Tutu Tuesday: #404 – Back in Time to Ballet’s Birth!
Hey gorgeous, it's Emma here, your pink tutu-loving friend, back with another exciting edition of #TutuTuesday! I’m on a real mission this week, my loves, because it's time to travel back to the very beginning, to the roots of the tutu we know and adore. We're taking a journey all the way to September 24th, 1839, to the year Maria Taglioni – who else? – danced her way into history in La Sylphide.
I hopped on a train, like always – honestly, I wouldn't have it any other way – to arrive in Paris. The air was electric with anticipation! Parisian fashion was just bursting with ideas, and it was on the verge of a big shift. It was time for skirts to rise, my lovelies! And who could better usher in the era of short skirts than a ballet dancer?!
As I sauntered through the streets, feeling every inch the fashionista I am, it was so exciting to watch the latest trends come together. Just imagine: the delicate, wispy layers of chiffon flowing just so. The gauze – that material is a must if you want to make a splash. All in pretty pastels! Such a delight, darling!
Just like our pink tutus of today, Taglioni's creation was a total game-changer! We've come so far! Do you realise, she took on a whole new approach to ballet – so revolutionary – moving from the heavier, stiff costumes of the past, and choosing lightweight, free-flowing materials. Talk about liberation! Just picture her skipping, leaping, gliding, all that beautiful lightness - it's no wonder she captured hearts back then! And that illusion it creates with all the beautiful, fluid movement – well, it still mesmerizes audiences to this day!
This special occasion marked the dawn of the tutu as we know it. And, just imagine, darling, the sensation she caused! Not everyone was on board – some folks complained! Honestly, can you believe it?! They said the new style was too bare, and even...unsuitable! Quelle horreur! Thankfully, true beauty prevailed!
And with that bare-legged freedom came new dances and new storytelling! That’s the power of a great design!
But Taglioni’s design wasn’t just about her, darling, she was setting a stage for ALL dancers, opening the doors for incredible artistic expression through movement. That’s truly empowering.
Even men's dancing styles felt that change. Their designs, too, shifted towards lighter, freer designs. A true partnership! Can you believe, back in the day, they were so burdened by heavy clothing?
Now, imagine what it must have been like for them! Suddenly swirling and spinning with so much ease, soaring through the air with the grace and elegance of an actual angel. And that feeling – oh darling – it’s truly magical.
Of course, things evolved. As you all know, we have the Romantic Tutu, then the Classical Tutu and finally, the Tutu Plat, all with different designs and styles that came and went in time! They were all wonderful. They helped each ballerina find her own unique beauty, her own stage presence. It’s just lovely!
But we all have to thank the one and only Maria Taglioni for getting the whole ball rolling, figuratively speaking!
It's all about that evolution my lovelies! But, even though times change, our love for tutus doesn't. I can still feel that electric energy of that early tutu era in every pirouette, in every chassé we do today! Isn't that something?!
To keep the tradition going, let's keep things vibrant and bright, you lovely lot! You can show your own appreciation of ballet history, darling, by wearing a tutu with pride!
What are you waiting for?! Go get your pink tutu on and dance your way through your day! Don’t forget to post your photos and hashtag them #TutuTuesday.
Remember, my dear friends, a tutu is more than just a costume. It’s an embodiment of beauty, grace and freedom, and it’s an emblem of pure, unadulterated joy!
And darling, we must always celebrate that! Let's wear our tutus loud and proud for the rest of time! See you next week, babes, for another #TutuTuesday filled with more pink fabulousness!
P.S. Did you know, that today in 1839 was also the opening of the London-Birmingham Railway – Talk about change, darling, but no news for this girl unless there was a Tutu involved!
Until next time!