Good morning, darlings! It's Tuesday, which means it's time for another #TutuTuesday - and guess what? This week we're taking a little trip back in time, specifically to 14th February 1843! Oh, the excitement! I'm currently perched atop a rather charming and rickety carriage on my way to the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane. They say it's just about the most splendid place in London, and you wouldn't believe the gowns people wear! (My latest purchase from Mrs. Bloomer's Emporium is positively divine – we'll have to have a chat about it later! 😉). But today, we're focused on tutus, darlings!
As we delve deeper into Ballet Tutu History, we must start with the most exciting part of any performance: the costumes! And trust me, 1843 was no exception. Think sparkling sequins, fringes galore, and fabrics so billowing and dramatic, you wouldn't believe your eyes.
Of course, it's only a slight exaggeration to say that those "dresses" had little to do with the tutus we know and love today. We're talking layers and layers of skirts – sometimes up to ten! – and a silhouette so grand and puffed up, the dancers must have needed a helper just to move around. Honestly, if you tried to do a jeté in such a heavy creation, you'd likely end up face down in the footlights!
Imagine, if you will, two-story-high ballerinas gowned in velvet and satin, their sleeves smothering their arms, dancing with grace and finesse, despite those burdensome gowns. Amazing, isn't it? The beauty, the sheer presence – it makes my heart sing!
But, even then, there was an element of practicality to these magnificent costumes. One key element, I'm told, was the crinoline, a framework of metal hoops worn underneath, which gave those gowns their breathtaking, billowing shape. You see, dear reader, fashion in those times was all about showing off your stature, your height, and creating an aura of grandeur.
Fast forward a few decades, and enter the tutu as we know it. The famous dancer, Marie Taglioni, is credited for giving us the more lightweight, practical costume we adore today. Imagine it - layers upon layers gone! Replaced by a soft, delicate, yet stunning single layer that would free up the dancers to move with more agility and expression.
Think of those elegant, graceful pirouettes, those sweeping, delicate steps that leave us in awe! The invention of the single layered tutu was a milestone in ballet history! Marie Taglioni – a true hero!
Speaking of heroic ballerinas, let me share some fantastic news with you: I'm heading to the ballet this evening to see Giselle. I hear it's divine! An amazing story about a country girl, the love she finds, the betrayal she suffers, and how she eventually transforms into a Wilis - a spirit that dances the unlucky to their demise.
Can you imagine, darlings, how electric the whole thing must be? I bet the stage is absolutely * ablaze* with colours, the music must be truly * moving, and I just know I'll be totally transported by the *spectacle! I just know it's going to be a **truly magical evening.
To say I'm excited would be an understatement. I’ve been so busy preparing – I can't wait to share all about it with you! I will definitely be sharing my experience in my next post and, of course, I will include some lovely vintage pictures of those "layered gowns" I've mentioned – truly unbelievable to see how far ballet fashion has come.
Now, dear readers, do have a look at this gorgeous 1843 gown for a lady in those times and let me know if you wouldn't look amazing in a pink version. Just imagine it ... Pink tulle! Imagine it, darling! 💕
[Image of a lavishly decorated ballgown, possibly a 1840s/1850s evening gown. It’s in white fabric and a layered dress]
Till next Tuesday,
Emma xoxo
www.pink-tutu.com
