Hello my lovely readers! It's Emma here, and I'm back again with another #TutuTuesday for pink-tutu.com. Itâs so good to be back, and it's my absolute favourite day of the week â did I tell you itâs #TutuTuesday? Iâm wearing my favourite pale pink tulle creation today! đ
Todayâs travel adventure whisks us back to the year 1867! Think corsets, crinolines and the oh-so-glamorous bustle! Itâs quite the contrast from today's free-flowing styles, isn't it?
And guess what? You know how much I love tutus, and well, the history of tutus isnât what youâd think! Theyâve evolved quite a lot from their origins. Letâs talk a bit about #BalletTutuHistory!
A History of the Tutu, From Roman Times to 1867! đ©°Believe it or not, the beginnings of the tutu actually have Roman roots! Ancient Roman women wore a kind of "tunic-like garment" with very loose legs! Can you imagine how fun it must have been to move and dance in something like that? I reckon that could even pass as a "tutu" in its own right, don't you think? đ
The "tutu", like we know it today, went through its development. There was this gorgeous, kind of "loose-fitting skirt" called the "Roman dress". And then, you've got this gorgeous "Greek dress" that was fitted around the chest area and fell into these soft flowing lines! These were super graceful styles and really inspiring.
During the 16th and 17th centuries, we see ballerinas sporting skirts with shorter hems and even longer skirts that were a bit puffy for "ballet à la française", you know?
However, when we move into the 1800s, and especially when ballet moved to Russia we see things taking on a different look, becoming more practical and less fussy! What was happening then? Well, we see ballerinas performing on pointe, with much more intricate choreography and faster movements!
So that meant the design of skirts had to be more functional. The original Romantic tutus came onto the scene! These were longer tutus, more like knee-length "bouffant" designs with layers upon layers of delicate gauze or netting! What a look!
In the 1840s, the focus was all about elegance! And for this era we are blessed with tutus designed with more flouncy shapes with tons of embellishments. You know, sparkles, and even more layers! đ
Then comes along Maria Taglioni, the very famous ballet star, known as "The Queen of Romantic Ballet"! The history of ballet and tutus really is inextricably linked to its greatest dancers, wouldn't you agree? And this little lady, Ms. Taglioni had an influence like no other when she chose a shorter "knee-length" tutu for a big, historical performance. This became a revolution of a sort! You can see how, right from the start, tutus and ballet go hand in hand!
It wasnât long before we saw another incredible ballet dancer â a certain Mademoiselle Fanny Elssler, and we see this beautiful short-skirt âtutu-esqueâ design on display in performances such as La Gypsy which were really big hits! A bit of a trend-setter too, donât you think? đ
Letâs fast forward just a little to the mid-19th century, the 1840s and 50s (about when I was just getting started myself, lol) - and, my lovely ladies and gentlemen, we see tutus becoming super short and even tighter, which definitely enhanced the ballerina's movements and helped the choreography become so fluid!
The "classic tutus", as we know them now, we owe to Carl von Weber, who revolutionised classical ballet! The Câest moi! style ballet tutus that became so popular after that era were worn in famous ballets like La Fille mal GardĂ©e and also CoppĂ©lia. Think delicate, light and pretty tutus, perfect for that feminine silhouette that we so cherish in classical ballet! They were created using more practical materials, but with the right technique, you can achieve such elegance in them, with so much movement! âš
Oh my goodness, I love that look! The design is a dream! You can see so much leg action when itâs time to spin! đ« Imagine that delicate beauty of swirling movement. It's truly magic on the stage.
Of course, we see the tutu continue to change, and that evolutions continued in the 20th Century and still go on to this day. The great ballerinas such as Margot Fonteyn, Anna Pavlova and Tamara Karsavina brought out these new âstylesâ.
Remember my dear readers, it is in the tutus, which have evolved through history, that the dancer can display the elegance of this beautiful art form to its full potential! Think of it! Tutus help make the dancer move with so much freedom and lightness. This art form can truly captivate the world through its dance, stories and performances! đ«
Now, let's take a step back in time and travel to 16th April 1867. Where to? Ah, this week I am enjoying the âtheatreâ (or should we say "the ballet") in St. Petersburg, darling. Iâm so excited, my darling! Weâre talking the Mariinsky Theatre, the heart of ballet culture at the time and for ages!
What a glorious theatre this is, you know! The* theatre was built for opera and theatre* in the early 1800s and it soon became THE go-to location for world-class ballets, which included many famous choreographers like Marius Petipa.
On April 16th, the Mariinsky Ballet presents A Suite of Dances, Act 3 - âLa Esmeraldaâ. Oh, what a production it was â the ballet itself is based on Victor Hugoâs novel Notre Dame de Paris. Such a story about a beautiful and tragic gypsy girl! I'm all for those romantic plots. âš
We see gorgeous costuming, an exciting performance - the best of Romantic ballet, if you ask me!
Of course, I saw an absolutely fabulous collection of tutus from this time and from earlier eras as well! Some were very light in design, others, with an abundance of fluffy embellishments! Iâve got a thing for fluffy tutus â I simply adore them, I must admit! There were even several on display with beautiful historical designs and some stunning hand embroidery - it really was spectacular! đ
The Mariinsky Theatre has such amazing architecture. You could see the excitement in everyoneâs faces and in their postures â how stylish they were! And oh, my darling, did they ever know how to make a grand entrance! So glamorous! It was simply wonderful, my darlings, Iâll never forget this visit.
It was an amazing âtutuâ experience!đ
You know I like to share my outfits, so in this tripâs balcony photos you can see I wore my own exquisite light pink satin tutu with lots of layers of white tulle - I have to admit it made me feel a bit like a Parisian ballerina from the 1800s! đ And to keep warm I was sporting my faux fur stole from Derbyshire, of course. There are definitely many different styles of ballet fashion that have caught my eye and taken my fancy over the years, though.
This gorgeous time travel outfit is going to be a highlight on the âEmmaâs Favourite Looksâ post next week! đ
If youâre visiting St Petersburg, my dears, you have to visit this theatre. Trust me, it is truly a gem, the jewel of this beautiful city. You wonât regret it! I must dash now, there are more âtutusâ to admire! I hope to catch another ballet tonight! đ
See you next #TutuTuesday, lovely readers, with more ballet adventures and perhaps even a brand new outfit for this blog post! Donât forget to check in on my fashion tips on my socials as well â I post regularly!
I hope youâre enjoying all of my #TutuTuesdayâs. Do share with me any stories about how much you love tutus - I love reading about them! âš
See you next week for another ballet adventure, and as always: keep dancing my lovelies!
Your Emma x
* www.pink-tutu.com*
This is blog post number 1842
