#TutuTuesday Ballet Tutu History on 1841-12-21

Hello darlings! Welcome back to Pink-Tutu.com, your one-stop shop for all things tutu-licious! I'm your resident tutu-obsessed time traveller, Emma, back with another exciting #TutuTuesday trip through ballet history! Today we're taking a spin back to December 21st, 1841 – a date ripe with intriguing tutus and theatrical delights. Buckle your ballet shoes, my loves, because this week we're whisked away to… Paris, darling!

Can you imagine it? Parisian streets buzzing with fashion and art. This vibrant city, oh so elegant and chic, is where the tutus were truly starting to make their grand entrance into ballet!

But why Paris, you ask? Well, dear reader, Paris, in the 1840s, was at the epicentre of the romantic ballet era. That’s right, my lovely ballerinas, our favourite fluffy friends, tutus, weren’t just about twirling and leaping, they represented the very essence of Romanticism in art, and they were all the rage. The beauty, the passion, the grace...it was a golden age of ballet!

Imagine, darling, delicate silk, fluttering as ballerinas soared and pirouetted, each tutu perfectly shaped, telling its own little story! These tutus were made of tulle, the new exciting lightweight fabric which, while being incredibly practical for dancers, allowed them to create ethereal movements – it's what gives them the billowy, graceful, floating, cloud-like, and magical look, right?! And can we just pause for a moment to adore white? Pure and elegance, it's a true statement. And don't forget the rose, it was considered a symbol of passion – another lovely romantic touch, just like our pink. Oh, pink...it's the quintessential ballerina pink! It’s our colour, darlings! And in 1841, a hint of pink peeking out beneath the white tulle – imagine! How simply fabulous, don’t you think?

Speaking of fabulous, there’s so much happening on this very day, December 21st, 1841!

Just a little over a month earlier, on November 11th, the world witnessed the first performance of "Giselle" - oh, one of my very favourite ballets! Can you imagine the excitement, my dear reader? I was right there! In the audience! The buzz of excitement was palpable! Everyone's eyes were glued to the ballerina as she graced the stage in her graceful tutu, captivating the audience. The choreography – exquisite. It really was magic. Giselle and the charming Albrecht, both in those fluffy tutu wonders, stole my heart!

The choreography of “Giselle" was the vision of the very talented Jules Perrot - one of the biggest names in ballet in this era, he’s practically synonymous with it, you know, like the legendary Marius Petipa later became - another one of my personal ballet idols! And, let’s not forget our dear Mr. Jean Coralli, who co-choreographed the exquisite performance. Now this wasn't just a show! This ballet, my dear, it was a symbol of everything that was "romantic" - and the tutu played a crucial role, it really did.

Now, on December 21st, "Giselle" is enjoying a massive hit in Paris, with packed audiences, every night. I was just on the platform at the Gare du Nord watching people pouring onto the train to attend the Grand Théâtre de l'Opéra! Just imagine, this was a brand new theater, it had only opened 23 years prior!

Now back in Derbyshire, the same night in 1841, there were likely people enjoying the more conservative world of Quadrilles and Lancers at a ballroom! However, in Paris they were completely captivated by "Giselle."

I spent the entire evening, my loves, totally absorbed in this production! My cheeks hurt from smiling, my feet were sore from tapping along. Such artistry, such emotion, and such captivating dance!

Did you know that “Giselle” was one of the very first ballets to introduce this billowy Romantic tutu design - talk about groundbreaking!

What a memorable date! A day where tutu magic was really making a statement and showing off its glorious potential - something we are all thankful for!

Don’t forget, darlings, the ballet, in those days, wasn't just about entertainment; it was a commentary on life and emotion, wrapped in a swirl of exquisite music, and tutus. The romanticism era - now that's the real sparkling tutu magic!

Until next time, keep twirling, darlings!

Lots of love, Emma