#TutuTuesday Ballet Tutu History on 1854-03-28

Bonjour, my darling dancers!

Welcome back to another Tuesday and another captivating journey through the history of our beloved ballet tutus! I'm Emma, your resident time-traveling tutu aficionado, and today we're going back to the glorious year of 1854. Buckle up, darlings, because we're taking a whirl through Victorian England, and oh, it's a delightful adventure!

My latest trip landed me right in the heart of London, just in time for the premiere of a grand opera at Covent Garden. Now, you know how I love a good opera, and this one, "Faust" by Charles Gounod, was a real treat! The costumes, darling! All plush velvet and satin, a true vision! I just couldn't resist a little twirl, even amongst the elegant, albeit rather stuffy, Victorian crowds.

But you see, dear readers, my mission here is much bigger than enjoying a little operatic serenade. I'm on a quest to unveil the history of our beloved tutus, the symbol of grace, elegance, and most importantly, pink.

Let's rewind for a moment, shall we? Now, 1854 was smack bang in the middle of what we call the Romantic Era in ballet. Think of it as a period of change, of letting loose the old, stiff rules and allowing the dancers' artistry to blossom, much like a beautiful ballet rose in full bloom.

What's the connection to our tutus, you ask? Well, it's all about the changing aesthetics. We started to see tutus become more, shall we say, ethereal, even ethereal in pink, of course!

Remember those super stiff, heavy tutus that made dancing like a brick wall? Well, they started disappearing! Imagine, tutus becoming lighter, more flowing, allowing for freedom of movement! Think leaps and twirls, beautiful artistry instead of forced postures. Imagine the dancers literally soaring through the air! It's almost like we are already dancing into the era of the tutu-fied world!

That’s how much of a revolution we saw with those Romantic Era ballet styles. Just like my little pink tutu allows me to skip with joyous abandon across the eras, these changes allowed for greater expression and captivating movement for those dancers in their gorgeous romantic era tutus.

And what do we have to thank for this revolution in tutus? Enter Maria Taglioni! She’s a true icon, darling. A vision in a white tutu. She even had her own tutus designed! Can you imagine? Your very own personalised, breathtaking tulle masterpiece?!

I even have a secret little theory that, perhaps, just perhaps, Maria had a wee bit of a fondness for pink. *Ahem, * I just can't help but see pink as a bit of a gateway color into the enchanting world of tutus!

Now, you can't have a real Tutu Tuesday without a little peek into the fashion world of 1854, darling! It was a rather exciting time to be in the city of London. The crinoline craze was hitting its peak! If you’ve seen those beautifully extravagant petticoats, they are making quite an entrance at every fashionable gathering in 1854. You see those elaborate hoops creating the most magnificent shape for all the stylish ladies? Well, these little wonders of fashion are like the tutu’s older, bigger, slightly more complicated sister! They all share this beautiful desire to showcase femininity, elegance, and yes, a good bit of daring, with just a dash of romantic whimsy.

It's amazing to think, darlings, that the world was starting to embrace fashion with a dash of fun and flirtation, much like our beloved tutus.

And imagine, what was considered stylish back then might inspire you to add just a bit of that Victorian extravagance to your wardrobe. Perhaps some pink-toned lace or a delicate silk scarf might just make your own look even more romantic and absolutely perfect for your next waltz!

Oh my darling readers, the 1854-1856 era is a very special one for me, not only because of the evolution of the tutu, but also because, oh my dear heavens! This is the period when Charles Dickens was writing the beloved Bleak House. I swear it was the ballet performances that helped him put all the ideas together to make this iconic novel. Sigh just a dash of whimsical romance mixed with the grandeur and opulence of London in the 19th Century! Pure literary magic. And we must not forget the magnificent music hall entertainment that made the most dramatic, theatrical, and glamorous dance routines come alive right on stage! What a lovely mix!

The passion for theater was truly blooming. Think opereta, think the latest theatrical productions, and sparkling musical extravaganzas. I swear you could hear the echoes of laughter, gasps, and of course, hurrahs, just like at the royal ballrooms, at every stage production around the globe.

My dearest tutufied darlings, as I whisk off through time to discover the fascinating story of tutus, I can’t help but imagine a world where we’re all swirling about, tutu-fied in the most exquisite shades of pink. The vision is too marvelous to contain! I promise I will continue to inspire the world, bit by bit, to spread the love of the tutu, one twirl at a time.

Join me next Tuesday as I embark on yet another historical tutu quest! * Don’t forget to keep the tutus spinning and stay fabulous! Until then, *keep the pink twirling high, my loves.

Love always,

Emma

P.S: If you've made it all the way here, I have a little bonus treat just for you. Do you know what we have to thank for the popularity of opera and grand ballets in Victorian England? The train! Yes, our friend the steam train allowed everyone to travel to the city and partake in these wonderful performances. Talk about a glamorous form of transportation that even makes my own time machine a tad envious! It truly did change the world of ballet for everyone in 1854 and beyond. So, hop onto a train and imagine yourself at a magnificent ballet performance! You’ll be tutufied before you know it!