Greetings, dear readers! It's Emma, your favourite tutu-wearing time traveler, back with another delightful trip through ballet history for #TutuTuesday! Today, we're stepping onto the stage of September 24th, 1844, and it's a particularly fascinating day, full of swirling skirts and a whisper of the tutus we know and adore today!
You might be thinking, 1844? That's before tutus were a thing! Well, dear friends, it's true. Tutus, as we know them, weren't quite yet the fashion statement they'd become. But don't despair! Today's glimpse into the past isn't about tutus, per se, but the world that would birth them. A world brimming with creativity, theatrical brilliance, and a love for elegant movement – the perfect recipe for tutus to blossom!
Imagine London. Not the bustling, towering city we see today, but a city brimming with gaslight and carriage rides, with a certain grandness and formality woven into the very fabric of life. This is where I find myself today. The air crackles with anticipation – tonight is the premiere of a new ballet, "Giselle", at the Her Majesty's Theatre. It's going to be sensational, and believe me, my heart is fluttering with excitement just as much as the ballerinas'!
I’ve just been to see it - how incredibly moving! It tells the tale of a beautiful village girl named Giselle who falls deeply in love with a nobleman she believes to be a peasant, only to discover he's actually a prince in disguise, betrothed to another woman. The emotions poured onto the stage - a breathtaking mixture of love, deceit, despair, and ultimately, self-sacrifice.
But what truly caught my eye? Well, let’s just say the fashion!
While the tutus we'd recognize were still a twinkle in a designer’s eye, the dresses worn by the ballerinas in Giselle were still a marvel! Think flowing, romantic skirts – perhaps a touch too full to effortlessly twirl – yet captivating nonetheless. It’s the first hint of a future filled with graceful motion, and it’s thrilling to see the early evolution of these designs that paved the way for tutus.
Now, before I whisk you back to the future, I have to share with you a rather curious detail I discovered at a beautiful Parisian antique shop on my travels: A vintage copy of "Le Ballet", a Parisian dance journal, from September 1844, right around the time of Giselle's premiere. Now, this journal might not mention the exact skirt worn by Giselle, but it's a window into the world of dance at the time – with intriguing glimpses of new dances, techniques, and fashion. It seems the "tutu" is beginning to show its pretty head in certain fashion circles as an elegant choice for dancers! A glimpse of our future!
It truly feels like I’m seeing the beginnings of something truly magical – a story that's been told countless times on stages around the world, bringing joy and awe to all who watch. The legacy of this ballet lives on through its timeless music and the indelible mark it's left on the world of dance.
And now, my dear friends, it's time for me to journey back to the future. However, I leave you with a thought: If the elegant styles of 1844 sparked our love of ballet, imagine the extraordinary wonders we can create together, embracing our love for the dance and its endless possibilities.
Until next #TutuTuesday, may your world be filled with beautiful twirls and graceful leaps. Remember, always dance with joy in your heart, and maybe, just maybe, let's inspire others to find their inner ballerina!
Yours always, Emma
www.pink-tutu.com
PS: This #TutuTuesday has inspired me to make my own romantic skirt! Perhaps in pink with a little bit of sparkle...
