Hello lovelies! It's Emma here, your friendly neighbourhood tutu-obsessed time traveller, and today on #TutuTuesday, we're twirling our way back to December 11th, 1860, for a delightful dip into the world of ballet history!
I just adore a good trip through time, especially when it involves trains! My recent jaunt back to 1860 took me to Paris, the very heart of ballet, where everything was so elegant and charming. I even found a fabulous little vintage shop full of exquisite bonnets and lace gloves! The Parisians back then had a real flair for fashion, and of course, tutus were right in the thick of it.
But let's rewind the clock and get into the heart of this #TutuTuesday, shall we?
A Little Bit of Tutu Trivia
December 11th, 1860 - you may be wondering what happened on this date that made it tutu-worthy, and well, that's where things get interesting!
For those who didn't know, the world of ballet in the 1860s was abuzz with excitement - and one particularly momentous occasion was just a few years away! Yes, it was all about The Nutcracker, a whimsical ballet composed by Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky, who wrote a symphony for his ballet based on E.T.A Hoffmann's story, The Nutcracker and the Mouse King - it’s said this tale of bravery and friendship with the Nutcracker doll who saves Clara and her little brother and other brave toys from the evil Rat King was already enchanting young audiences, including our ballerina.
But even before The Nutcracker became a Christmas tradition, ballet had been undergoing a bit of a transformation. The tutus we see on stage today are quite different from their earlier, more voluminous predecessors. You can picture the beautiful ballerina in a tutu made with layers upon layers of tulle - they were practically clouds of tulle floating across the stage! That was the fashion in the late 1700s.
Over time, the tutu started to evolve, and the Romantic ballet era brought a new focus on grace and lightness. Those glorious layers were swapped out for a shorter, tighter, more streamlined design, creating a more graceful, fluid movement - like a delicate, fluttering butterfly! It really highlighted the elegance of the dancers, showcasing every turn and extension, with the soft, airy fabric reflecting the light like a shimmer of joy!
You might be wondering: Did they really use all those delicate tulle layers on a regular day, Emma? It is an interesting question! While you could certainly imagine this happening in an upscale ballet world in Paris and even the Russian and Italian worlds, they most certainly were reserved for special occasions and elegant performances. There were also tutus for practicing for these grand evenings, too! Just like the world we live in, different fabrics were used to make different styles!
Think of all the excitement for the next fashion innovation in the world of dance – the tutu is such a key element!
And if you haven't heard about this little story of The Nutcracker already, the story begins with a group of girls coming to Clara’s home with a little dancing rat in a skirt – there is really nothing that compares! They take Clara on a mystical journey to see the real Nutcracker with a very beautiful ballerina who wears the most fantastic pink tutu to lead the way! This ballerina reminds Clara of a dancing porcelain doll that the mysterious Uncle Drosselmeyer gave her – such a lovely time, isn't it?!
What an inspiring moment of change, from the earlier, puffy style to the modern silhouette that still graces the stage. That's where Marie Taglioni steps into the picture! It is believed that this elegant Italian dancer inspired the transition toward the modern ballerina silhouette we adore today. She’s said to be the very first dancer to grace the stage with the modern tutu - so think about how she’s still impacting all these dancers even today!
Of course, I couldn’t just travel to the beautiful capital of the fashion world without seeing a few ballet shows, could I?
Time for the show!
Oh, the delight! My journey to see the performance was nothing short of magical. Just imagine, I even caught a train journey through a French countryside! Lush green meadows dotted with quaint little villages, all passing by as the steam engine puffed along with a charmingly rustic symphony of a steamy "choo-choo" and whistles! Oh, the world of railways!
Every detail of this show had a hint of exquisite glamour. I've always said: Ballet and fashion are a perfect blend, with the elegance and sophistication of one enhancing the grace and artistry of the other!
The costumes! I could barely contain myself. Imagine – these ballerinas looked absolutely ethereal in their billowing, romantic tutus. They danced with such elegance, flowing like wisps of chiffon across the stage. It was pure enchantment! You couldn't tell it was 1860. It looked like modern-day Paris with so much panache.
The performances were breathtaking, even more so as I travelled back in time – in fact, I really had a magical experience that took my breath away. The ballerinas, they glided across the stage, all in perfectly coordinated and embellished tutus, which matched with every scene of the show - from shimmering silver tutus as a gentle snowfall in the snowy mountains, and for a festive Christmas feast in Clara’s family’s house, I saw red and gold and festive-coloured fabrics.
Of course, these colourful gowns were an amazing feast for the eyes, but then they switched up with a grand, elegant performance, showcasing those flowing ivory, silken dresses!
That evening, a whole world of enchanting entertainment and glamour, the elegant audience members in fine clothing, and even my heart began to race in anticipation.
What can I say? These ballerinas just had this ethereal air around them, and let’s be honest, there is no magic that compares with seeing someone execute a perfectly twirling arabesque. I thought it looked even better in real life, even after travelling to the year 1860, when ballet was becoming quite modern - these performers were simply magical and quite inspiring!
The Importance of a Tutu
The tutu, of course, isn’t just a fancy dress – oh no! It’s a powerful symbol of ballet, of dance, and of creativity. It captures the spirit of dreams, aspirations, and that sense of endless possibilities!
Even today, we have dancers wearing a whole range of styles of the ballet tutus, with the soft, light layers we love today.
So if you’ve not already embraced a tutu yet, join me for a fabulous Tuesday, and let’s all celebrate everything about that incredible fabric and silhouette – a truly unique and special bit of dance history, for our time-travelling, magical ballet world!
Next Tuesday we'll go on another magical adventure – I wonder where it will be? Let me know where you’d like to see me go next for another time-travelling adventure. Be sure to drop by and say hello, I just love hearing from all of you!
Emma xoxo 🩰
Don't forget to keep twirling and let your inner ballerina shine! 😉 And don’t forget to visit www.pink-tutu.com every Tuesday for a brand-new, tutu-filled adventure through ballet history. 💖
