Hello darlings, and welcome back to Pink-Tutu.com! It's me, Emma, your friendly neighbourhood ballerina and tutu enthusiast, back for another fabulous journey through the world of the tutu. Today's #TutuTuesday takes us on a thrilling train ride back to 1838 – hold onto your tiaras, it's going to be a whirl!
As I step off the steam engine in bustling Paris, the air crackles with excitement and the unmistakable whiff of freshly baked pastries. Parisian fashion is a marvel, even in 1838, with ladies sporting the latest styles: voluminous skirts, intricately patterned shawls, and, oh my goodness, bonnets adorned with plumes that would make even the most glamorous peacock blush.
Now, my dears, while Parisian ladies may be clad in the finest of fabrics and adorned with feathers and flowers, tutus, as we know them, are simply not a part of the picture yet. Imagine! We’re talking pre-Romantic era ballet, before tutus, where the ballet skirts of the time are quite… different.
Ballet in the 1830s? A Touch of 'Oh My!
It's a curious sight! The ballerinas wear long, billowing skirts – not the sleek, form-fitting ones that would later become synonymous with ballet. Imagine dancing with those flowing fabrics! It would take a serious skillset to keep your balance and elegance, especially with a full set of layered skirts to manage.
Speaking of elegance, did you know, my darlings, that on the 18th of December, 1838, we see the first performance of The Devil’s Foot, * a ballet spectacle by Adolphe Adam, an incredibly talented French composer who also penned the magical *Giselle, with its stunning ballet repertoire. **
The Devil’s Foot,** was a dramatic masterpiece of dancing, a tale of good versus evil, perfect for the theatre buffs and ballet lovers of the time. You can bet there were whispers of tutus and dramatic entrances amongst the audience, even though tutus as we know them today were still yet to come.
Tutus, Fashion and The Long Road to Ballet as We Know it
Think of it like this, my darlings. Fashion, much like ballet, evolves at a leisurely, beautiful pace. In the mid-19th century, tutus are slowly transforming into something resembling what we know and love today. The Romantic Era of Ballet was on the horizon and that means lighter, more delicate dresses were on the menu. Think of ethereal, swirling fabrics, shorter skirts, and finally, we're approaching the ballet dresses we adore.
This is not just about style, though. Remember, the transition towards tutus wasn't merely about aesthetics. It allowed for more expressive movement, more graceful leaps and pirouettes, and greater emphasis on the body’s elegant articulation, marking a turning point in how we perceive ballet to this day!
Shopping & The Journey Onwards
Imagine how much I adore shopping at every vintage shop in this period! The intricate corsetry, the delicate embroidery – the history woven into every garment just fascinates me. Imagine what ballet would look like in 2023 in these clothes? I’m getting carried away.
But wait, my lovelies, we can’t end this post without talking about the iconic, the stunning, the magnificent - the tutu! I must find out if these early ballerina dresses could be considered the great-great-grandmamas of today’s graceful, frothy masterpieces!
This trip through time, my dears, is a testament to the continuous evolution of dance and style. It’s proof that beauty never truly fades, only finds new forms of expression, just like how tutus found their place in the world. I’m off to Paris again this week - you can bet I’ll find a new pink tutu for my ballet costume to match! See you soon.
With a pirouette and a smile, Emma xx
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