Post 973 â www.pink-tutu.com
Hello darlings! Itâs me, Emma, your tutu-loving, time-traveling, pink-obsessed ballerina blogger! Get ready for another #TutuTuesday jaunt back to the 19th century, as we dive into the swirling history of the tutu!
Ooh, isnât todayâs weather lovely? I just popped off the train after a performance in⊠well, let's just say Paris, and I'm absolutely smitten with the Parisian air. Even with all the bustle, you just feel the history swirling around you like a grand, ethereal ballet! Just picture me, my sweet readers, with a little flutter in my pink tutu (naturally, a stunning pink, a touch of lavender actually), flitting through the French capital on this glorious August day in 1850. Can't you just imagine the twinkle in my eyes? It's that kind of sparkle that makes my little ballerina heart skip a beat, especially when Iâm discovering a little more about my passion - the evolution of the beloved ballet tutu!
(Psst! Do you know the secret to my time-traveling? It's simple really: ballet. I use my performances, from London to Milan, Paris to Vienna, as little âtime portals,â and with each trip, I learn something new about the glorious world of ballet. So much history, so many tutus! My dearest readers, isn't it magical? And just think, I get to indulge in some fabulous shopping during my time-travel breaks⊠the thrill! Let's get back to today's date... )
You know how much I love my tutus! So, back to this date â 1850-08-20 â oh, itâs so full of tutu-licious beginnings! This year marks a monumental moment for ballet: a true tutu revolution! You see, the year 1845 is usually marked as the starting point of what we now call the âRomanticâ era of ballet. The era was named after the dominant mood, tone and imagery used in ballet during this period. And you can see why: tutus began to take flight! No longer confined by long, heavy dresses that hindered movement, dancers were starting to embrace light and airy skirts - the "Romantic Tutu."
Picture it: flowing, soft skirts barely reaching the knees, delicate as a butterfly wing! Think light chiffon, ethereal fabrics, the whole outfit radiating elegance and freedom of movement. This kind of tutu was like a graceful, floating cloud! And guess what? It's from this period that our tutu story truly takes off!
Just before our date, in 1841 , the romantic spirit in the form of "Giselle" swooped onto the stage! This story of a heartbroken peasant girl dancing to her death is pure ballet poetry, darling! With this, a revolutionary idea appeared in ballet, that of "the dance of the woman".
For centuries, men held the lead roles, dancing stories about mythology and war. Now, "Giselle" began a revolution, pushing for feminine narratives! "Giselle" featured graceful, expressive female movement â and a new type of tutu appeared alongside it: the "Romantic Tutu", lightweight, wispy, designed to showcase the feminine body in all its exquisite flow. The "Romantic Tutu" was so different from the cumbersome, restricting, and often, heavy layers dancers used to wear!
Here is a lovely fun fact for you my dears! (Do keep your little notebooks at the ready for these fascinating factoids!) The original "Giselle" tutĂșs were just shorter versions of the original court dresses - the same ones ladies wore for operas and the theatre - but with a more voluminous, graceful look that allowed movement and flow.
Let's take a glimpse into the Paris of August 1850: Paris was a flurry of excitement! Ballet lovers were buzzing with anticipation as they awaited The Theatre Royal de la ComĂ©die- Française * in a few daysâ time on the 25th! Oh, my, did I mention, I'll be attending the performance this week. *You just KNOW I won't miss a chance to admire the graceful twirling and the fabulous fashion! This iconic theatre had opened a mere month before, offering a new platform for stories of female empowerment. Donât miss next weekâs post when we explore a Parisian Royal Theater!
Now, don't think the transition from restrictive dress to this freedom of the "Romantic Tutu" happened overnight, darlings! It took some serious dancing around⊠excuse the pun! Throughout the 1850s, this change spread like a happy whirlwind in the ballet world. It transformed how ballet was designed and performed.
Oh, just imagine, this delicate tutu in my little ballerina hands! If only you could see my studio, darling! It's a glorious haven of tutus - from pale pink to sunshine yellow, deep indigo to luscious ruby. And they're all waiting to whisk you away on your very own #TutuTuesday dance!
Oh, and remember! Don't forget to leave your questions and tutu thoughts in the comments!
As always, much love,
Emma x
