Hello, darlings! Emma here, your pink-tutu-clad time traveller, ready to whisk you back to the Victorian era for another delightful dive into ballet tutu history!
This week, we're twirling back to February 8th, 1848. Can you imagine? A world without the iconic pink tutu we adore today! Oh, the shock! Well, my dears, in 1848, ballet was very different indeed!
Now, I may love a dramatic tulle pouf as much as the next ballerina, but you know what they say - the show must go on! So let's grab our travelling tickets and take a peek at the world of ballet just before the explosion of tutus…
The Rise of Romantic Ballet
Picture it: Paris, the heart of fashion and the birthplace of many groundbreaking ideas (including the revolutionary pink tutu, don't you worry!), and the scene is a flurry of tutus. Not quite our tutus, but getting there.
This era, the 1840s, saw the rise of Romantic Ballet. Now, you're probably picturing passionate waltzes, flowing silk gowns, and the grand gestures of grand opera. And you wouldn't be wrong! Think about Marie Taglioni in La Sylphide – the ballerina who redefined ballet!
But hold on, dear readers, this Romantic Ballet wasn't all hearts and flowers. It was a ballet of the sublime and ethereal, celebrating the beauty of nature and the enchanting power of the supernatural!
So how did the ladies take to the stage in this ethereal ballet?
Costumes of Romantic Ballet
Forget the tight-fitting costumes of the classical ballet style of the 18th century, imagine light, floaty fabrics like gauze and silk! It's a dreamy visual of airy costumes and dancing in long skirts, swirling like delicate whispers in the air.
Whiffs of the Pink Tutu
You see, these Romantic ballet costumes weren't entirely without the hint of the pink tutu we know and love! Think more of a layered, full skirt. The ballerinas might be wearing a base layer of a shorter skirt – perhaps even one we'd recognise as a sort of early tutu– and then layering an outer skirt of tulle, creating a bell shape!
So close! Almost our pink tutus, darling! This era truly laid the groundwork for our iconic ballet uniform!
From Derbyshire to the Paris Opera House
Oh, I do adore travelling through time! Especially on these vintage, luxurious steam trains. I'm travelling with a lovely young man, a poet from Derby! I must say, he's so handsome in his waistcoat and top hat!
It seems, my dears, the whole of Derbyshire is captivated by this romantic dance, but nothing compares to the excitement at the Palais Garnier in Paris. My goodness! The Parisian scene is positively bustling, and what else can a young ballerina from Derbyshire like me want more than a glimpse at the world's most captivating ballets?
An Evening at the Palais Garnier
So here I am, perched in the balconies of the Palais Garnier, waiting with a glass of champagne to be swept away by a magical performance! My oh my, what a privilege it is to watch dancers twirling on the stage in a beautiful ballet titled La Jolie Fille du Gard.
The costume is stunning: a simple, modest dress made of lightweight silk, a long flowing skirt that cascades down to her ankles. She looks as delicate as a flower petal caught in the breeze. You can feel the romantic spirit in her every move. Just a little bit of tulle for good measure, peeking out, a taste of the pink tutu to come!
I do hope you've enjoyed my pink-tutu tinged trip back to the Victorian era! The pink tutu might be a 20th century phenomenon, but we see the early seeds of it here in these enchanting Romantic Ballets!
Let's Talk About Our Passion for the Pink Tutu
Do you, dear readers, have a favourite historical moment in ballet tutu history? Let me know in the comments below. I adore hearing from you! And tell me about your tutus!
Until next Tuesday, keep twirling and stay fabulous!
Emma x
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