Hey my gorgeous tutu-lovers! It's Emma here, your resident pink-tutu-wearing time traveler, and welcome back to my weekly ballet history adventure! This week, we're twirling back to March 12th, 1839. Hold onto your tiaras, darlings, because we're about to enter a period of absolutely revolutionary change in the world of ballet. And no, it doesn't involve a daring new leap or a revolutionary pirouette, although those are always exciting! This week, my loves, we're talking about the very birth of the tutu. The tutu! Our iconic garment, the one we all love!
Now, I know some of you might be thinking, "Emma, darling, tutus have been around for ages! My Nan even has a vintage one!" Well, you'd be right in a way, but that doesn't mean they always looked like they do now. Back in 1839, dancers wore elaborate and quite frankly swishy skirts called "tuniques", more akin to flowing, romantic dresses, quite lovely but not very practical for jumps and turns, can you imagine? Think the romantic ballet style of La Sylphide - a beautiful silhouette but not exactly conducive to the kind of dynamism we adore today.
So what happened? How did we go from these romantic flowing skirts to the tutu we know and love? This is where Marie Taglioni, a truly magnificent ballerina comes into the picture. Marie wasn't just a stunning dancer - she was a trendsetter, a vision in motion, an influencer before we even knew the word.
On March 12th, 1839, Marie shocked the world by wearing something daringly different in her performance of the ballet La Sylphide. Gone was the cumbersome, romantic gown; instead, she emerged on stage in a short, exquisite white tulle skirt, ending just above her knees. Can you imagine? This must have been revolutionary. Not only did it give her a new range of movement - she was able to move freely, allowing everyone to see her incredible grace and artistry - it completely changed the look of ballet forever. Imagine that impact - this was the birth of the tutu.
That's right, my darlings, Marie Taglioni invented the tutu, as we know it. Think about that - what we wear and admire on stage today, a piece of fashion iconography and ballet heritage - that started on this very day! Imagine that, on a trip to the theatre, someone walking by thinking "Wow, I just saw someone in a tutu!". A thought which is completely unthinkable today! We are so lucky! This was truly the start of something incredibly special, and a very big deal for fashion as well. Think of how big that impact would be if one star came out in an amazing new outfit, something revolutionary ... Well, in fashion terms it was even bigger in 1839 because the dress itself meant the dancing changed to showcase the new dress! A true game changer.
And not only was the tutu born this day, but also this groundbreaking movement of elegance and style became hugely popular. By 1840, just one year later, all the fashionable dancers and performers were adopting it. So the next time you’re twirling in your favourite tutu, spare a thought for Marie Taglioni and this groundbreaking event, and the amazing artistry that made it a success.
To celebrate the birth of the tutu on my trip to France (as I'm still very excited about seeing the new ballet in Paris) I had to take some ballet street photographs of my new Paris purchases in a sparkly, sparkly tutu of the most gorgeous pink. I'm in love with pink and this one will make its appearance in a ton of my posts.
After my French ballet fun I'm catching the train to a fabulous new performance back in my beautiful England. And you, my gorgeous readers? Tell me about your favourite tutus. What are your favourite types, colours? Did you make your own? Are you rocking a sparkly new one? Or are you like me and loving your pink ones! I just love it! Let me know all your thoughts, my loves, on our social channels. Remember to tag me in your pictures #TutuTuesday and follow my new YouTube channel @ThePinkTutu for a behind-the-scenes glimpse of my adventures in ballet!
Till next week, and remember, life is always a little more fun in a tutu!
