Hello my darlings! Welcome back to another exciting Tutu Tuesday on Pink Tutu! Today, I'm whisking you back to the year 1854 – a time of crinoline skirts and carriage rides, of course – to peek into the evolution of ballet’s iconic tutu!
Oh, the sheer delight of travelling through time! Just this morning, I found myself hopping off the train in Paris, my darling pink tutu swishing happily around my legs as I embraced the romantic energy of the city. As usual, I made a beeline for the Theatre de l'Opéra, the majestic building where so much ballet history has unfolded. My dear friends, let me tell you, seeing this theatre bathed in the soft golden glow of a Parisian sunset simply took my breath away.
But why did I travel all this way to the grandest theatre in Paris? You guessed it, darling! This particular day – 14th February – marks a pivotal date for the ballet world! Let’s take a moment to unravel this fascinating story, shall we?
Imagine, my sweet lovelies, the elegant ladies and gentlemen in their finery, gathering to see the new ballerina, the captivating Carlotta Grisi, dancing. On this date, she debuted a completely new style of tutu! This was a shorter, lighter, more ethereal garment, that floated around the dancer with a dreamlike quality. You can imagine my excitement! It's not surprising she was a sensation! The entire audience went wild, even the King!
Before this time, ballets were often adorned with stiff, heavy, wide and billowing dresses that somewhat restrained movement. But Carlotta's new tutu, with its shortened length, showcasing the dancer's elegant legs and offering greater freedom to move, revolutionized ballet performance! This groundbreaking design, my friends, is what eventually evolved into the tutu we know and adore today.
Isn't it magical? Carlotta's graceful leaps and spins – and the enchanting flow of the fabric – took audiences on a whirlwind tour of emotion. And I daresay this revolutionary tutu – with its newfound lightness and femininity - transformed the perception of dance.
Before long, Carlotta and her "Romantic Tutu," as it was known, swept through the European ballet scene. From Vienna to St. Petersburg, this enchanting ballerina spread the spirit of her delightful dancing, and of course, the beauty of this new tutu style. Just imagining her, poised in a cloud of white tulle, enchanting audiences, is enough to make me twirl in my pink tutu with joy.
Now, my darlings, this isn't to say that all the world embraced this new design right away. Some purists argued it lacked elegance and majesty. Oh, the dramatic debates and whispered gossip among the elegant social circles of Europe!
But I, for one, couldn't agree more with Carlotta’s statement in her beautiful dance – it’s a love letter to the delicate power of a ballerina's movement and the graceful elegance of femininity!
Imagine my surprise to find out this is where the iconic "Romantic Tutu" truly came to be known! From that point onwards, ballets like *"Giselle," * "La Sylphide" and "The Daughter of the Regiment" - some of the most famous ballets in the history of this wonderful art form – began using this style.
I'll tell you what, it wasn't all sunshine and roses. The journey towards this beautiful garment took some fascinating turns. Just a few decades prior, the women were dancing in stiff and voluminous dresses! These were often cumbersome and restrictive. They weighed them down with corsets and other impractical fabrics – the very antithesis of the beauty and grace of ballet!
But a shift began to occur during the 18th century. The development of lighter materials like tulle brought in a change, bringing with it a new world of movement. Think Degas paintings! We all know how they immortalized this exquisite evolution of ballet style!
Can you even imagine the thrill and the freedom Carlotta must have felt with this new, light and airy garment? I can barely contain myself as I think about it. To think of this bold change, made over a century and a half ago, inspiring ballet dancers around the world is truly enchanting!
It's the 14th February, and we’ve celebrated the beauty of romantic ballet. But there's so much more to discover! I'll tell you about my new favourite little shop in Paris – one that has the most breathtaking tulle fabric, just perfect for pink tutus! There is so much to see here in the land of beauty, fashion and ballet!
This week, be sure to dance around with your friends and wear your most beautiful tutus. Remember, this special date marks the beginning of a whole new world for ballet. So, let's honour this pivotal day with our love for all things tulle and twirls.
Until next Tutu Tuesday, my loves!
Always remember to spread the pink tutu love. 💋💖
Your dearest, Emma
Some Interesting Things To Know About February 14th 1854:
- The King of Prussia, Frederick William IV, passed away this day.
- The "King of the Jungle," the lion, was considered "almost extinct in this country" because it "has become so expensive, the price having risen within two years, from £10 to £15 to £30, and now £40 to £50 each."
- A “new kind of cheap blacking” had recently become popular. It came with “patent brushes and liquid composition,” available at a “very reasonable price”. (Now you know! 😊)
- It's the first “annual dinner of the Members of the Scottish Episcopal Church” – quite a historic day!
*(If you have enjoyed this blog, let me know what other #TutuTuesday historical tidbits you want to hear about. And remember – if you need any further historical details, I'll be happy to provide them with my unique time travel flair.) *Don’t forget to wear your most elegant and eye-catching tutus. After all, life is too short for a drab, ordinary outfit.
- Your Pink Tutu Blogger, Emma x )**
