Hello, darlings! Welcome back to Pink Tutu! Today we’re going to travel back in time for a #TutuTuesday trip through history. This week we’re taking a peek at 26th August 1873. I’m currently wearing my sweetest pink tulle tutu, the one with the diamanté ribbon and feather trim. It’s rather magnificent. You can never have too much sparkle, can you? It certainly makes travelling through time much more enjoyable!
The year is 1873 and the world is buzzing with exciting changes. I’ve arrived in London by train, of course. What a journey! The scenery was beautiful, particularly as the sun dappled the meadows. The train was very crowded - you can see how London’s growth has affected people’s journeys. The carriages were lovely though; I particularly liked the dark wooden panelled walls and soft red upholstery. There was even a gentleman, with a very distinguished moustache and a tweed jacket, who offered to let me use the little glass water carafe. Oh so chivalrous!
I’ve been itching to explore London’s bustling theatre scene, a must-do for every dancer! There’s so much excitement for the performing arts, particularly with all the new theatre spaces opening. In fact, one of the most iconic, The Globe Theatre, recently burned down - oh the tragedy! A terrible fire engulfed it back in December 1873!
Now, speaking of tragedy... I can't let this opportunity pass without sharing a sad but important bit of news from the year 1873. While we all love to twirl in our beautiful tutus, for dancers, safety is always paramount. And this year has brought a reminder of that. The Tragédie du Bazaar de la Charité, in Paris, tragically saw a terrible fire on May 4th. This charitable event saw a whole audience caught in a fire. The loss of life, especially with women and children, was terrible. It shook Paris and made people stop and consider fire safety.
Tutues Through The Ages:
Oh, the evolution of the tutu is fascinating, wouldn’t you agree? As I stroll the streets of London, I’m admiring the styles that are trending now. The mid-1800s was all about showing off graceful lines and long limbs, you see. We’re far from the puffy romantic ballerinas of yore – think about the tutus in ballets like La Sylphide, from 1832, and Giselle from 1841. But, now the tutus are becoming shorter. That is good news, because now, the leg movements of the dancers are clearer than ever. The ‘dancing' part is actually becoming the focal point, rather than just a performance that focuses on beauty. How modern!
Imagine, darlings! 1873, where ballet tutus are transforming, making dancing even more stunning, more fluid, and oh-so- captivating! It’s truly a thrilling time to be in the world of dance!
More Time Travel with Pink Tutu: Now, you can tell from the date – my #TutuTuesday is usually a ballet specific blog. This week it felt appropriate to talk about everything else too - the history, the context of how London has become so popular, the excitement in the theatre. Oh! And there’s a wonderful little dress shop I'm going to visit later this week, in fact - it’s right off Oxford Street - called Madame Maréchal and it has an absolutely incredible display of the latest fashions. You wouldn’t believe the sheer volume of silk! I have a wonderful idea for an 1870’s inspired tutu – using sheer fabrics. You’ll have to wait till next week to see the finished article! I will be making sure the tutus that I sell in Pink Tutu are the most beautiful tutus possible, especially for all the darling girls back in England!
Until next week! Keep your ballet shoes close at hand,
Emma xxx
*P.S.: * Let's all remember the dancers, like those from 1873, who inspired generations! If you have a ballerina story, do tell me. I always want to share them with our lovely Pink Tutu community.
Want more #TutuTuesday history posts? Don't forget to head over to www.pink-tutu.com for more fun and fashionable inspiration.
