#TutuTuesday Ballet Tutu History: March 30th 1841 – The Birth of Ballet Magic!
Welcome back, dears, to another #TutuTuesday post, from your favourite ballerina-blogger, Emma! It’s post number 483, so we’re well into this historical tutu journey, and, like my latest pink tulle, I'm just getting started!
As always, I'm zipping through time to share the wonderful stories and evolution of the ballet tutu! It's my mission to bring a little bit of ballet magic to everyone's life. Today we're waltzing our way back to March 30th 1841, right to the heart of ballet's grand history in beautiful Paris, France. This city, I must tell you, is the creme de la creme for a tutu aficionado like me! It’s where it all happens.
You see, I adore travelling by train and this trip was all the more exciting because it was a whirlwind of French fashion and elegance! From the moment I arrived at Gare du Nord, with the scent of lavender in the air and Parisian elegance all around, I knew I was in for a treat. And treat myself, I did! The beautiful shops - I must tell you, their silk fabrics and colours! - made it impossible for me to leave without at least one new petit hat, don't you know.
The grand Opera House here is simply stunning - every detail a masterpiece! Even the grand foyer, with its marble floors and velvet-covered walls, whispers of elegant times and refined beauty! The chandeliers glisten, casting their glittering lights on the elegantly-dressed gentlemen and ladies all dressed in their finest – such a grand occasion, my dears. The ballet season has just begun!
The first night, though, I knew I needed to see something a little more theatrical! There’s this fabulous new ballet in town, called 'La Sylphide', with choreography by Jean Coralli and a dazzling story! Now this ballet, my loves, is truly something to behold! It is a romance between a young Scotsman, James, and a magical Sylph, played, by the remarkable Marie Taglioni.
The dancing here was exquisite. You see, at the beginning of the 19th Century the ballet, especially en pointe ( dancing on your toes! ) started to blossom! That's what truly changed how ballerinas were seen and how they danced! Before en pointe, the movement was grounded and less… well, magical.
Now, with Taglioni’s exquisite performance in this 'Sylphide' she redefined the entire language of the dance - her feet seemed to float! And she wore... a tutu which would inspire the rest of the world for generations. And this wasn’t just a plain, one-layered tutu – Oh No! This had multiple layers! Multiple layers, darlings!! All of delicate tulle. All flowing with every twirl!
This was something so revolutionary that I had to see it again, of course, but also, this, dears, is how our #TutuTuesday timeline has been changed!
What made this tutu special, you ask? I’m so glad you did. This one, was unlike anything before, because it had multiple layers of the most delicate tulle, just like a ballerina’s wings! Imagine the flowing, shimmering magic it created as it swayed, like the Sylph herself! The longer length and layered layers created that ethereal image of a magical creature – light, fragile, and utterly beautiful!
The Sylph look really did change how ballerinas were seen on stage, too. It made them into graceful sprites, airborn sprites and something quite unlike the strong classical look from the years before, and even before the 19th Century. Think about it… they moved from theatrical costumes, a little like theatrical costumes used by opera singers, to something quite new! They created the iconic image of a romantic ballet ballerina! That ‘light’ dancing airiness, the dreamlike appearance that’s become almost synonymous with ballet today. That image we all recognise and love, dears, even if we’re not all wearing a pink tutu (though I know I am hoping you are)
This is one of my favourite trips, so far. It wasn’t just the amazing dancing itself. It’s not just a show or performance for me, darling! The beautiful, vibrant French culture, it’s a chance to see that. To go and see a ballet is almost a religious experience for me, and to find the inspiration here that continues to inform the art that's created across the globe, the magic continues even today - centuries after I left the Grand Opera house in Paris!
Next Tuesday: we're waltzing all the way back to 1848 to talk *Cinders - The fairytale! But remember, keep an eye on *www.pink-tutu.com for more amazing tutu inspiration all week, ladies and gentlemen! And don't forget to post pictures of your favourite pink tutu moments on social media with #PinkTutu - and tell everyone where you’ll be seeing the magic of the ballet! Remember my dearest lovelies - You are a ballet star! Never stop shining!!**
(Emma xxx)
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