Welcome, darlings, to #TutuTuesday! This is blog post number 1532 from your favourite pink-loving, tutu-obsessed blogger, Emma, and I'm absolutely thrilled to be travelling back in time today to the 7th of May, 1861, to delve into the history of our beloved tutus!
I recently had the most delightful adventure in a time-travelling train carriage - that’s how I get around between my ballet performances and this here blog. (Don't tell my agent I mentioned this, it's top secret!) And believe me, it was worth the journey.
Paris, 1861. Oh my goodness, the sights and sounds! Imagine cobbled streets lined with charming boutiques, overflowing with beautiful fabrics and the most exquisite fashions. Can you believe there was a time when ladies wore dresses all the way down to their ankles? Shocking! Imagine the amount of material wasted! I had to have a quick spin on the way back in time just to see the difference a nice full-length tutu would make. Imagine, just picture a hundred twirls in Paris!
But even amongst all this Parisian extravagance, what truly stole my heart was the ballet.
That's right, darlings. You wouldn't believe the privilege I had of witnessing a ballet performance by the esteemed Ballet Impérial de l'Opéra. I'd been lucky enough to snag a ticket (don’t ask me how, that's all a bit "how the cat got the cream" - shh, don't tell the queen!) Imagine this: the magnificent Théatre Impérial de l'Opéra, the sparkling lights, the shimmering costumes - and those tutus, oh, those tutus! You can just feel the history radiating off them, as if the steps of every famous ballerina ever to grace the stage are swirling through the fabric.
The ballerina in the centre stage, just stunning. Her form was like spun silk, her movement as graceful as a butterfly. Imagine the feeling of being that weightless.
As I watched the ballet unfold, I was struck by the effortlessness of the movement, the way the dancers seemed to float on the stage. It wasn't just the dancing; it was the tutus. These graceful masterpieces flowed around them like gossamer dreams, emphasizing each twirl, each leap, each elegant pose.
But did you know, 1861 was a crucial time for tutus, a sort of renaissance for this beautiful garment? Just imagine, all the years before 1861! I imagine that those lovely ballerinas had to go to great lengths to look this graceful – think of how hard it was for them. I just have to make it my life’s goal to let every ballerina across the world enjoy a proper tutu!
You see, dear readers, even then, the tutu had been around for a while – a mere few decades – but these ballerinas were pushing the boundaries of what the tutu could be. They were the pioneers, pushing the fabric limits, expressing themselves, exploring what we now think of as 'tutuesque' elegance.
While the short tutus you see on ballet dancers today were just starting to become the norm, 1861 marked the era of what we now call "classical ballet," a movement which elevated the ballerina, quite literally, as the centre piece of the stage! This evolution, this revolutionary way of looking at the performance, coincided with a growing love for the tutu – a movement for a lighter, graceful ballet! The tutu became a symbol for the ballerina, the expression of beauty and power.
Here’s my special #TutuTuesday takeaway for you all! A special little something extra because you’re such great readers! Did you know that on the very date of our journey, 1861-05-07, a very special ballet event took place! The Parisian public had the opportunity to see "The Pharaoh's Daughter", a four-act ballet composed by Théophile Gautier! Just imagine, that was a truly revolutionary piece of theatre for the time – an Egyptian themed ballet set to waltz-style music. You can just imagine it – it must have been incredible! The costume designers would have had a field day. All that flowing drapery and extravagant headwear, all with a delicate tutu as the key element, would have made for one breathtaking performance! Oh, the tutus they had on! Imagine those Egyptian-themed garments. Oh my, the Egyptian ballet is the most exciting ballet I could ever imagine!
I'm so happy we’ve all travelled back in time to witness a Ballet Tutu Moment together – the time when everything was about to change and tutus were about to explode! Oh, tutus, how I love thee. It’s the reason I go on all my exciting adventures!
As I depart from 1861, I can't help but feel a surge of excitement for the future of tutus, and a touch of longing for this enchanting world that was. But even from my little corner in Derbyshire, I can make the most exquisite, gorgeous tutus. They might not be exactly the same, but I'm going to bring you some of my favourite new designs and patterns that are based on tutus from this wonderful era. You won’t want to miss them. I've been doing so much sketching already – so watch this space!
Don't forget to wear your tutus next Tuesday – the 14th May 2024 – when I'll be posting my new blog entry! You can find me online at www.pink-tutu.com, so make sure to come and join us! And feel free to pop a pink tutu on for extra fun. The more, the merrier, and it's all about fun, right?!
I love tutus and hope you do too!
Love, Emma
P.S. – Want more #TutuTuesday ? Let me know in the comments. Also, if you happen to be reading this at home and you can’t get to the show – pop a tutu on at home – go ahead and give yourself a little Emma’s Time Travel Ballet Class!!
