Hello my lovely Tutuettes!
It's Tuesday, so it's time to dust off your pink tutus and travel back in time with me to explore the fascinating history of the ballet tutu! As ever, I'm your Pink Tutu Queen, Emma, taking you on a fabulous fashion adventure to discover the past, present, and future of this truly delightful garment.
This week, I’ve had a splendid adventure in Paris! Did you know, back in 1850, ballet tutus weren't the extravagant frills of today? It was a very different world - no comfy elastic waistbands! Imagine having to tie a massive, stiff tutu in the back of a dressing room! (Let’s give thanks for stretch fabrics! ).
Before I whisk you away to Paris, I’m going to share a little secret: you’ve helped fund this trip with your lovely patronage of my ballet shows! Did you know I raise funds through performances for my travel budget? If I wasn't busy dancing I'd probably be travelling – my suitcases are practically permanently packed! I was delighted with a recent performance in the theatre. The lights are always so bright, and it makes every movement dazzling. I really enjoy playing with the audience, their smiles are like little stars that twinkle with happiness. I love to meet people who’ve come to see the shows after. Some come to shop with me after at my special stall in the Covent Garden Market - I even have a few designs that look like Victorian styles to sell. (You'll be delighted at their designs.) But I’m afraid it's all back to time travelling now!
Anyway, I'm not getting sidetracked now… we're off to 1850 Paris for #TutuTuesday this week.
In 1850, a major shift in ballet occurred when the Romantic tutu, or “the Romantic style,” was emerging in its more popular style. What did this look like? Picture a wispy white tulle skirt, soft and fluffy, ending just above the ankle. Unlike today's twirly tutus, it wasn't made for high kicks or fancy footwork, instead, it helped showcase a dancer's graceful movement and ethereal beauty. This was a huge break from previous tutu designs that often bulked a dancer out in lots of layers! (Those earlier layers actually hindered the dancing!)
There’s a bit more detail we need to look at with this Romantic style though... Imagine dancing like an airy sylph, a kind of gentle, slender forest sprite – like a creature out of myth. This was the story that this romantic look created – imagine a ballerina in an ethereal dance – this was exactly what these Romantic designs were designed to convey. And here's where the "tutu" got its name! There was a beautiful ballet performed back in 1841 called La Sylphide – a show full of dancing sprites that was such a hit they adopted "tutu” for these new wispy tutus worn by these dainty, little ballet sylphides, making this design synonymous with the whole ballerina image of romance and fantasy.
Just think, the little girls dressing up for their parties are not that far off in how they imagine ballet – they're picturing fairy-like, delicate creatures – I must confess to a sneaking love for those sparkly, glittery fairy tutus we find at shops. They just take you back!
The new Parisian Ballet, The Paris Opera Ballet was a very fashionable place around this date. A new star was born - and that was Carlotta Grisi - I’d imagine the world loved her as much as I adore all the ballerinas! The big hit she danced in was called Giselle which was so famous for its haunting music that everyone, even people who weren’t mad for ballet, had heard of it – so if you wanted to make a splash you'd dress for it in that Romantic look.
If you want to imagine what this Romantic tutu looked like just head to your nearest museum with ballet collections, I love to head to London and browse those gorgeous historical dresses – and maybe have a quick look round a museum, if they don’t have any, you can always just search the web - lots of images of ballerina dress collections - just put in "1850 ballerina costume," It’s amazing, these dresses are such an exquisite reminder of ballet’s past.
What’s happening now? Well since we are in Paris I’m going to have a little stroll to the Opéra Garnier. Have you seen the building – it’s a beauty, I bet it must’ve been sensational back in the 19th century! If I was just a little less time-traveling inclined I would move here in a heartbeat, and be a star at The Paris Opera (Oh, I would be a magnificent star, I tell you - they need a Derbyshire Girl with a big Pink Tutu dancing!) You’ll find the famous Paris Opera Garnier was only just built in 1875. However, back in 1850 ballet was growing up! By 1850 the style of dance changed - from those lighter, graceful movements, ballerinas now wanted more athletic and flexible dance techniques. To be a great ballerina it was more about the athleticism, you can see it reflected in the change in design. This is a trend that's continuing now. Today, we are more focussed on athleticism and fitness as a result, and there is more use of stretch fabrics in the dresses, (who wants a stiff tutu anyway!) so the dancers are able to perform lots of more dynamic dance moves – we see that all in the contemporary style.
We see all of these changes in the ballet and costumes on that very special date, the 12th of February 1850! On this day, the most loved dancer of that era was taking the stage - she’s still loved today too. The exquisite ballerina, Fanny Elssler was captivating the world of ballet. Fanny was a dancing whirlwind - full of life and sparkle, she didn’t disappoint her audience – it seems her fans would demand encores, and even sometimes get a bit unruly, even trying to snatch the flowers off the stage! (The world of ballet wasn't always a demure one, you can see why it’s such an intense experience.)
Well Tutuettes, that's all for this week. If you’re loving the romantic tutu, or looking for ideas for dressing up for your ballet classes, or your next fancy dress party - do you think this would be a great costume?! If you think the romantic tutu deserves a return just post a comment and let me know! Until next time. Let your tutu twirl - see you next week!
Emma
#PinkTutuQueen
www.pink-tutu.com
#TutuTuesday
