#TutuTuesday Ballet Tutu History on 1847-06-29

Greetings, dear readers! Emma here, your trusty guide through the captivating world of ballet tutus. This week, I’ve whisked myself back to June 29th, 1847, right here in Paris, the heart of all things elegant and chic. I’m sporting my very own custom-made pink tutu (naturally!) which is getting a few rather puzzled glances – well, tutus are certainly not as ubiquitous back in 1847! I’ve just stepped off a delightful train journey from London - so much more civilised than the rattletrap coaches they seem to prefer!

This trip to Paris is extra special because it’s Grand Opera House Opening Day. I absolutely adore ballet shows, and seeing such an architectural marvel of swirling arches and grand columns - well, you simply have to admit, it’s all a bit romantic. And the opera? My goodness! The voices are magnificent! Sadly, I have to hold back on my ballet dancing for a little while, even though the exquisite choreography is inspiring my pink toes to tap! Spoiler Alert – The Grand Opera is actually designed specifically for ballet performances. It’s considered to be such an integral part of French culture. Now that’s how you show some ballet love!

But enough about grand operas, let’s chat about The History of the Tutu. I know, you are simply itching to know the details, and let me tell you, we are stepping further back in time this week to reveal its elegant origins. I wouldn’t have it any other way. A pink tutu history without history? Well, that would simply be a tragedy!

Before we dive headfirst into the swirling delights of the past, it’s important to understand how the tutu we know and love (with its fluttering, airy lightness and exquisite beauty) came to be.

Imagine this: it’s the early 19th century, ballet is all about graceful gestures and grand emotions. Dancers wear heavy, flowing skirts that often hamper their movement. Ballet legend Marie Taglioni, who is celebrated for her airy lightness and ethereal movements - imagine being able to twirl, jump and leap with such graceful agility! Well, let’s just say, her exquisite style wasn’t working out well with her heavy skirt! This inspired Carlo Blasis, who was famous in the ballet world, to create La Sylphide ballet and its innovative costume - the tutu as we know it. But before we jump ahead to that exciting reveal… we must delve a little further back into the 18th century!

The ballet, as you know it today, developed in France. And what does France do best? Style, sophistication, and elegant dancing, of course!

Let’s travel to 1717! It’s a glorious time in France! Here we discover ballet de cour. Ballet is considered a vital social expression of status and artistry. These grand, graceful ballets showcased at the court of the French monarchy are elegant and impressive. Ballet at this time was a visual symphony of movement. It featured The *Grand Ballet in which the court joined in the performance alongside the professional ballet dancers. There are elaborate costumes - they're very heavy, made with fabrics such as brocade and velvet, all very elaborate. You'd often find feather plumes, silk sashes and oh so many bows – this period is basically ballet history's haute couture fashion show! It’s pretty fantastic!

Imagine a performance in the Grand Ballroom at Versailles! There would be dancers elegantly whirling in flowing skirts - the whole experience must have been mesmerizing. But… and here’s the crucial but - the skirts could hinder the dancers' movement!

Then came 1796 – and a new style was born! The *Ballets Romantiques - romantic ballet embraced beauty, lightness and expressiveness in every performance. It embraced the idea of "airiness", allowing for more emotional expressiveness - this revolutionised ballet and its costuming forever. It became more theatrical, taking inspiration from nature and showcasing its fantastical elements – the ballet costume of this period reflected this by utilising gauze, sheer materials and delicate trimmings - truly breathtaking, ethereal elegance. Think fairies and nymphs dancing through forests, or swans gliding gracefully across shimmering waters - pure magic! And with the adoption of pointe shoes, pointe work began to emerge, adding another element of magic to ballet! Ballet was taking centre stage!

And this is when our story really starts getting good - think ethereal dancers in delicate skirts with swirling gowns of lightness. These dancers started showing off amazing leaps and dynamic movements! It wasn’t the elegant grand costumes of the court. Now we are entering a phase of the romanticism of light fabric skirts that began to be known as The Tutu.

