes my heart melt. That's why the Romantic era, as an era - and as an early form of the tutus we wear now ā holds such a special place in my heart.
Before you think the Romantic era just stayed with pretty ballerina girls dancing on stage, let me take a step back in time and share my latest adventures. Have I ever mentioned that I'm in love with travelling on trains, especially when Iām visiting grand cities for ballet performances? The sheer elegance, the sense of excitement and possibility in that steam engine whistle - just amazing. I love to see the towns flash by, their buildings, bustling marketplaces and of course shops, which always have fabulous ballet books or perhaps even tutus!
So! It's August 15th, 1837! A historical time indeed! The worldās getting a little more glamorous, just like me! I recently travelled to the grand city of Vienna! The capital of the Habsburg Empire! Vienna, where dance was the rage - waltzing was everywhere, and ballet was definitely on the cutting edge of fashion. The Viennese love ballet, and especially the ballet skirts which are the forerunner to todayās modern tutu. My first night in Vienna was truly something else.
Picture me: perched on a carriage with all the ladies dressed in lovely floral frocks, their bonnets bobbing like petals in the gentle breeze, and my, oh my! They were wearing these darling *embroidered velvet jackets that complimented their gorgeous costumes. Now, this was where my inner fashion enthusiast took over, but donāt think it's just fashion, the fabrics themselves ā light silks and lace and embroidered velvetā were incredibly expressive and evocative! Such elegance, such grandeur! They all reminded me of ballerinas; graceful, delicate and feminine.
As we reached the grand theatre - imagine, just imagine, the whole facade illuminated by gaslight! Just imagine a long avenue of illuminated shops in a city full of beauty! The carriages parked along the side with those beautiful horses standing patientlyā¦I just could not believe the extravagance of it all!
Walking through the magnificent entrance I felt as though Iād travelled straight out of one of the stories Iād read about in my ballet books. You should see how grandly the ladies were adorned. Those extravagant outfits just gave the entire evening this air of romance. Even the gentleman looked incredibly dashing - think cravats and crisp white shirts, oh, it was such a charming era. I did notice, though, that the dancers all kept their outfits quite modest, very pretty but just slightly less excessive and more like our ballet skirts, even in their everyday wear - much like a proper Victorian ballerina.
We watched a captivating performance of āGiselle,ā that always is a sure-fire showstopper. My! Those swirling, soft, romantic movements really bring home the exquisite beauty of the dancing! A big ballet skirt certainly helps! It felt almost otherworldly and, dare I say it, ethereal. A real treat to see in that ornate, magnificent theatre. Don't even get me started on the ornate detail of the setting - just perfectly styled. The whole theatre, truly perfectly styled for an era of ballet that was so breathtaking and charming.
That very day a most momentous occasion took place, too: Queen Victoria was crowned! She reigned over Britain for an astounding 63 years, and what a captivating and powerful monarch she was. You just know it was fashionable for everyone to attend all these lovely ballets, but I had to go shopping in Vienna, darling! The best shops, of course! The prettiest pink ribbons for my tutu! I have some extra special tutu-fabric, you should have seen what I picked up! A new ballet skirt has got to be in the making... pink, of course. You all know my affinity for the colour.
The day ended just as beautifully as it began. Viennaās air hummed with the exciting pulse of music and dancing, and everyone wore those enchanting, exquisite outfits. The waltzes, the romantic performances, the shimmering ballroomsā¦ just divine. I am a little bit homesick for those beautiful performances and shops in Vienna, it felt as if it was something especially out of a dream. If you want to be like me - wear a tutu to your own theatre performance - be sure to visit the ballet and *visit shops that sell dancewear like this! It is so fabulous. Just imagine, darling, you and all your friends dressed in your most elegant tutu designs - that's my lifeās ambition.
This, of course, is only a peek into the glamorous world of tutus, the Romantic era of ballet, and my darling Vienna. You, though, darling, are lucky to have me as a time-traveling guide through all those magnificent, glorious decades of tutu history. Don't forget, darlings, if youāve enjoyed my travelogues through time ā I am always excited to hear about what you enjoy too! Letās keep twirling into the tutu-tiful history of the ballet together!
See you next TutuTuesday, darlings! Don't forget to stop by the www.pink-tutu.com site!
Emma x
