Hello my lovelies! Emma here, back again with another exciting installment of my #TutuTuesday ballet tutu history series!
Post 1115, darling! You know how I love diving into the archives and uncovering the enchanting origins of our favourite dancewear – the tutu! Well, grab your teacups, ladies, as we're whisking back to the 10th of May, 1853. Buckle up! I'm about to reveal the dazzling story of our very special pink tutu journey this week. We're stepping into the heart of ballet's romantic era, where romance and artistry entwined to create the breathtaking ballets we love today!
As you know, I’m an absolute magpie for anything pink. Pink, pink, glorious pink, the colour that whispers romance, delicate beauty, and joy. I wear a pink tutu practically every day, so naturally, I always get asked the question… "How did you discover your love of tutus?"
For the sake of history, darling, we're taking a little detour and going on a pink tutu timeline voyage, because… let’s be honest, how did it start?! What were our first steps towards our obsession with ballet, tutus, and the pink wonder? It's so long ago it feels like a fairytale.
Now, when it comes to our #TutuTuesday journey, there was one incredible ballerina that took a huge leap for women, all in a perfectly constructed tutu. She wasn’t even called a ballerina – they weren’t even called ballet dancers then!
Cue the dramatic music and let's meet Madame Fanny Elssler! This stunning Austrian ballerina waltzed into history with a pink tutu at a Paris stage (with just the tiniest smidge of pink, we must remember…pink was an expensive colour to achieve!) She was all the rage with her dancing! Her name is synonymous with tutus in the history of ballet. Just picture it - her exquisite moves, her dazzling grace - all showcased with those wispy layers of tulle that practically skimmed the floor as she floated across the stage. You see why my obsession with tutus comes to no surprise when I tell you, Fanny's movements defined what the Romantic period in ballet was all about – love, passion, grace, and a healthy dose of, shall we say, 'drama.' And oh my, did the crowds go crazy! It was almost as if she became the ultimate symbol of freedom in a way… well, more like graceful freedom - in a tutu.
What were tutus like back then? They had nothing to do with the flamboyant creations of ballet in the later stages, let me tell you. No frills or froufrous – tutus were quite a different beast altogether. These were almost like elongated skirts, think more graceful long line dresses – they flowed like water with the dancer’s every movement. And for an era where ballet was so tightly bound by convention, Fanny broke free - the romantic era's ballets became dramatic and sweeping, showcasing every movement that our wonderful tutu wearing ballet dancers could achieve. A ballet's 'flow' had just got an injection of magic, darling. This, my dears, was a truly game changing moment! The 'Romantic period in ballet' began to blossom in its beauty… like our fabulous pink tutus.
That's Fanny, all tied in with history and, in my mind, with my personal journey of tutu history. I think that in 1853 the pinkness was getting just a little bit more pinker for the ballets. Think rosy hues of pink. They’re just becoming brighter and more dramatic in that era. Of course, every dancer wants to stand out and let their inner pink shimmer. So maybe our tutu’s are being drenched in pink - and we are not just thinking the tutu itself, but a hint of pink might also be making an appearance with the beautiful costumes for dancers. It’s starting to go hand in hand, the costumes were beginning to reflect this growing movement of color. And all the tutus in those beautiful romantic period ballets – oh so pretty! They weren't quite ready to burst forth in a full spectrum of glorious pink – yet!
This journey down memory lane, back to 1853, tells us that the first step towards a fully pinked tutu journey started a little earlier!
And you can't forget our lovely train ride, ladies. That magical carriage - all that elegant plush velvet with delicate wood - the rhythm of the wheels on the track that we sway with our tutus to as the world rushes by. What a journey!
I know what you're thinking… I simply must give you a glimpse of my latest Parisian travels to satisfy that fashionable soul of yours. I've found some delicious delights for our wardrobes. You see darling, I had to try some on…
There's been an enormous shift in fabric technology since the tutus of 1853. I found the softest, sheerest tulle, so, naturally I went straight to my favorite haberdashery. What's that? What about my tutu collection you ask? Well… I did buy some extra fabric. And in my opinion, it’s never enough!
Now, you have to pop in on me at my little abode, as it's just bursting with gorgeous new tutus and I need you to be the first to see. We must always have an event or party of some description – the perfect chance to display all of the divine new tutu creations!
Now you'll just have to wait until next Tuesday when we're traveling forward a little bit more – until we finally find our pink tutu dreamland, darlings.
Emma xx
Emma's P.S. – Remember: Always look stylish in your tutu!
This is an ongoing series of #TutuTuesday weekly blogs - look out for the next installment next Tuesday, or better yet, subscribe to www.pink-tutu.com so you don’t miss it! Come and dance along with me at the weekly #PinkTutu hashtag. Let’s show the world the power of tutus… especially in pink!
