#TutuTuesday Ballet Tutu History on 1844-10-15

Hello my darlings, and welcome back to another edition of #TutuTuesday! It’s Emma here, your pink-tutu-clad time travelling ballerina, bringing you a delightful dive into the history of the beloved tutu, and this week, we’re heading back to the oh-so-charming year of 1844! 🚂

Today, I’ve hopped aboard a fancy steam train from Derbyshire, England, my heart aflutter with anticipation of arriving in Paris, the city that's simply buzzing with the latest in ballet fashions! Now, you might be wondering, dear readers, why we're focused on Paris this week. Well, it's a simply smashing historical tidbit: 1844 saw the official introduction of the tutu into ballet performances! Can you imagine?! And can you believe this happened just a year before my favourite Queen Victoria took the throne? She's a queen after my own heart with her own incredible style – how fabulous is she? 😉

Prior to 1844, ballet dancers were bundled up in floor-length skirts, darling, making graceful jumps and leaps a near impossibility! Imagine the weight of all that fabric! However, the legendary ballerina, Marie Taglioni, had a vision. She saw the need for liberation – both physical and sartorial – and thus, the iconic tutu was born! 💃

You'll often see her described as 'The Sylph', because the first time the tutu was ever seen onstage, it was for her iconic performance in "La Sylphide"! Imagine the theatre audience as her dainty pink skirt billowed about her as she gracefully leaped across the stage! There must have been gasps, oohs and aahs - I can almost hear the applause! 👏 Think of the revolution that must have swept through ballet! This wasn't just a shift in fashion, darling, but a complete re-imagination of what ballet could be.

Now, let’s talk about this pink tutu! My dearest readers, I couldn't be happier about today’s journey. Because 1844 not only saw the rise of the tutu, but also a new dawn of vibrant colour in the ballet world! Yes, even pink made its dramatic entrance! While white and white with gold trim tutus were the reigning kings and queens, pink quickly started making a splash! You know I’m utterly thrilled to say, that from this day onwards, my favourite colour gained a significant hold in the world of ballet.

Imagine! You could see these ballerinas waltzing gracefully, in their soft pink tulle tutus, like flowers dancing in a magical garden! 💖 And let me tell you, it was the start of a truly breathtaking evolution in ballet costumes. Over the years, the tutu, darling, has gone through many a transformation, with shorter skirts, longer skirts, elaborate trimmings, and a variety of other designs - even becoming the epitome of fashion in its own right, with tutu-inspired designs filtering down into the rest of the world's fashion and dress. The modern ballet tutu, well, that’s the outcome of an explosion of creativity, each style perfectly echoing the spirit and strength of the ballet dancers themselves.

Oh darling, we are eternally indebted to Marie Taglioni for bringing us this incredible masterpiece! I just cannot get over the impact that the tutu has made. Even if you don't know the ins and outs of ballet, the tutu speaks to the romanticism, elegance, and beauty of this beautiful dance.

Of course, being in Paris this week, the grand performance at the Opera de Paris is something I can't possibly miss! This week’s “Giselle”, featuring a cast of dancers from the École de Danse de l’Opéra national de Paris - oh my word - my head is in the clouds with excitement - so, with all my tulle twirling, darling, I bid you adieu!

Keep a close eye on my pink-tutu.com website for more dazzling #TutuTuesday posts – because you never know where this pink tutu and I will travel next!