But not just any tutu, my darlings, let's get our history correct, this was not quite the "tutu" you see in modern ballet! These romantic skirts were shorter - perhaps just below the knee - think a flowing, soft, gauzy fabric, not quite so “pouffy”. These ballet costumes were certainly less restricting than previous heavy costumes and provided greater freedom of movement, and a more elegant style. This era of ballet was simply sublime! And those romantic ballets would continue into the mid-1800s. But you see, by 1847… the real tutu - our modern-day ballet inspiration - had finally arrived.

This is a vital moment in ballet history. Remember I said Carlo Blasis was known for the elegance and beauty of his ballet performances and the innovation he brought to dance? Well, now’s when things really take shape.

In 1841 in London, Carlo Blasis had a very famous performance - The Sylphide, and its famous ballerina? The legend, Marie Taglioni. And get this – they changed everything with a whole new style of costume: a delicate and revealing costume, shorter than other ballets’ skirts at the time! But this was the innovation! Think airy and ethereal – a skirt of white tulle - The Sylph’s Tutu. A tutu-like garment designed for ballet. The costume, combined with Marie Taglioni’s artistry, captured everyone's attention. The public went wild! A revolutionary idea had come into the world of ballet and created a huge fashion movement, which we are still enjoying today. It was so iconic, The Sylphide’s tutu has become one of the most famous ballet costumes. It’s even been adapted in a more structured style in later times as La Sylphide continues to be performed.

So you see, it's important to know the evolution of ballet costume – as this style, this design for ballet costuming, had a direct and revolutionary influence. The ballet world had changed! The tutus created by Carlo Blasis were revolutionary – giving dancers the freedom they needed to really fly on the stage.

But, as with everything in life – change, change, change! And the next chapter, my dears, was a big one.

Over time the tutu had further developments. In the 1860s a new type of tutu, a shorter style and layered tulle, arrived and was considered the height of fashion. By the 1880s we were introduced to what's known as The Classical Tutu, with it’s beautiful and recognizable layering with a more rounded and delicate silhouette that has become a key feature of many classical ballets such as Swan Lake. This classical tutu would remain in ballet for years to come.

The Romantic Tutu in Comparison to The Classical Tutu

So why mention these styles? Let’s sum them up! - Romantic tutus were more lightweight, gauzy skirts of tulle, soft and flowing - think light fabrics in shades of ivory and cream – they allowed for ease of movement for beautiful leaps. Think La Sylphide!

• The Classical tutu's main difference is its structure, its “puffiness,” think of multiple layers of tulle for a beautifully rounded and visually stunning skirt! The Classical tutu would become the look of ballerinas in classical ballets - they were much more practical too - think, longer training, a greater performance repertoire – and of course they are iconic!

The Classical Tutu is still the standard for so many ballets. It is just a glorious, gorgeous example of ballet’s design. And remember: Ballet costumes and tutus had a practical reason behind their creation – they were designed with the demands of the dances, and the movements the ballet dancers had to perform in mind.

Now, when we say tutu today – the Romantic and the Classical tutus are still relevant and very common. We just continue to tweak the design, the shape, the volume - and the details! Some ballet designers and companies opt to create newer or more unique tutu shapes and styles for special performance pieces – sometimes they might have a Romantic aesthetic or more modern look for more expressive and modern dances.

It’s an exhilarating day here in Paris. A historical day and the perfect day to embrace history! But this is just the tip of the iceberg! There are so many styles and shapes of ballet tutus! And let me tell you, we’ve only touched on a little of this exciting world of fashion. Tutus are everywhere, aren't they? From ballerinas dancing at the Bolshoi to a small ballet company, you see it all! But every single style - each silhouette and layered puff, every fabric and decoration has an interesting story. There’s so much to discover and explore!

So join me each week, dear readers, as we travel back through time!

In the meantime, why not start the week with a touch of Tutu magic and head off to see a ballet, maybe even have a whirl yourself! Or, if you’re feeling inspired and bold… let's all spread the joy and put on a pink tutu for a dance, a celebration of our own – it is #TutuTuesday after all! Until next week, may all your tutus be pink and magical!

Emma xx

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