#TutuTuesday Ballet Tutu History on 1842-10-18

Hello, my lovely tutu-loving friends! Welcome back to my little corner of the internet where all things twirling and tulle reign supreme! Today, we're whisking ourselves back in time to 18 October 1842, a date brimming with exciting whispers of ballet's evolution. But before we dive into the history books, let me confess: this past week was simply divine!

Last Saturday, I ventured to Covent Garden for the most delightful production of Giselle, my favourite! I adore that hauntingly beautiful story of love and betrayal. The dancing was exquisite, and the costumes, oh my! A vision of elegance and grace, truly a treat for the eyes! But, let’s be honest, my love affair with Giselle is primarily because of that final scene. That beautiful, ethereal waltz that Giselle, a vision in white, dances as a wilis. That's my ultimate tutu goal, right there! It's the dream.

And let’s not forget my pre-ballet shopping spree at Liberty's! I just couldn’t resist a gorgeous silk scarf in the most delectable shade of pink - it was meant to be mine! Pink, you know, it’s just so cheerful, so expressive! It makes you feel confident, like you can achieve anything! And what is more important than that for a ballerina?

Now, back to our history lesson, darlings!

18 October 1842 was a monumental date in ballet's timeline, a date when we can thank for a pivotal piece of our beloved artform's development: the pointe shoe! That’s right, my fellow twirlers! The shoe that allows us to rise above, to become wispy creatures of graceful air! It’s incredible to think that ballet wasn't always on pointe!

Now, you're probably thinking, “Emma, you can't tell us that the pointe shoe didn’t exist! You wear them in every single blog post!”. True, darling, I’ve mentioned a few times that I am a time traveller, but my little travel device isn’t that efficient. While I love seeing how the dance has evolved and all the brilliant performers I can see on tour and at festivals, and all the fashions that influence dance clothing, my aim is to make sure my posts relate to my audience, so, we can imagine these moments through my lens!

But on this #TutuTuesday, we’re thinking back to 18 October 1842, and how a visionary French ballerina, Marie Taglioni, revolutionized dance and dance footwear as we know it.

This revolutionary woman, Marie Taglioni, took a chance, a leap of faith in a pair of soft leather slippers reinforced with stitched-on canvas - basically, the blueprint for today’s pointe shoes! She decided to attempt a performance using the ‘en pointe’ technique that is now part of the fabric of ballet. Imagine, that little change of footwear became such a huge deal in dance, allowing dancers to perform a brand new kind of movement - we must all applaud her courage! Imagine if she hadn't stepped out on those first pointe shoes, how differently the artform might be. It makes me feel a bit more courageous about pushing boundaries, even if my only current boundary-pushing exercise is wearing pink tutus and trying to convince others to do the same!

You may be wondering, “What is there to celebrate about shoes, darling Emma? Is it the way that they dance so elegantly?”, I hear you cry. Of course, the grace is essential! It’s what makes pointe work! The illusion that a dancer is floating on air! However, the pointe shoe isn't just an object. It’s a powerful symbol! It’s a symbol of hard work and dedication! And as we continue on this incredible journey of discovering all things tulle and twirls, I think we need to look back and see how every invention is inspired by a creative, ambitious individual who is looking for new ways to challenge their artform and develop new, and sometimes daring ways to tell a story on the stage! So, darling readers, I invite you all to raise your teacups - with extra sugar, of course, for a little sweetness - and celebrate this incredible milestone for ballet. It’s one that will stay with us long after the curtains close on this evening’s performance.

It’s time for me to go now, I've a trip to Vienna planned in a couple of weeks to catch the Viennese Opera's performance of "The Sleeping Beauty." My ballet wardrobe is calling! Can’t wait to browse those shops and pick up a couple of new outfits, darling! And, as always, don’t forget to twirl! You can be a ballerina at heart even if you haven't got the legs to perform! So, go out and wear a pink tutu, or maybe you'd prefer your favourite tutu colour? No matter, whatever makes you happy!

Until next Tuesday, dear readers! And don't forget, keep dancing!