Hello darlings! Itâs your favourite pink-tutu clad time traveller, Emma, here! This week weâre twirling back in time to the 13th of December 1859.
Itâs Tutu Tuesday, and this week weâre getting a bit historical! So put on your dancing shoes, grab a cuppa (or a glass of bubbly, why not?), and join me as we explore the world of ballet tutus before they were a tutu!
You know how much I adore a good tutu. My wardrobe bursts with them, and I even have a separate, enormous wardrobe just for my pink tutus! You canât deny the charm and femininity of a perfectly constructed tutu. And while they seem utterly modern (in our hearts, they always will be!), tutus have a surprisingly fascinating history!
The Birth of a Ballerina Icon: 1859
You might be surprised to learn that this year â 1859 â was actually a HUGE turning point for tutus! This was the year a very special dance called "Giselle" took centre stage for the very first time! Now, Giselle wasnât the first ballet ever performed, but this particular production was a real game changer, thanks to a very special person, Marie Taglioni.
Taglioni was one of the most incredible ballerinas of her time, and you could say that Giselle was basically her breakthrough moment, the role that set the stage for every ballerina after her! Now, we've got to give credit where credit is due, because Giselle brought something completely new to the stage â a stunning, white tutu! It was quite literally the "star" of the show. It made dancing look effortless, highlighting the grace of the ballerina like a blooming flower! Before Giselle, ballets used a whole lot of heavy fabrics and things, you see, which made the dancing look quite restricted.
Taglioni and the creators of the tutu for "Giselle" â Jean Coralli and Jules Perrot - realised they needed something completely different. So they came up with something lightweight and flexible: a short, layered skirt, making her movements light and breezy, like she was gliding through the air, almost like a fairy, but one with lots of practice under her belt, darling!
This âRomantic tutuâ, which you still see a lot today, had just one layer of tulle, creating that ethereal look that had the entire audience gasp! Can you imagine seeing that for the first time? This is what revolutionized the look of ballet, and how the ballerina looked during a performance.
Imagine that feeling - like everyoneâs eyes are just on you and the skirt that makes your moves just that little bit more magical. It's such a powerful and glamorous thing. It's the stuff of fairy tales and dreams - and maybe, just maybe, it even gives you some extra confidence and magic too, darling. It certainly gives me that feeling!
But What About the Actual Name? âTutuâ!
This bit is rather a bit more obscure, though it certainly makes you appreciate just how much a tutu is loved, because people weren't shy about referencing the word! It's believed that tutu became the word for ballet skirts due to an early fashion critic, ThĂ©ophile Gautier, *who was inspired by a word the people at the Palais Garnier theatre in Paris, which is basically the hottest ballet place, shouted out during one of the famous ballets: *âTou-tou!â This was probably something like âYou-You!â in English! I have a sneaking suspicion that these fans loved the dancing, and that fluffy white tutu. They knew this new, glamorous fashion look was just meant to be!
Thatâs just how âtutuâ started to be used to talk about the dancerâs skirt. I do wish we had videos from this time, I would love to hear what ThĂ©ophile thought and how Marie danced, itâs all rather wonderful, don't you think?
*1859: What Was Happening Today? *
We were still in the middle of the Industrial Revolution, and there was a ton of technological innovation happening around the world.
For our ballet history â the worldâs first professional Ballet Academy was founded! It's interesting, darling, to think that not only are ballet dancers incredible artists, they are also such skilled athletes! Just think about how much training it took to become so accomplished in 1859, how dedicated everyone was to achieving such great performance. Itâs all truly inspiring.
Now for Your Tutu-rific Tuesday Challenge!
For your #TutuTuesday, my dears, try your very own version of âTou-Touâ! Pick your favourite ballet dancer or your best memory of watching a ballet - tell me all about it in the comments! I'd love to hear your own story. You can even dress up and show off a tutu. Just donât be shy, share your ballerina magic and get your âTou-Touâ on!
Thatâs all from your beloved pink-tutu-clad time traveller for now, darlings! Catch you next Tuesday, until then keep on twirling!
XOXO Emma
