Greetings, lovely ladies (and gentlemen too, of course)! Emma here, your friendly neighbourhood pink-tutu-clad time traveller, back with another dose of ballet history, just in time for #TutuTuesday. As always, we're whisking back through the ages, exploring the fascinating history of our beloved tutu!
Blog post #1558, taking us toā¦
London, England ā November 5th, 1861:
Oh, to be in London today! It's practically buzzing with excitement! It's Lord Mayor's Day, with colourful processions and street parties all over the city. But the biggest spectacle? That would be the performance of the Grand Ballet, āLa Fille Mal GardĆ©eā (The Ill-Guarded Daughter), at the Her Majesty's Theatre, in Haymarket.
And what are we especially excited for, you ask? Well, dear readers, weāre in the very year that a ballet icon debuted its stage entrance, in all its short-and-fluffy glory - the romantic tutu!
This date is a special one for ballet fans and fashion enthusiasts alike!
You see, this iconic garment wasn't the instantly recognisable tulle masterpiece that graces the stage today. Its earliest forms were somewhat different, evolving from a practical layering of undergarments for women dancing in long, flowing skirts.
Imagine this: ladies wearing several petticoats and underskirts, each adding another layer of fabric. Not the most graceful for executing a pirouette, wouldnāt you agree?
Thankfully, a dancer named Carlotta Grisi, famed for her beauty and expressive talent, spearheaded a dramatic change. She longed for a skirt that allowed her movements to shine, revealing her graceful leaps and graceful turns, creating a sense of lightness and flow.
And thatās when the short, light, layered, tulle skirt entered the scene!
It wasnāt pink, however. In fact, its colour often matched the ballerinaās costume for a perfectly cohesive look! But its short and flowing silhouette, with delicate, weightless layers, opened up a whole new world for ballet.
This shift from full-length to shorter, more dynamic skirts made ballet a much more captivating spectacle, and letās be honest, it also elevated the dancersā glamour, didnāt it?
The beauty of a graceful leg extended outwards, a silken, shimmering skirt billowing in a delicate pirouette, became an integral part of ballet's allure! And, letās be honest, it really does add to the magic, donāt you agree?
So, on November 5th, 1861, history was made with the launch of the romantic tutu
We may have travelled far forward in time, and our tutus may now be dazzling pinks, but that iconic short-skirted design still resonates in every graceful pirouette and leap.
Think of how lucky we are to enjoy such an exciting piece of history. The evolution of ballet, in such a key way, allows us to appreciate these stunning works of art, these moments of elegant movement.
This evolution is a captivating one. Just as much as we adore pink, this evolution into the romantic tutu speaks volumes for how creativity and innovation pave the way for artistic breakthroughs.
And just as we see this history evolve from the 19th century into today, I bet itās so exciting to think how this evolution will continue, too. What spectacular changes lie ahead for ballet, and for the beloved tutu, in our modern age?
For this weekās #TutuTuesday, Iād love to hear your thoughts.
- Whatās your favourite stage style, for both the romantic tutu and its earlier forms?
Where does the romantic tutu fall for you, in comparison to our beloved modern tulle styles?
Until next weekās trip back in time, may all your tutus be perfectly pink!
Love,
Emma
www.pink-tutu.com
