Greetings, darlings! It's your favourite tutu-clad time traveller, Emma, back with another #TutuTuesday journey through the enchanting history of ballet! Today, we're going on a whirlwind adventure to… 6th May 1845! Imagine, my dears, the bustle of Victorian England, with its bonnets and bustle skirts, but for today, let's leave all that aside and focus on what truly matters – tutus!
Now, in 1845, the tutu wasn't exactly the wispy confection we know and adore today. Ballet was still in its infancy in this era, and the dancers’ attire was a tad less… free-flowing, shall we say. Imagine layered skirts, rather like a billowing petticoat, crafted of tulle or silk – it certainly wasn't designed for effortless pirouettes!
My dears, we're in Paris, the undisputed heart of ballet at this time! It's the era of legendary dancers like Marie Taglioni and Fanny Elssler, known for their elegance and grace, albeit clad in costumes rather different from what we see today.
But don't fret, dear readers, our journey back to 1845 isn't a total tutu-less nightmare. Remember those layered skirts I mentioned? It was here, around this time, that the very beginnings of the tutu emerged!
One of the earliest tutus in history was actually more of a tutu-like ensemble. Imagine a skirt made of layers and layers of tulle or silk, but imagine the tulle reaching just above the knee, rather than that graceful wispy silhouette that makes modern tutus so ethereal! Now, picture a delicate, almost gauzy skirt, the skirt ending just above the ankle - that, my loves, was closer to the early version of the modern ballet tutu. The design allowed for greater freedom of movement, and helped the dancers show off their impressive footwork and turns. Imagine, if you will, that light, airy movement. A little something about the romantic period, if you will. A little hint of the tulle was becoming present on the stage and soon, I feel, it would burst through, in its full splendour!
And what's a day trip to the ballet capital without a little ballet watching, right? Today's the big day! Imagine if you can - the 6th of May, 1845. La Fille Mal Gardée is on at the Théâtre de l’Opéra, the Paris Opera. The Parisian public flocks in to see its heartthrob star – Marie Taglioni! They came to witness the legendary ballerina grace the stage. A "dancing machine," her contemporary, the Italian dancer Carlo Blasis, would say. It's like one of those exciting "ballet debut" nights you just know are going to become legendary! It's as if it was on this day the seed was sown that one day, a modern ballet world with shorter and shorter tutus would come to bloom.
Oh, I'm so eager to experience the next phase of the tutu story! It's like a fascinating fairy tale unfolding right before our eyes. So, keep those little pink ballet shoes tapping, my lovelies! There's more of this delicious ballet history to discover and enjoy!
And remember, darling, the key to true happiness is to always believe in a little pink magic!
Now, off I pop to explore some more amazing Parisian boutiques - they say they have some sensational pink tulle...
Until next week, darlings,
Your Tutu-obsessed, Time-Travelling Friend, Emma xxx
www.pink-tutu.com
