Welcome, my lovely lovelies, to Post Number 1651 of my Ballet Tutu History Blog! 💖
I’m Emma, your time-traveling tutu-obsessed friend, and this week we're waltzing back to August 18th, 1863. I'm so excited about this one – get your dancing shoes ready because this date marks a real milestone in ballet history!
Let's set the scene: The air is abuzz with the sound of carriages, ladies in bonnets, and gentlemen sporting elegant frock coats – we're in Paris, darling! Paris! The heart of fashion, the land of champagne and, most importantly, where the ballet is blooming into something absolutely spectacular.
Think of the French ballerinas, their tutus swirling with elegance and grace, those iconic white pouter pigeons of the stage – they're starting to look just like what we see today!
But hold on, rewind just a little. Before these beautiful tutus, ballerinas wore long, flowing skirts – heavy and restrictive. They could only glide with great effort, it's almost hard to imagine! Now, I can hardly live without my bouncy, breezy tutu!
Well, it was all about change in the 1800s, darling. Ballet began to develop into something that captivated the entire world – it was truly "the art of flight." This wasn't just about showcasing graceful movements; it was a dance of emotion, telling a story with every leap and pirouette.
Now, picture this. Imagine you're in the audience, captivated by a scene where a ballerina gracefully leaps in the air, light as a feather, swirling in her delicate, billowing tutu. What a moment! This, my lovelies, is the brilliance of a time when tutus began to move with the dancers.
In our Parisian setting, we're now starting to see the iconic “Romantic Tutu”, oh, it’s a marvel of layered tulle and delicate tulle, creating the impression of gossamer wings. The skirt is short – imagine it, my lovelies! – just enough to show off the leg lines and allow for those beautiful, flowing, weightless movements. I'm in heaven, just thinking about it!
What makes this time period even more exciting is that the Romantic Ballet era had arrived, a wave of theatrical and dance pieces centered around themes of love, longing, and mythical tales. Think swans and nymphs - how heavenly! I absolutely adore that period.
Speaking of the swans… let’s talk about the legendary dancer of this era – Marie Taglioni! Now, if you ever hear of a famous dancer in this era – that is the one to know. Her style and grace influenced everyone! You can still see a lot of her iconic moves performed even today. Just beautiful!
Speaking of moves – what better way to commemorate this #TutuTuesday than to dance along? Get out your dancing shoes! You don’t even need a tutu – though let’s face it, you want one, don't you?
Just imagine yourself in your favourite pink tutu, whirling across a stage or dancing in your living room! 🩰💃 The energy and delight of these earlier dancers will sweep you up, believe me.
But while we're celebrating these incredible tutu-wearing beauties of the past, don't forget to embrace the tutu of today. From whimsical street wear to stunning stage costumes, the tutu has evolved in a way that's truly dazzling! I can’t wait to explore that more in future blogs, lovelies!
But for now, let's step back into the 1860s and celebrate a time where the tutu truly came into its own! Let those tulle skirts flow and take a little waltz into the world of ballet – just like Marie Taglioni.
Until next time, my lovely loves!
P.S. - Let's remember that 18th of August was a Friday! Why not mark your calendars for a trip to a local ballet show, darling? 😉
Stay glamorous,
Emma xx
www.pink-tutu.com 💖
