Hello fellow tutu-lovers! It's your favourite Derbyshire girl, Emma, here, and welcome to #TutuTuesday, post number 464! This week we're stepping back in time to the 17th of November, 1840, and it's a rather exciting date for ballet history!
It's always a joy to jump on the train and whizz through time, seeing how fashion changes and evolves with the eras. Of course, as a lifelong devotee to the glorious tutu, I'm especially thrilled when I can find evidence of our favourite garment's journey.
So, gather 'round, my dearest pink tutu enthusiasts! We're about to travel to the beautiful, elegant heart of the ballet world...Paris. The 19th century was the Golden Age of ballet, a period overflowing with extraordinary talent and magnificent innovation. It's truly a shame I couldn't travel further back, back to the time of Louis XIV's ballets, when court dancers were dressed in intricate costumes, already beginning to hint at the tutu to come!
But let's rewind back to our 17th of November, 1840. What's happening? Why, it's the opening night of La Sylphide, a legendary ballet by the celebrated choreographer Filippo Taglioni. Now, this ballet was truly a game-changer in ballet history. It broke away from the grand, formal ballets of the past and introduced a new romantic, light and ethereal style of dance. This was a ballet full of emotion, passion, and graceful movements, and with it, came a dramatic shift in the costumes - cue the entrance of the Tutu.
Imagine my excitement! Picture a ballet performance in the grandeur of the Paris Opera House. The curtain rises, and there she is - the Sylphide. But what is she wearing? She's dressed in a costume that seems as light and whimsical as she is - a white, flowing tunic, the bodice tight, and ... wait for it ... her skirt made of just layers of soft, tulle! This is the precursor to the tutu we know and love!
This revolutionary garment is attributed to the innovative dressmaker Marie Taglioni, who designed the costume for her own daughter Marie, who would, of course, play the role of the Sylphide. This change from the long, restrictive skirts of the past to this shorter, lighter garment was absolutely groundbreaking, as it allowed the dancers to perform leaps, turns and pirouettes with incredible freedom and elegance!
So there you have it! The 17th of November, 1840, a landmark day in ballet history. While it wouldn't be until later, in the 1850s, that the first truly recognisable tutus, made with layers of stiffened, net tulle, would truly emerge on the stage. This innovation meant that even more dramatic leaps and jumps could be executed by the dancers. The tutus became bigger, even more beautiful, and truly symbolic of this breathtaking form of art.
And speaking of breathtaking... isn't it an extraordinary coincidence that the debut of La Sylphide also took place on Marie Taglioni's 22nd birthday? Just another piece of ballet history magic, wouldn't you say?
I think we should give a round of applause to the Taglionis, mother and daughter, for paving the way for the ballet we adore today. They set the stage for the rise of romantic ballet, with the tutu being the perfect embodiment of its spirit. And oh, that beautiful white tulle, how I could swoon for days! I'm already imagining my own version of a white tutu for next week's blog post, perhaps with a dash of blush pink!.
Before I say goodbye, dear tutu-loving friends, a little peek at what I discovered on this trip through time. I stumbled across the news of Charles Dickens’ “The Old Curiosity Shop” being serialized, a heartwarming and captivating story with plenty of beautiful language and descriptions. I believe I may just have to pick up a copy of the story later!
It's a joy to travel to the heart of the world where tutu fever first began! Stay tuned, darlings, for next week’s #TutuTuesday when I delve deeper into the story of the tutu, and all its gorgeous iterations, and who knows, maybe I’ll even indulge in a spot of shopping for new additions to my own pink tutu collection. Until then, embrace your inner ballerina and spread a little tutu-liciousness wherever you go!
P.S. I must confess I haven't been able to find a pink tutu yet in the 19th Century...but with all this lovely inspiration, it seems like the perfect time to *add a splash of pink to my collection. My Pink-Tutu blog will have to lead the way to that! Who's with me?*
Emma xx
