Hello, darlings! It's your favourite tutu-clad time traveller, Emma, and today we're whisking you back to the year 1851. Now, I know, I know - it might seem a bit dusty, a tad antiquated for a girl who thrives on frills and flounces, but trust me, there's an enchanting story of the tutu unfolding even in the Victorian era.
Buckle up, darlings, and let's board the Orient Express of history. As I travel, I simply adore those long journeys - a good book, a steaming cup of tea, and the delightful clinking of wheels upon rails!
Ah, London! I can almost taste the air, so heavy with history and laced with the anticipation of the Great Exhibition, a true spectacle for the times. The year 1851 was quite a landmark - it’s when Queen Victoria unveiled the stunning Crystal Palace. It was an engineering marvel and a celebration of all things new and shiny!
You see, this era of grand invention is where our little ballerina dream - the tutu - was being sculpted too!
Now, before we get ahead of ourselves, you’ve got to understand, dear readers, the 19th century didn't exactly scream ‘Pink Tutu!’ (Although, I dare say, even then, there were whispers of pink!)
Instead, the story began with dancers in knee-length tutus called the Romantic tutu - light, ethereal and incredibly free. Just picture it, my dears, flowing, diaphanous fabric that whispered of mythology, of ballerinas gliding across the stage like nymphs from the forest. These graceful creations were made from several layers of soft, shimmering gauze - nothing at all like the stiffer, tiered versions that would follow.
You can imagine these graceful dances must have been quite captivating! These early tutus allowed for such an expression of emotion - think, floating pirouettes and those enchanting leaps that made the hearts of every theatre goer flutter.
Now, while this Romantic tutu was a vision of delicacy, the Romantic Era was a hotbed of change! Marie Taglioni is one of my favourites. The name may sound a tad old fashioned, but believe me, darling, her performances in La Sylphide were absolute game changers. She danced in that dreamy Romantic tutu, the sheer gossamer fabric shimmering as she swirled across the stage - simply magnificent!
Sadly, my trip back to this time wasn’t long enough to actually watch Taglioni perform. She’d had retired from dancing in 1847 - but even without seeing her performance, her influence on dance and on the story of the tutu itself is evident even in our modern-day ballerina fashions!
My travels are quite short affairs, so my explorations are quite rapid! Imagine flying across the world - London, then maybe Russia for a visit, just to catch the beautiful dancing of the Bolshoi, then back to Derbyshire again! I always visit Derbyshire - the best bit is that my parents still live in our family home, so a good long cup of tea is guaranteed!
My darling readers, the Romantic tutu truly is a cornerstone in the story of dance fashion - a touch of whimsy and beauty that laid the foundations for the grand tutus we love so much today! I've always believed the most enchanting stories, like those of ballet, often unfold in the most surprising of places! I love it.
But for now, it's time for me to hop aboard another train! You’ll catch me posting here again next Tuesday. Till then, do go out and put on your own little tutu for a bit of dance practice or for some afternoon tea! Don't forget to send me pictures using #PinkTutu!
Until then, stay pink and keep twirling!
Emma xx
