Bonjour, chères danseuses! It’s me, your favourite pink-tutu-clad time traveller, Emma, back again for another Tuesday foray into the fascinating history of the ballet tutu!
Today’s date is September 29th, 1846, and oh my, darling, do I have a treat for you! Imagine a world where the only tutus you’d see are on the stage and a long, sweeping skirt is the height of fashionable chic… that, my dears, is what our timeline is like today!
I just arrived back from a rather wonderful jaunt to Paris – a true paradise for fashion and dance lovers alike! Parisian style, even now, is an inspiration – their elegant cafes, cobbled streets, and the graceful women all twirling around in long flowing dresses (so elegant!). But today, I’m especially intrigued by what's happening at the Opéra de Paris.
As always, it’s not just the dance that I find myself swept away with, but the costumes! This evening, The Ballet of the Royal Opera of Paris presented "La Jolie Fille de Gand", the latest piece by Jules Perrot, and the star, Marie Taglioni, was simply divine! She wore a white, slightly shorter, slightly more layered costume. I know, I know, still not what we think of as a tutu, but just a whisper away, a suggestion, an echo of the glorious dancewear we've come to love so much today.
Speaking of the dancers, Marie Taglioni… oh darling, what grace! I couldn't keep my eyes off her. Such fluidity of movement! The costume, while not a true tutu yet, was certainly a bold departure from the long skirts that usually dominated the stage. The white and layered fabric allowed a new kind of freedom for movement, like a delicate bloom about to burst. It allowed for a different expression of dance – less the grand, weighty gestures and more… oh, I don’t know, something ethereal!
The theatre itself was quite an experience. The sheer splendour! Imagine tiers upon tiers of plush velvet seats that seem to ascend into infinity. The air thrumming with music and anticipation! I can’t believe it was all a bit out of reach for me, as I didn't quite make it in time to get a ticket… Oh well, next time, I’ll come prepared!
And after the performance, the excitement of seeing a Parisian ballet scene after hours! Such extravagance! The performers, mingling in a buzz of excitement – you could almost see their little dreams taking flight, fueled by the electric atmosphere. The sound of the champagne toasts, the tinkling of crystal glasses, all blending into a lovely melody of creativity and joie de vivre. Absolutely enchanting!
But my travels took me back to the UK a little earlier than I'd hoped. Just my luck! My favourite Parisian milliner is about to open a new boutique – a dream of a place dedicated to all things lace, frills, and feathers… a real inspiration for all things pink! But alas, I have to put my journey on hold. The train from Paris is always such an elegant way to travel and nothing beats the excitement of arriving at London's Victoria Station in a whirl of steam and a flurry of silk skirts! My fellow train travellers, always impressed by my pink tutu, often give me the sweetest looks and kind smiles. The most recent trip even had a kind gentleman with his family share their basket of sandwiches – a real English gentleman.
This journey has got me feeling super excited to get back to my own little pink ballet studio in Derbyshire, England. I've just got to practice those leaps and pirouettes, darling! My dance class, "Tutus for Everyone" has gone so well this week, everyone is getting so much more comfortable spinning around in a little bit of pink! (And I can't wait for our Pink Tutu Fashion Show next month! The excitement!)
Speaking of which, you are all officially invited to come and try on some beautiful tutu inspired frocks I found in London. Remember, darling, fashion should be about joy, expressing yourself and feeling a little bit fabulous!
And remember, the magic of the ballet tutu, is just starting! It will evolve, take different forms, just like the exciting evolution of dance and fashion we are seeing! Until next week, Keep it pink and keep on twirling!
Love, Emma
www.pink-tutu.com
