#TutuTuesday Ballet Tutu History on 1870-11-08

#2028 - Bonjour, my darlings! Welcome back to my Pink Tutu blog! Today, as we celebrate #TutuTuesday, we’re taking a peek at the 1870s, an era when tutus were gaining a real foothold in the world of ballet! Let’s grab our tickets and board the grandest express train to whisk us away to Paris, the dazzling capital of dance and fashion!

It’s November the 8th, 1870, and you’ll find me gliding through the elegant avenues of Paris, my own bright pink tutu swirling around me, of course! The shops are bustling with life, overflowing with the season’s latest finery. You can bet I’m going to do a bit of browsing for myself – and perhaps even a little shopping – to see what delights are on offer for a ballerina!

1870s tutus: What were ballerinas like me twirling in? Well, think short, sleek, and impossibly graceful! This was a time when the tutu was evolving, shedding the cumbersome layers of its romantic past, revealing its breathtakingly ethereal core! Gone were the long, billowing skirts that could weigh a ballerina down. In their place, airy, transparent fabrics floated around the dancer's body, allowing for greater freedom of movement and highlighting the exquisite lines of a ballet pose.

It’s amazing how things change! Just imagine: 100 years before this, you wouldn't have even caught sight of a tutu on stage! It wasn’t until the 1800s that the tutu, as we know it, really became the symbol of the ballerina. Imagine wearing layers and layers of tulle to dance! I wouldn't even try, darling! I'm all for lightweight and breezy.

But speaking of dancing, my heart is aflutter with anticipation! The legendary Opera Garnier, a majestic building of golden grandeur, calls to me. Imagine its opulently decorated halls, echoing with the sound of applause! I'm eager to see a new ballet premiered in the grandeur of its auditorium. This week, it’s “Giselle,” by Adolphe Adam, a stunning and tragic love story. You simply must see this show – trust me! And even though “Giselle” might not include a ballet shoe scene, just the very thought of tutus being center stage on a night like this… well, I can’t wait to feel the magic of the theater!

But enough about my personal delights – I promised a history lesson! Here’s how this beautiful, expressive costume came to be:

1. From the French court to the ballet stage! The first hint of the tutu is actually traceable back to 16th century French court dances! However, the ballerina's tutu, as we know it today, took shape during the early 1800s. These were the golden years of romanticism, where all things ethereal, dreamy, and otherworldly held great allure. This fascination with ethereal beauty, with movements like graceful, flowing waves, perfectly encapsulated in the delicate layers of the romantic tutu.
2. A ballerina's most treasured possession! The early 1800s saw the advent of the tutu à la polonaise, with multiple layers of fabric creating a bell shape (perfect for elegant swirling movements!), then, in the 1830s, the tutu à la romantique appeared. This tutu, with short, flowing layers of fabric, really was the beginning of the streamlined form that ballet tutus are known for today!

The ballet tutu, then and now, was all about movement. Its very design and shape, from its shorter length to its layered skirt, enabled ballerinas to take those elegant, breathtaking leaps! It was the ultimate instrument in their language of dance, translating their most delicate and precise emotions with their elegant form!

But of course, it’s not all just graceful elegance! In the late 19th century, *the “tutu” had developed into something far more practical, especially during rehearsals and training! *Simple practice skirts of the “pancake tutu” shape, with no added embellishments, were used to ease the transition to the full “performance tutu,” with its meticulous construction and dazzlingly ornate embellishments! The practicality, paired with the show-stopping beauty of the performance-ready tutu, helped to make ballet, as we know it, possible. And it’s so important to know the “behind-the-scenes” stories – we'd be lost without these stories!

Tutu stories: I often wonder, what stories do those magnificent, dancing forms of the ballerinas tell? Stories of love and heartbreak? Of courage, joy, and overcoming challenge? It’s thrilling to imagine those feelings swirling beneath the fabric of the tutu, in every leap, every delicate turn! I feel the magic, don't you, my lovely readers?

I can’t leave you without some inspiring examples from this period! One ballerina that comes to mind is Emma Livry, known for her amazing performance in “La Source” (The Source), which premiered at the very same Paris Opera! That must be absolutely electrifying!

Now, back to those glorious Parisian shops, I’ll be searching for the most spectacular, magnificent, beautiful fabric! You never know where my next pink tutu adventure will lead me! Maybe even a trip to see a grand ballet with a few friends, where I can put my newest tutu to the test. I promise, next Tuesday, I’ll be sharing all about it, including some fantastic shopping finds and some extra details about what a performance at the Paris Opera is like. Stay tuned! Until then, remember… pink tutus for every girl!