Greetings, lovelies!
It's Emma here, your resident pink tutu-loving, ballet-obsessed time-traveler, back for another dose of #TutuTuesday history! Today, we're pirouetting back to 8th February 1842, and it's time to delve into the fascinating evolution of the ballet tutu. This is post number 528 for my Ballet Tutu History blog, and trust me, this week's journey will leave you utterly bewitched!
I just adore travelling by train! It’s the best way to soak up the atmosphere of each new city, particularly Paris, the epicentre of the ballet world. I've just alighted in the French capital and made my way to the Palais Garnier Opera House, the most elegant place imaginable, especially when it's dressed up to the nines for a performance. I have the most gorgeous pink tutu on tonight, with a lovely satin trim, perfect for enjoying a performance by Marie Taglioni.
The history of ballet is long and enchanting, and the ballet tutu, much like the lovely blush pink hues of my favourite outfits, is ever-evolving. Before the 1840s, dancers wore floor-length, often very ornate costumes that hampered movement and limited their grace. Can you imagine, dear readers, performing in those restrictive ensembles? Thankfully, a revolutionary shift was on the horizon, and 1842 marks a pivotal year for the development of the tutu!
This year, Marie Taglioni, considered the prima ballerina assoluta (that's absolute superstar, in non-ballet speak!), performed La Sylphide in a truly iconic outfit. Gone was the cumbersome, ankle-grazing gown. It was replaced by a dramatically shorter skirt. Now, the skirt went no lower than the ankles! This is the defining moment where the ballet tutu as we know it was born! This new form enabled ballerinas to display a range of movements we had only dreamt of before. It gave rise to a new level of expressiveness and agility on stage.
This groundbreaking fashion wasn’t without its controversy, you see, my dear readers! Some deemed it “too short”, a touch too revealing. Imagine that! There were protests, gossip and whispers amongst the ladies! I know how difficult it is for a ballet-loving fashionista to deal with those naysayers! Never listen to those boring old fogies, they’ve simply missed out on the wonder and glamour of a fabulous pink tutu!
This was truly a watershed moment. The short, billowing skirt freed ballerinas, allowed for even greater agility and, just as importantly, gave ballet costumes a more delicate and airy feel. I find it endlessly inspiring, seeing a ballet dancer float across the stage like a feather! This was also an incredibly exciting era for fashion, my dears, as everyone started to adopt more feminine and flowing garments. A lovely coincidence, if you ask me.
Even today, Marie Taglioni's graceful moves and revolutionary costumes in La Sylphide still inspire audiences, as they embody a certain level of beauty, elegance, and sophistication that only ballet can bring! Just think: It was 8th February 1842, the day everything changed! What a day to be alive, wouldn't you agree, my darling readers?!
I’m just loving Paris, and the shops have been wonderful to see! A great many colours abound! You know me and pink, so my lovelies, let me give you a fashion tip for this week! The newest colours for dresses this season include beautiful and luxurious "cerise, emerald green, deep mauve, and golden amber. And oh! You’ve got to check out the gorgeous new lace fabric!” If you find yourselves on a grand Parisian shopping adventure, make sure you treat yourselves to something in a pink hue, my lovelies, and let me know what you get, especially the latest in Parisian pink, or maybe cerise?
Speaking of Paris, I have to get ready! The Palais Garnier will soon be bustling with fashionistas and I am about to see Marie Taglioni perform! I have a stunning blush pink tutu on that matches perfectly with a bejewelled belt. You must see the lovely satin fabric! The shops I’ve been to have such an impressive array of textures. The materials themselves are simply gorgeous!
I’ve had the pleasure of witnessing the incredible progress in women's fashion and especially the rise of the tutu, which became a must-have in the wardrobe of every dancer. That brings me back to my mission in life. I am sure many of you feel it too. What would be the ultimate fabulousness, dear readers, if we could all strut our stuff in our own lovely pink tutus? Perhaps next week, my dear lovelies, we can find ways to convince everyone to give it a try?
It's such a lovely feeling to step onto the platform in Paris and see the glamorous Parisian women strolling past, but you know what? If everyone adopted a lovely pink tutu and a dash of grace, the world would be a much better, brighter place. Now wouldn't that be fantastic!
And of course, there's much more to discover, a whole swathe of exciting history awaits! You can read about how the tutu developed further, how other designers innovated and inspired others to dance on, well… forever, thanks to the elegance of the tutu.
Don't forget, every Tuesday, your trusty ballerina-blogger will be here, ready to take you on another enchanting adventure through the world of tutus and ballet. Now, as I make my way into the majestic Palais Garnier, don't forget to give me a little follow on my pink-tutu website www.pink-tutu.com ! And of course, let’s keep that pink tutu dream alive! Until next time, darlings, and keep swirling!
