Welcome, darling dears, to #TutuTuesday, post number 1173 on pink-tutu.com! I’m Emma, your time-travelling, pink tutu-clad guide to the wonderful world of ballet fashion! Today, I’m whisking you back to the glorious year of 1854 - just imagine, a year filled with crinolines, delicate lace, and a most important development in ballet history… the tutu as we know it!
Before we go back in time, darling, let's pop to the tea shop for a spot of afternoon tea! Did you know that the year 1854 was the year the first proper tea rooms in London opened? My oh my! Imagine, being able to just pop in for a cup of tea, sandwiches and delicious cakes – bliss! The tea was probably so much stronger then, with not all the fancy tea-bags and special teacups of today! (No pink ones, alas, in 1854!)
Back to the important topic – ballet tutus!
Imagine yourself standing in the middle of the Royal Opera House in London, back in 1854. There, right before your very eyes, is a young, talented dancer named Marie Taglioni – an absolute legend of the time!
Marie, darling, is about to perform La Sylphide. Now, you might be surprised to learn, that La Sylphide was first performed in Paris in 1832. But this isn't a typical ballet - this, my dears, is a tutu revolution! This is where things changed. This was when Marie took her first steps in that wonderfully delicate knee-length tulle skirt – an absolute delight, and it completely changed the world of ballet fashion.
Before this, ballet was all about long, heavy, floor-length skirts - the complete opposite of what we know and love today. You know, those skirts, all cumbersome and uncomfortable. The lovely ladies would twirl and twirl, but their costumes got in the way! No more!
This new, elegant tutu allowed for movement and freedom like never before. It was lighter than a feather, but also beautifully structured with a short, fitted bodice, often with a contrasting colour - quite the darling detail, I must say! You could actually see the ballerina’s delicate feet and graceful leg movements – a sight to behold!
The tutu, oh my! It wasn’t a dress for an ordinary woman. It was meant for a fairy-like, mythical, ethereal creature, swirling across the stage! You know what, even I get all tingly thinking about it!
Now, in 1854, this shorter tutu was the only kind they used - a lovely and exciting new creation for a dancing princess! You can be sure it took quite the imagination for those early dancemakers and costume designers to put together something so new and magical - just as fabulous as any modern day performance we see in Paris, Milan, New York and here in London today. It truly paved the way for the variety of tutus we know and love today – romantic, classical, neoclassical – we owe a lot to the imagination of those artists in 1854!
It’s all about how it moves!
Think of it, darlings! What makes a tutu magical isn't just how it looks, but also how it floats, swirls, and dances with the dancer’s every movement.
This movement aspect, it was what made the Romantic era of ballet - yes, we’re still very much in that era! – truly unique. La Sylphide, my dears, this was not a normal ballerina with a standard dance routine! This ballet was all about emotions, freedom, and storytelling through beautiful graceful movements – not forgetting of course, that heavenly flowing tutu! It was so important to express the dancers emotions in each graceful step, and that movement is what gave Marie Taglioni such international fame! She was a ballet goddess in her beautiful tutu, adored by everyone, travelling everywhere to perform. Oh, and her performance attire included a beautiful white flower, the sylph’s gift to her. Fancy!
You know, the romantic tutu didn’t start the dance craze, but it certainly became a massive part of ballet. It made such a change to everything - you know, those elegant movements we know and love now. It certainly did its job! The tutu created a new level of beauty in the theatre! It changed the world of dance - and we can still enjoy the magic today. It made ballet accessible to everyone and it was still, in its own way, glamorous. Think, it was like wearing a magnificent floating, feathery dress every day – it's enough to make you dance with joy!
Now darling, I must whizz off to a fabulous, grand theatrical show!
Until next week, dears, when I’ll be taking you to a world of glamour! Make sure you wear your favourite pink tutu for #TutuTuesday!
*Oh, and make sure you look out for our special pink tutu design competition at pink-tutu.com *
I’m sure this magical tutu will never be forgotten! I know, for one, I won’t forget it – so thank you, Marie! You’re a ballet queen!
Until next time, darling! Remember, every day’s a Tutu day!
Love, Emma
P.S Just before I travel back, I saw an announcement for La Sylphide which is performing right here, today! How about that! You just can’t beat seeing a show - you’ll be seeing the magic up close – I’m sure Marie Taglioni would be most impressed if she saw this amazing show. She truly would be happy to see her legacy celebrated with such great dancing and fabulous costumes. So, let me go buy my ticket! I must go see this beautiful show in that amazing new Royal Opera House and remember the wonderful magical tutu history - it’s certainly magical! Until next week darling, goodbye and enjoy that beautiful new Tutu - you look fabulous!
