#TutuTuesday Ballet Tutu History on 1844-09-03

Hello darlings! It’s Emma here, back with another #TutuTuesday! As you all know, I am an avid ballerina and my true passion in life is to get the world wearing a pink tutu (did I tell you about that? Just imagine!) So today, we're taking a little trip in my time machine to explore the history of tutus - specifically on September 3rd, 1844! Let's just say that tutus have been around for longer than some of you fancying yourselves in your new tutus have been alive! (Not that you all are old... I mean, it’s the tutu that ages badly!)

Oh, darling, don't forget you can follow me at www.pink-tutu.com every Tuesday for our weekly jaunt through time. If there’s a new dance or a historical fact that’s worthy of mention, you'll find it here! You might even get an update on what's happened in my latest travel jaunt or performance!

Right, enough chat, it’s time to set the time machine to the glorious 1844. I have to say, it was a beautiful time to be a dancer – oh, the music! (Actually, if you ever get the chance to have a little time travel in a nice carriage with some fab tunes, you can use that line “It was a beautiful time to be a dancer.” – sounds much more romantic and stylish! That is one line to have at the back of your brain, I reckon!). Anyway, as always, on our journey, I’m wearing my latest pick from the shops! It’s pink with a big silk bow on the side, you’ll see!

So, on September 3rd, 1844, you would find ballet, believe it or not, very popular in Paris! The dance craze was in full swing and we could already see a hint of what was to become the tutu of today. Remember how in the 1830s skirts were starting to shorten, so for dancing this new shortness became vital – this gave more leg for movement, just like our beloved tutus now. Remember to get your own on a bargain at pink-tutu.com – remember that special sale I was telling you about… well… never mind. Back to the story… It was, for the first time, okay to see an elegant, even athletic dancer using her legs fully. Ballet was, thankfully, escaping from being a dainty little show off to something full of athletic energy.

This time we've traveled to Paris! In 1844, the very grand Palais Garnier was being built (think of it as a place that would be fit for royalty!), and you could hear the buzz around every café - it was all ballet, all the time! There was even a real big boom in dance teachers in Paris. In those days, if you were lucky enough to afford it, you would find a lovely drawing-room, full of mirrors and lovely carpets and chandeliers - just the kind of lovely setting you find in my apartment in Derbyshire, darling - the posh parts, naturally. There'd be a lovely French Madame doing demonstrations for the dancers in lovely frilly silk costumes (and I bet she wouldn’t wear her shoes all day!). That’s what they would practice for those special days, when there would be lots of special and well-dressed people, often members of society. I wonder if we can ever get society dancing? (Think of all the potential sales in tutu's, darlings!).

The tutu had evolved from being a bit of a baggy mess (it is difficult to control yourself while dancing!), and began to have layers of tulle – so, light and soft! This kind of a costume, even when you were getting to the grand days, wouldn’t be the “fluffy” style of tutu like those made for the grand ballerina days we see in the Royal Ballet in London now. Think about this tutu, darlings - imagine one with the sort of skirt we have on Victorian dresses. That's the sort of thing dancers wore. Think of what’s coming our way in just 50 years! We are about to enter the time of real twirls! So you might have one of those gorgeous frilly tutus and a wonderful bodice over a silk blouse with ribbons, lovely flowers or feathers or a gorgeous hat! They were really lovely dancers and they looked sensational. Oh, how I wish that we had some proper old photographs - what do you reckon? You might see something that inspires my latest design... And of course I would be back here at pink-tutu.com telling you all about it. So please check it out regularly! It was, they tell me, like those big balls in London, with dancing and beautiful people watching. They say even royalty turned up!

I have been working very hard, of course. My life is devoted to perfecting my pirouettes and all my little “flic-flac” moves on the stage – did you know ballet’s really all about making your dance moves look as light as possible! It’s really amazing how you get your body to float!

It was a beautiful time for dance and I absolutely loved it! You should try it for yourself - the Paris train, even for the times I go through is wonderful – everyone wants to sit and chat to me and watch how I do my hair and I just love to make their day! (Though I do sometimes have to avoid all the new inventions like cameras or loud buses!) And as always I have found some interesting bits to add to my collection. Did you know, there were all these fashion shops where they were just getting the new fabrics from England? That’s what the fashionistas were talking about in 1844. Imagine having fabrics like satin and crepe, with amazing trimmings and then going to that fabulous city of London – so well known for it’s grand and fashionable clothes shops. And with this new wave of fashion, and everyone so happy to go out dancing… Well, why wouldn’t we all be going to watch these wonderful ballerinas! It was a real change from having your feet bound up! Now they were so free – the perfect example of the evolution of dance! If you are around, you must catch one of the shows – you’d be amazed by what they can do with just their feet!

