Hello my dearest tutu lovers, and welcome back to Pink Tutu, your one-stop shop for all things tulle and twirls! Today, on our #TutuTuesday journey, we're travelling back in time to 1867. Now, that's a whole heck of a long train ride, and I do mean whole! (I must admit, I always get so excited when the steam engine gets going - the feeling of that puffing iron horse under your feet, whizzing through the countryside⌠It's the absolute BEST!)
But fear not, darlings! Today weâre tackling an important point in the ballet history books - one that changed the shape of dancing forever⌠I'm talking, of course, about The Skirt!
I've got my pinkest, puffiest tutu on for this post - it's one I just couldnât resist scooping up in my favourite haberdashery store, nestled away on a cobbled Parisian street (such bargains!). We are, after all, about to take a journey into fashion, elegance, and most importantly⌠skirts.
Paris - Where The Tulle's The Limit!
It's hard to believe now, my lovely tutuballerinas, that there was a time when dancers wore rather modest attire. (Imagine the horror!) Ballet performances at this time - we're talking 1867 here, darlings - featured ladies in knee-length, billowing skirts. All very proper and demure, of course.
The story goes that, back then, a certain Monsieur Lucien Petipa was at the helm of the Paris Opera Ballet. I do hope I'm saying his name right! It sounds rather elegant when you pronounce it properly, and anything associated with this legendary dancer just reeks of glamour, donât you think?
Mr. Petipa wasnât afraid to push the boundaries and experiment, which led to the rise of what you could call, dare I say, the tutuâs âancestorsâ.
This Monsieur Petipa⌠oh, how I wish I could travel back in time and take a peek into the magical ballet rehearsals he conducted⌠I imagine an absolute flurry of activity - swirling skirts, flying feet, and probably a little bit of a chuckle from the ladies who just can't get over their delightful skirts! He brought a daring innovation to the Paris Opera: he encouraged dancers to wear these longer, billowing skirts, then gradually lifted the hems. And my dear tutuballerinas, just like a lovely bouquet of flowers opening to the sunlight, this skirt movement created the stage for a dramatic reveal - the dancersâ gorgeous limbs. This, my loves, was a true game-changer.
This move wasnât just about fashion - It opened up a world of new possibilities in ballet itself. Can you imagine the possibilities? Dancers were finally free to explore new forms of movement. They could jump higher, leap further, and twirl with incredible grace! It was all thanks to the magic of less fabric, and you just know that's always going to be a winner in our books!
It must have been quite a shock to audiences at the time. You can just imagine their whispers: âLook at her legs! Oh my word! The sheer elegance! Can they really move like that?â It wasnât just the ladies who embraced this change in the skirts, though, my dears! Male dancers also found it liberated their movements, giving them new scope for leaps, spins, and breathtaking movements that made their bodies look strong, lithe, and truly handsome. It's incredible, really!
It wasnât a dramatic overnight transformation - like magic being sprinkled over a humble caterpillar - it took time. The skirts gradually climbed up, revealing more and more of the leg. But by 1867, we had reached what you might call a "tipping point". Skirts were noticeably shorter. There were even rumours circulating around the fashionable circles that the famous ballet dancer, Marie Taglioni - her name always pops up whenever anyone is discussing the rise of ballet - might be introducing something revolutionary very soon!
Iâm still trying to piece together the puzzle from my research, but there is also a rumour about an unforgettable Parisian ball. Oh my word, my darling tutus, how exciting! That was when the dance communityâs most famous names descended on the grand salons of the City of Lights to witness an exquisite new dance style... And all those ladies wore this breathtaking ensemble.
But just imagine, tutuballerinas, this era must have been like walking into a Parisian fairytale, filled with laughter and elegant tunes, where everyone's favourite thing was simply - tulle!. I am positively going to need to add this one to my itinerary, just for the outfits!
I hope you enjoyed today's TutuTuesday post! Make sure you come back next Tuesday, as we will be taking a fascinating look into how, little by little, that magical short ballet skirt was finally adopted as a style all its own... The Tutu!
We have so many fabulous things coming up, including:
- How the tutus made their way from the stage to the street
- How ballerinas took on their first ever "street fashion" trend
- A special post on how to create a vintage-inspired tutu outfit using vintage patterns (hint - itâs a lot more fun than you might think!).
And remember, as always: Stay sassy, and never be afraid to twirl!
With lots of love (and a big pink tutu bow!), Emma
P.S. If you havenât signed up for my email list, my darling tutus, then I must beg you, do! Get all my latest tips, tricks, and inspiration on a regular basis. Itâs free to sign up and you'll be in the know first about exclusive sneak peeks into my journey across the worldâs dance history. Oh, and if you share any favourite Parisian spots where I should visit, do tell! P.P.S. Donât forget to grab your *PINK TUTU! The hashtag is #PinkTutu - Iâd love to see all your pictures on our website. Happy twirling!*- www.pink-tutu.com
- #PinkTutu
- #TutuTuesday
