Welcome back to www.pink-tutu.com, my lovely darlings! This week's #TutuTuesday is a rather special one, and I couldn't wait to whisk you all away to the romantic and swirling era of 1852! 🚂✨
Now, gather 'round, dear friends, for I shall be taking you on a delightful journey through time, right to the heart of the Paris Opera House. As we journey through history, you’ll soon learn that ballet is no mere frivolous dance - it’s a story spun in motion, a dance that carries you back to another time. And where better to celebrate it all than the very place it rose to new heights - in Paris, France. 💖
So put on your dancing shoes and settle in! This week's topic? The fabulous birth of the tutu as we know it today! 🤫
From Bouffant to the Ballet! 🎀
Can you believe that before 1852, ballerinas would grace the stage in a huge, voluminous gown called a 'bouffant', basically a skirt gathered up in layers and held in place by a structure underneath. This made them look positively enormous and completely hindered any fluid movement! You’d be hard-pressed to see the steps with such a mountain of fabric covering them. 😱
This is where Marie Taglioni enters the stage (in her own beautifully constructed, delicate, almost sheer white tutu of course!) and changes the course of ballet history forever. 😍 I simply cannot imagine being in the audience and witnessing the evolution of ballet right there on stage. I think I might even cry tears of joy – of course, I’d keep my mascara in perfect condition. 😉
A ballerina of great skill and a visionary in her own right, Marie Taglioni challenged the fashion expectations of the time. She sought to make the ballerina’s form and the execution of her intricate movements the focus of attention. To do this, she needed something more delicate, a silhouette that could really move! Thus, the short, graceful, tulle skirt that we now recognise as the ‘tutu’ was born! 🤩
Imagine this new garment on stage - such a dramatic and inspiring vision, especially considering that up until this time, ballerinas would only perform in long gowns! Talk about a sartorial game-changer. Marie had her sights set on beauty and grace – and this daring new form created a new era for ballet and its dancers. 💫
To give you a little historical tidbit: this time in 1852 marks the year where my lovely home country of England began to implement our ‘public baths and washhouses’ initiative. It was all about increasing access to bathing and good hygiene, especially in large cities. As much as I love my beautiful Derbyshire countryside, the idea of running water right in your own home does sound quite marvellous. Maybe one day I can find a way to bring it back in time… 😊
A Fashionable Vision 👠Remember how Marie created a sensation with the revolutionary tutu? It started a whirlwind of excitement that impacted ballet and fashion for years to come! Fashion was quick to jump aboard, and within years, ladies all over Europe, were wanting to own a replica of a ballet dancer's costume – I can’t even imagine the queues in the dress shops back then. 😅
Thankfully, for all us fashion enthusiasts, there are lovely silk and tulle fabrics readily available to fashion our own enchanting outfits, be it at the opera or at a theatre show. In fact, these fabrics were much sought-after throughout the century, with silk and lace creating those incredible ballgowns that would be featured at lavish social gatherings across Europe. 🥰
You see, for all of us passionate about fashion and the elegant style of ballet, it is exciting to witness a history where such creative expressions come together to give birth to an entirely new genre of elegance. Even the famous Parisian salons that often hosted dancers from the Opera House were full of this enchanting style, so we’ve Marie Taglioni to thank for starting that lovely chain of creativity and beauty! 🌸
From White to Pastel 🩰Speaking of colours, do you know the origins of the ballet’s ‘classic white’? The iconic, almost blindingly white costumes of ballerinas, as seen in ballets like Swan Lake and Giselle originated from the romantic style of fashion – a style that embraced pure and delicate imagery and clothing. This era favoured softer colour palettes and light fabrics, creating a romantic and dreamy aesthetic, making white, a favoured choice for ballet attire. 😌
But let me tell you, a little secret that nobody dares to whisper aloud: even in the romantic era, those delicate tutus started taking on more colour and we wouldn’t have it any other way! Just like all the ballet shoes, which come in every hue under the sun, a hint of lavender, softest pinks and pastel blue soon replaced the solely ‘white’ stage presence of these dancing icons. 💗
I have the greatest hope that one day, even a ballet as old and established as Swan Lake will see a gorgeous pastel pink tutu on its lead ballerina! What a joy that would be. Perhaps one day we might even see the Queen herself grace us with her presence in one… Oh, how my heart leaps just thinking about it. 🤩
1852 in Time… 💖So, there we have it, dear readers – our TutuTuesday voyage through time to 1852. Just a snapshot of this revolutionary time where Marie Taglioni took the stage, redefined the world of ballet, and changed how the tutu we know today came to be! 💖
On this date in history, back in 1852, the very first ‘Ballet de Paris’ opened its doors in Paris, as it continues to grace the world stage until today. As you can imagine, ballet was incredibly popular with its graceful, delicate movement, becoming one of the most influential art forms across Europe and even throughout the rest of the world! 💃
This was a wonderful and important moment in the history of dance and I’d highly recommend a visit if you are ever in Paris. You’ll be dazzled by its elegance, spectacular performances and dazzling costume designs – which of course, feature plenty of tutus! 😉
Now, for all you keen-eyed readers who have made it this far, do take a peek at my website and leave me a lovely comment or two - I love hearing all your thoughts on all the different tutus we've seen over the years! And be sure to tag your favourite tutus on social media with #TutuTuesday!
Stay gorgeous, my dears!
Love always, Emma xx
Don't forget, you can find more TutuTuesday blog posts at www.pink-tutu.com
P.S. Want to help me fund my next time-travel adventure? 💸 Just head on over to my ballet performance schedule and catch a show - the proceeds from every ticket I sell helps me jump back in time for even more incredible ballet discoveries! **💖