By the way, you know how I was telling you about some real nice little shops to find some cute little clothes – well, let me give you a secret – the shops of those days are not too different from our own times – just smaller, perhaps and often more informal. What’s in those stores, darlings – more pretty little silk things – what a dream, huh?

But there’s a problem. Don't tell my Mum (she worries, you know – even though my dad is quite rich) – she might not let me take the train up there. I was thinking of having a peek inside these fab little Parisian shops for the dresses – oh, you know how the dresses here, for dancing, have evolved. We’ve had the pouffy, big 1840s ones (we can talk about the styles of dress of that time – oh, you wouldn't believe it!), but even back then, for dancing, they were starting to come back down, with less bulk, but oh so fabulous! There was something of a big debate at the time – well, mostly between the ladies - over these shorter skirt and “dancing dresses.” These shops seemed to sell what these fashionable dancers, who had gone mad for this new type of ballet and had already embraced shorter dresses, needed. The idea is you had more mobility in those little dance outfits. Remember, the girls of this age did like to be practical and stylish… they didn't want to be caught up in their clothes – who needs it when they have tutus? Right, so… you won’t believe this – but you should find those skirts (especially at the dance hall) even in a fashion shop! If there are any shops that were around then, I wonder if any of the old, elegant fabric they use to make those clothes for our dancing darlings is still around… Anyway, you'll hear all about this from me when I return… and my Mum knows nothing about the amazing things I do, it’s all hush-hush, of course!

And this is one for my dance diary: It was at the Théâtre de l'Opéra, at the time of the world famous La Sylphide ballet, that I saw how beautiful it can be for our amazing Parisian ballerinas to perform in this new dance - so free and with those tutus that really made their legs shine. It’s amazing, as well, just how much that new style tutu really became popular - people absolutely loved to see their amazing moves on stage – it must have been what people would see as really great magic in those times – oh, how I’d like to see this first, well, very “modern” style of ballet and have that first feel of “dancing” a proper tutu in these historical times!

So now, with a great show on at the Opéra and so much happening in fashion, it must have been quite a crazy time. The real start of everything – well, that was coming up soon in the world of ballet, you know! They would get this huge stage (Oh, I love big stages!). I can tell that ballet will only get bigger, and all because these special tutus let our ballerinas do their amazing stuff on the stage! There was this great thing for my “future-ballet” heart, they called a demi-pointe, or “half-pointe” - you know that style where you use your legs so well and gracefully in these beautiful shoes! Oh, to just to have danced in that style – amazing. This was becoming so special for our ballerina dancing - such beautiful footwork and just that really beautiful feeling when you’re up there doing your thing.

This new, so called modern style of dance must have been a huge thing. People just loved it – there were even huge posters all around. But my favourite bits of that ballet scene are of course the ballet dancers - all in their stunning dance clothes. As they all twirl, there's this magic you see in the movements – it's just mesmerizing, you really get caught up in it. I’m already thinking about that 19th Century Paris collection for my website. I wonder if it’ll be too daring!

And, darling, you’re probably going to think I’m a little bonkers – or as they’d call it back then – a bit “mad”. But I’ve always believed there’s a place for everyone to dance – ballet isn't about being a super pro or wearing a fancy, big expensive, costume like mine – it’s about expressing yourself. It’s your soul, dancing. Everyone should feel that feeling – you need a pink tutu – that’s what makes the day, don’t you think! (You may as well – I am doing all I can to get everyone wearing one, so what is it like? Let’s have everyone have that ballet-tastic feel! Don’t you just want to spin, just once!)

Remember – get all the fashion for all these different times and see if you like a bit of “future fashion!” We might have a great deal on my latest collection, inspired by our fabulous past trip back to the time of those great Parisian ballerina outfits.

But I must go now - another fabulous journey for next time - how about some more wonderful ballerina fashions from another magical time? We could visit the beautiful ballerinas of St Petersburg or Moscow and learn what inspired their special tutus… and maybe even a visit to England… oh darling, you know how much I like a great train trip, it's almost better than the dance classes themselves! Just imagine that journey, a big old train station, lots of posh people – my sort of trip. Just for now, let me leave you with a thought: Maybe you'll think, even if it’s for just a moment - “Why not have a twirl in your new pink tutu!” Until then! Remember that all you can do, can change everything… especially with a little bit of fashion on your side – and I promise you, this new style of ballet will be everywhere - and I will be there for every exciting moment, and I’ll keep you all up to date, you'll find me right here, back next Tuesday, on www.pink-tutu.com and for your time travel needs and inspiration!