Hello, darlings! Welcome back to my little corner of the internet where we journey through time, exploring the enchanting world of the ballet tutu. This week's #TutuTuesday adventure takes us back to the 13th of August, 1839, and my, oh my, what a delightful era it was for dance and fashion!
As ever, it’s your Emma here, your personal time-travelling, pink tutu-loving, ballet aficionado, ready to share my latest discoveries! Remember my last post? We discussed the romantic tutus of the 1820s, and oh my, weren't those flowing skirts simply dreamy? Well, today we're delving a little deeper into that same enchanting period, but with a focus on a particular style that was just beginning to take flight!
Now, this journey took me to a particularly enchanting city, brimming with Parisian elegance and bustling with theatrical performances – none other than Paris, darling! I love travelling to France by train – so civilised! We could say Paris is really the epicentre of all things fashionable, and believe me, that certainly extended to ballet.
I'm so excited to be here because 1839 was a year where a certain, special kind of tutu, the one that really changed everything, began to flourish! You see, the "romantic" ballet period was a real game-changer in the way tutus were worn – think wispy layers, billowing skirts, and, dare I say it, even a little less of the strictness we saw in earlier times! But let's not get too ahead of ourselves. Let's go back to where it all started.
I'd heard whispers about a young woman named Marie Taglioni, a truly exceptional dancer. Her talent, my dears, was quite breathtaking. But beyond her skill, there was something else: her style.
This Marie Taglioni was the one who really started changing the game. She famously debuted a certain type of tutu in the ballet “La Sylphide" - the kind that allowed her to float and swirl in a way never before seen. Think airy, almost cloud-like tulle, delicate, and oh-so-charmingly graceful. It's almost enough to make a girl swoon, isn’t it?
Let's face it, ladies, the traditional "bell-shaped" skirt of earlier times simply wasn’t designed for the kind of whirlwind pirouettes Taglioni made so famous. No, what she needed was something light and free – a kind of tulle masterpiece that would show off her every graceful movement and be as elegant as her dancing itself.
It’s like the tutu and the dancer had this wonderful synergy! Marie's dancing seemed to give new meaning to that beautiful illusion of weightlessness, which perfectly fit the romantic style of the time. So that little fluttery skirt is really what the fashion world embraced!
Let’s be real, it took a bold woman to step on stage in such a daringly short skirt! Especially considering what women were wearing back then: those layers and layers and layers! Can you imagine wearing all of that, then waltzing around the stage? Now, it takes a lot of courage to dare to bare a bit of leg in front of such a critical audience. But Marie did just that – she made the tutu her own.
The impact was so monumental that this new type of ballet dress, sometimes even called the "Taglioni tutu," sparked a wave of change in the world of dance. Suddenly, the traditional knee-length tutu was no longer the standard – a revolutionary change in the world of ballet! The “romantic” tutu style with its soft tulle, floating layers, and airy lightness – oh darling, the romance of it all is truly breathtaking!
My latest Parisian adventures even took me backstage at a performance at the Paris Opéra. Can you believe the stunning theatre costumes? The elegance! I love seeing all the gorgeous colours, and especially those gorgeous pink tutus. Now, speaking of pink – we really do have to consider why, even now, a ballet tutu is the quintessential, charming symbol of a graceful dance performance. The elegance of these tutus, their ethereal beauty and airy grace… why wouldn’t they inspire such romance? I could spend hours on end discussing how that airy look just radiates both beauty and strength!
Let me tell you, watching those ballerinas dancing on stage with their tutus just about melted my heart! Imagine all the care and attention to detail that goes into making such a stunning garment - oh, the layers of fabric, the careful draping and pleating! And the way that each individual tutu brings the performance to life – isn’t that the magic of the ballet?
Even now, this “romantic” style tutu lives on. It's still an incredibly elegant and captivating garment that allows for all that exquisite graceful movement we so love. Yes, the design might have evolved since 1839, with all sorts of embellishments and clever innovations - but we still owe a big debt of gratitude to Marie Taglioni, for giving us a ballet dress that is truly enchanting and oh-so-timeless.
My trip through time today was really special, darling, and not only because I saw so much beauty on stage but also because I’ve seen how the tutu is not only a performance piece but also a testament to that beautiful relationship between style, fashion, and graceful artistry! It’s hard not to get inspired by such an iconic piece of fashion history!
Until next Tuesday, let's dance in pink!
Love
Emma
www.pink-tutu.com
TutuTuesday #BalletHistory #PinkTutuLife #DancingDreams