Bonjour, my lovely pink tutu-loving friends! It's Emma here, your friendly neighbourhood ballerina, and today's #TutuTuesday is taking us back to 11th November 1845. Can you believe it? Almost two centuries ago! I feel like we're in a history book, but a particularly sparkly and glamorous one!
Let's grab a cup of tea and a slice of cake, darling, because today, we're talking tutus, the history of tutus, and the most magical place to find them ā Paris! It's my favourite place for a spot of tutu-shopping and for indulging in all things chic. And who could resist the charm of Paris in 1845? Think elegant promenades, beautiful boulevards, and an atmosphere buzzing with creativity. Just perfect for a tutu enthusiast like me.
This time I hopped onto the Eurostar, arriving in Gare du Nord in the early morning light. Oh, the anticipation of a new day of discovering the past! There was something special about being in Paris during the Romantic Era. The whole city felt imbued with this passion and yearning for the sublime, and what embodies beauty and artistic expression more than a perfectly crafted tutu?
Now, if you imagine a tutu, chances are you're thinking of a very particular style. We all know those glorious pouffy, full, multi-layered tutus made famous by the ballerinas of the late nineteenth and early twentieth century. But back in 1845, well, things were a bit different! The tutu then wasn't the iconic symbol of femininity we associate it with today. It wasn't quite so big and it was still finding its fashion identity.
To understand where our fluffy friends come from, we need to rewind the clock a little, all the way to the late 1830s. Thatās when Marie Taglioni waltzed onto the stage in the first ever ballerina tutu. Now, the ātutuā as we know it wasnāt yet in full bloom. Marie danced in a revolutionary new outfit. Forget the long and heavy skirts of previous generations. Imagine this: a short, white, very lightweight skirt that showed off the leg's movements in a way never seen before. It was like watching a whisper come to life. You might say it was the start of a movement towards the delicate and ethereal beauty that became ballet's trademark.
Marie Taglioni ā I bow down to her legendary grace! This is where our history story gets extra special because it all coincides with one of my favourite things - ballet!
This date, 11th November 1845, also holds a very special ballet performance at the ThĆ©Ć¢tre de l'OpĆ©ra in Paris. Carlotta Grisi, one of the greatest ballerinas of the era is the star of the show. Her famous choreography 'La Fille du Danube', written by the amazing Adolphe Adam (the music is brilliant! So full of dramatic, Romantic chords). This dance, like Taglioni's earlier innovation, was groundbreaking for ballet and for tutus.
Carlotta wore a shorter, lighter version of a tutu. Itās so intriguing to imagine these legendary dancers captivating audiences with their moves and their fashion choices. It reminds me why ballet tutus hold so much magic! Each dance tells a story, expresses emotion and even sparks fashion trends.
After the performance, I headed for a late night stroll, I was in the mood for something sweet! There is nothing better after a day of dancing, and admiring fashion and history than indulging in a decadent hot chocolate, or a macaron, the epitome of Paris chic. Paris at this time was alive with artistic exploration, and you could feel that creative buzz, the same kind of buzz we feel in our own world today. The world of ballet, fashion and history intertwined like the twirling fabric of a tutu.
What I adore most about these early tutus is how they allowed for greater freedom of movement. The lightness and the short length emphasized a ballerinaās legs, and it changed everything for ballet. Can you imagine wearing those big, voluminous tutus back in 1845? Youād barely be able to leap across the stage! Those intricate footwork sequences and soaring jumps that we adore so much in ballet today? All those came about because of this incredible shift in costume design!
It was just after 1845, that the big, fuller and very glamorous tutus, often embellished with tulle and silk, made their debut. As we know, these romantic and fluffy tutus became a defining style of ballet and remained iconic for many years.
Hereās my question to you: What is YOUR favourite era for tutus? Letās discuss on the pink-tutu.com comments section! I canāt wait to hear all about your ballet-loving and tutu-wearing dreams!
Until next #TutuTuesday, remember to embrace your inner ballerina and let your love for tutus inspire your creativity. Always wear your pink with pride and donāt forget ā you can wear a tutu for every occasion. Remember to get in touch via the comments on the blog if you want to follow me on my amazing tutu journey!
See you soon,
Emma www.pink-tutu.com
