Hello my lovely Tutu-ettes! Emma here, your pink-tutu clad guide to the whimsical world of ballet. It’s #TutuTuesday and we’re stepping back in time today – all the way to 19th November, 1850! Buckle your tap shoes and get ready for a journey to a time when tutus weren't just worn, but actually born!
Can you imagine, darlings? No tutus! It makes me shudder! Luckily for us, it was a Tuesday in November, back in 1850, that history was made! It’s been an absolutely brilliant adventure – I popped over on the Orient Express to Paris – I always love the way the sunlight catches the gilded carriages! Paris is just divine – fashion and culture like no other!
This particular Tuesday, the year was 1850, a ballerina named Marie Taglioni, the darling of the stage at the Paris Opera, was doing something rather remarkable. You see, she’d gone ahead and designed a brand new kind of costume, one that would become the hallmark of the ballerina for all time! She called it the tutu!
Now, the word tutu actually comes from the tutu skirt, which was a popular women’s fashion item in the late 1800s. But this tutu – Marie's masterpiece – was all about freeing up movement, showing off the beautiful form of the dancers, and creating a truly breathtaking visual experience for everyone in the audience.
Imagine that, my dears, just by taking one piece of fashion and redesigning it with the needs of ballet in mind – just by adding length and light fabric, Marie changed the world of dance forever! And this wasn’t just any redesign, you know – it was like adding a sprinkle of magic! The original tutu was a soft, fluffy confection of white gauze or tulle. This new version was, well, I can’t even explain it… It was airy, delicate, and positively flouncy. The very definition of graceful and beautiful!
Now, why does this particular date stand out to us? You might be asking yourselves this as you enjoy a good cuppa (and by cuppa, we mean afternoon tea in a porcelain china cup of course!).
It wasn’t that she just made this lovely new outfit - although she did! – But this was the day she premiered this new style.
The date: 19th of November 1850! La Sylphide was a ballet, an incredible ballet - a love story of a Scottish lass (think kilts, highlands, and handsome men!), a real love story about beauty, romance and magic! The stage went dark! Then - boom! A blinding light on the stage! She appeared! In that exquisite and elegant, flowing tutu – she moved, danced! There wasn’t a dry eye in the theatre! From this point onwards, Marie Taglioni became famous, but even more famous was her elegant and beautiful design – her signature - the tutu!
Now, we all love to see a graceful tutu on stage – just so delicate! And what makes it truly breathtaking, darling, is its elegance – it flows and spins, just like we do. The graceful ballerina’s art is to make that airy tulle, all soft and beautiful and light, to dance as well as they do. It truly is a dance, this tutu! And there’s been some truly spectacular ones through the years. I know you are just dying to know!
I will, of course, post a new article every Tuesday. Now, let's talk about some of my favorite ballet shows and street performances. We'll explore different tutu styles, like the Romantic Tutu, the Classical Tutu and even the Neoclassical Tutu! Because we'll be delving into a new topic every Tuesday: Tutu Styles, tutu history, and maybe a little ballet and travel advice - we've got lots to explore! I wouldn't miss these exciting times for the world! I just love travelling by train and enjoying shows and of course fashion! What makes it so brilliant, darling? - is how amazing tutus are – the more they spin and twirl and fly in the wind - the more we want to move and twirl too, don’t you?
And do remember that pink is always the best colour – like today - I will leave you with this!
See you next #TutuTuesday! Have a super week my loves and don’t forget your tutus! I do - every single day! And of course a lovely pink one too!
Until then, may all your spins be full of grace!
Love always, Emma
Don't forget to join the conversation on social media with #PinkTutuBlog! And head over to www.pink-tutu.com to read all the past blog posts. Stay pink, my dears!
