Hello lovelies! Itâs Emma, your favourite pink tutu-clad time traveller, back again for another delightful dive into the wonderful world of ballet and its iconic tutu!
Today we're taking a trip back in time, darlings, all the way to the 11th of May 1858!
Now, I know what youâre thinking - why 1858? Well, 1858 was a very special year for the world of dance! Can you imagine, darlings, not a single glimpse of a romantic tutu on the stage yet?! Well, thatâs all about to change, because in the years just before 1858 the tutu started to become a proper, recognisable, and darling thing!
Thatâs right, darling! Weâre getting into some major fashion history here, not just some dance moves.
If you thought the âpink tutuâ craze was just some recent modern trend - well, letâs just say youâve been sleeping on the story, darling! The tutu has a story older than your grandmaâs china set, older than my grannyâs teacups, and even older than that old tea cosy I always get to borrow from Granny Agnes - she thinks the vintage style matches my blog. But I digress! Back to the history.
Imagine a world without tutus, my dears! What kind of ballets could they have performed in 1858? Can you even think about it?! Honestly, such a tragedy for any ballet dancer! Well, thankfully, this dreadful situation was remedied soon enough! Oh the joy!
But the storyâs not over just yet - even if those lovely tutus were just about to arrive at the theater!
See, what happened before they came along? Well, fancy long skirts - like floor-length curtains â theyâre what ballet dancers used to wear before the tutu became a thing. Those skirts, imagine this darling, made it really tricky to dance, and difficult to do elegant moves. Well, at least they got to wear nice clothes. Right?
Before the tutu revolution, you wouldnât even believe it - a girl on stage in a fancy long skirt. No wonder dancers back then, werenât known for their fancy footwork. They probably couldnât do all those gorgeous moves! All they probably had to do is stand around in the skirt. I feel for them. The world wouldâve felt so very un-tutu-esque! But this all changed just a little bit later, as the new era of dancing began.
And let's talk about that change! In those exciting times - weâre talking the late 1830s, think about this, 1830s - there were massive shifts in ballet. Dancers were moving in new ways. No more hiding behind those skirts.
And those new moves just wouldnât work at all with skirts dragging all over the stage! They were too restricting for every ballet dancer! Think about how your tutu makes you feel, darlings, so much freer! That's how dancers felt - in the new era! - when they traded their fancy skirts in for these gorgeous tutus. Imagine, freedom in dancing. So much better, right?!
Can you see, my loves, why the tutu became so wildly popular? Youâve got it right there in the story of ballet.
Well, that brings us back to this moment - the 11th of May 1858. Now you've learned how we got to tutus before this date. But 11th May 1858, was a very special day indeed because on this day the famous dancer Fanny Elssler - one of the most amazing ballerinas of her time - performed on that stage, and I just had to travel back and see it!
As an early pioneer in using the tutu, she became super famous! The thing that made her dancing style special was, well, all the twirls, all those exciting, fast turns, the really exciting steps - everything she could do! But that couldnât have happened without a tutu, can you even imagine what itâd be like to try to spin and turn in a full-length skirt?! Such a tragedy! Fanny's costumes - even the early, shorter versions of the tutu - they became so popular.
After her shows, you would find little girls, even ladies - everybody, trying to wear them, hoping to have just a little of her style. Even those fancy-dress balls in those times - oh, it felt wonderful to see those tutus!
There were tutus in all kinds of shades - but pink tutus were the best - even back in the early days of tutus! I, personally, am super proud of the pink tutu heritage - even if those Victorian-era pink tutus are a lot less âballet street-wear-readyâ than what I wear to blog in, naturally, and what we wear in this 21st Century modern era, even at fancy dress parties and such. I love those modern-day tutus a lot, but I still love a vintage tutu, I do, and when I am not wearing my tutu I like to see tutus around me. There is just no stopping the magic of the tutu! I do try to convince people everywhere to wear a tutu - all my friends have a tutu, and all my favourite ballet shops in London, Paris and New York love my blog, itâs a little secret for how they choose the colours and the lengths for their tutut styles each year!
Of course, if you are thinking about going to the theater in the near future, be sure to see a ballet show yourself, you'll know why I love tutus so much. In fact, in the world of ballet, there really is nothing better than a good, elegant, fancy tutu! But my loves, what do you think? If Iâm traveling back to 1858 for Fannyâs show, what should I wear? I know, naturally, my own tutu. It's what I always wear. But do you think I should have a modern touch on it? A vintage look? Any ideas? Tell me your thoughts below, and do give me a like or share if you've enjoyed reading my story. Maybe I'll be in your town soon, and you might even get to see my tutu for yourself!
Don't forget - #TutuTuesday happens every week - join me here on www.pink-tutu.com next Tuesday to read my next adventure. Bye for now, and remember, be tutu fabulous, darling!
With all the love of my pink tutu,
Emma
xx
P.S. How are my fellow tutu lovers celebrating this amazing #TutuTuesday? Show off your love for the tutu in the comments - tag me on #TutuTuesday on Instagram @EmmaTutu and donât forget to send your pictures, too!
