Hello darlings! It’s Emma here, your friendly neighbourhood pink tutu enthusiast, bringing you another installment of my #TutuTuesday Ballet Tutu History blog!
This week, we're going way back in time – all the way to 12th April 1842! Buckle up, loves, because this journey promises to be utterly fascinating.
Now, before I start gushing over historical tutus, I'm bursting with excitement to tell you about my trip to the Royal Opera House in London. The building itself is simply magnificent – it's like stepping back in time. The architecture, the gilded decorations, it’s just so wonderfully decadent! Oh, and the show! I saw a magnificent performance of “Giselle”.
Giselle, you say? Why, the most delightful tale of a sweet young girl, her lovestruck lover, a villainous suitor, and of course, a vengeful Queen of the Wilis – what a dream come true! The music was enchanting, the choreography exquisite – my favourite moment was when Giselle and Albrecht, twirling together, seemingly floating effortlessly on air, in a ballet pas de deux that simply left me breathless.
My darling, let’s go back in time, shall we? Now, the 12th of April 1842… This was a really important date, believe it or not! Imagine a world without the tutus we know and love – unthinkable! This date, my lovely, is a landmark in tutu history because it marked the premiere of a ballet that revolutionized costume design – "La Sylphide"!
La Sylphide tells the story of a young man, James, who is drawn to a mysterious creature called a Sylphide – a charming creature who represents all that is beautiful and carefree. This fascinating story took to the stage with a completely different approach to costuming and the resulting effect was – revolutionary!
Up to this point, ballerinas, like the elegant dancers you see performing "La Sylphide" to this day, wore stiff, heavy corsets, which often limited their movement, much to my dismay. However, in this ballet, the “La Sylphide” tutu - this was different – a lighter, more diaphanous material that floated like a dream. This was a revolutionary change for dancers and allowed for movements that were impossible before. I can't even imagine attempting to perform a tour* in those heavy, old-fashioned costumes!
Imagine for a moment – before "La Sylphide", a ballerina was forced to contort her body into those rigid corsets and long skirts – hardly inspiring for such delicate, elegant dances. The "La Sylphide" tutu, with its lightweight and diaphanous materials, meant freedom for dancers to move more naturally and express themselves in new and exciting ways, showing off all those elegant moves! This really changed what ballet was, allowing it to embrace all the lightness, the flowing movements, the graceful jumps. It set a new standard for both costume design and movement, paving the way for the tutued dancing we know and adore!
But here's the catch: this new style of tutu was controversial! Many people felt it was far too revealing, which I can't even fathom! They were scandalised because a little peek of ankle and leg – such a horror! They claimed that it was too suggestive, and well, frankly, I say what better way to highlight a dancer's graceful movements than a tutu? You can see all the beautiful choreography without having to get distracted by tons of fussy, heavy material. C'mon – tutus empower dancers and show off their skill and artistry in ways that previous clothing simply couldn't.
But as the old adage goes, what was once scandalising becomes fashionable!
So, my dears, it was a time of change in the ballet world - and the “La Sylphide” tutu was at the centre of it all! A significant turning point in history - how exciting! This revolutionary tutu, and the amazing performance itself, changed the world of ballet forever, opening a whole new world for graceful dance and movement.
Now, I want to hear from you! What are your thoughts on tutus, my dear readers? Are you dreaming of one, perhaps for yourself? Don’t hesitate to share your thoughts in the comments below - you never know who might get inspired to don one themselves!
I promise you, if you’ve never worn a tutu - it's an amazing feeling, and there’s something magical about it that brings out the dancer within you, no matter what your age!
Let's all strive to create a tutu-filled world, shall we?
#TutuTuesday, #TutuTimeTravel, #LaSylphide, #Fashion, #Dance
I’ll be back next week with a whole new trip through tutu history! See you next Tuesday on www.pink-tutu.com. Until then, my dears, may your tutu days be full of wonder and happiness! ✨
Yours, in tutus,
Emma
