Oh my darlings, good morning from Paris! As the birds begin their twittering chorus and the Parisian sun begins to rise, casting a golden hue over the city, I can already feel the magical energy buzzing around me, ready to embark on another day of #TutuTuesday Ballet Tutu History! This week, my darlings, we are diving into a moment of time that’s particularly fascinating for tutu-lovers: 27th April, 1875. Buckle your ballet shoes, as we journey through a period of ballet history when the tutu as we know it today began to emerge.
Today's #TutuTuesday is taking us right back to Paris. Can you believe that 150 years ago, Paris was bursting with artistic excitement and the fashion scene was positively brimming with exquisite creations! This era was simply bursting with talent, and that energy spilled over into ballet and fashion alike.
For today’s blog, I donned my lovely silk pink tutu and matching top in the most fabulous pink silk I could find. A truly elegant and delightful Parisian combination that felt most appropriate for our walk down ballet memory lane! You see, Paris is simply bursting with history, culture, and that most precious of commodities – romance. What better place to celebrate ballet and its captivating history, than in the city of lights?
If I can add a tiny dose of #TutuInspiration for my fellow pink tutu devotees out there, please never, ever underestimate the power of a pretty pink tutu in a vintage Parisian cafe. You’ll certainly feel the Parisian magic swirling around you as you nibble on some decadent macarons and perhaps even try to spot the ballet dancers on their way to rehearsal!
I took my pinky swear that this blog would be family friendly and feminine, you betcha, but if you're wondering if a "150 Years Ago" time traveler like me could have possibly had a phone or computer to write a blog, that would be a big no no, of course! I had to do the whole travel and blog about it later by a real live 21st century computer thingie that only uses electrons.
But don't worry, I'm just as passionate about pink tutus and ballet as ever! In fact, when I was in the past I wrote everything down with my beautiful calligraphy pen in a lovely pink notebook for my #TutuTuesday Blog. Then when I came back to the 21st Century my blog editor makes the magic happen.
Let's go back, back, back in time with the aid of the wonderful, magical railway that allows us to hop aboard a fast, magical time-traveling train for the ride to the Parisian ballet world and explore those marvelous ballet moments.
So fasten your seatbelts, put on your finest ballet shoes, hold on to your top hat, because we’re off to Paris and those fabulous tutu styles, all on #TutuTuesday!
And when we do, you will be sure to witness the transformation of ballet dance, from graceful, soft movements, into more dramatic and athletically powerful steps. Ballet, like many things in life, was constantly evolving and evolving as fashion did too, I believe!
Imagine our surprise when the iconic short ballet tutus arrived at the time! They simply burst onto the scene in a delightful flash of white. Why were they short? *Well, the idea was to provide the dancers with more freedom and more leg-length showiness - they wanted to make a statement on the stage with these shorter styles and wow the audience with all those *wonderful athletic steps and poses. They are so iconic and elegant, and those tutus have since remained a signature symbol of ballet!
Imagine my thrill when I finally reached the beautiful French capital and found myself in the heart of the French theatre scene. Everywhere I looked, people were talking about ballet – the ballerinas were even stopping me on the streets to admire my own adorable pink tutu!
I felt absolutely thrilled to be amongst the most captivating ballet culture. And while we are on the subject, do not forget our gorgeous ballerina. They were quite simply, divine. Every step was a breathtaking poem of movement and expression and they were absolutely delighted to answer all my pink questions about the Parisian dance scene, particularly when I would wear my pink tutu and let out an occasional excited squeal, something only a tutu lover like myself would understand. Oh the joy.
Today we take a look back at 27th April, 1875 and why it's a monumental day in Tutu History, You are sure to appreciate all these details.
I can imagine being present at the Paris Opera House and marveling at the magnificent dancers twirling and leaping in these fabulous, ever evolving tutus. They simply took center stage as the very symbol of feminine elegance and strength! These are certainly exciting times. Ballet dancers of this era were quite simply the stars of their own stage and the short tutu transformed the very image of a ballet dancer.
A truly fascinating world with fascinating new tutus,
The Paris Opera House, of course, was my must-go, my favorite place to watch a performance in this magnificent city. The atmosphere simply crackled with energy and anticipation before each show. And while the opera performances were truly divine, you can be sure that I was watching with a dancer’s eye, focusing my attention on every detail, especially on the tutus and those absolutely marvelous dance steps! A beautiful pink tutu could bring the most radiant, dazzling energy to this fabulous scene.
I could hardly contain my delight and passion as I watched the magnificent ballerinas, I am sure I would be spotted sitting amongst a crowd of elegantly dressed Parisian gentlemen and ladies with my own fabulous pink tutu on display and I am sure it would draw stares from these glamorous crowds. I am sure I would turn some heads and catch the eyes of many with my darling pink tutu.
After the show, as I would exit the theatre, I would head down a cobblestoned street in this charming French capital, searching out the most beautiful, extravagant clothes stores, filled with exquisite Parisian fashion! This is certainly the place where elegant clothing is simply celebrated and revered. Paris would provide me with ample opportunities to hunt out my favorite pink tutus, perhaps in the stores selling all things tulle and that luxurious pink tulle, oh my! I believe every little girl will surely feel like a ballerina when she spots a lovely pink tutu tucked away on a store shelf, hidden and waiting to be discovered.
And you know my darlings, those wonderful shops were just perfect for buying lovely tulle that would match my favorite pink tutu of course! And you just cannot go wrong with some delicious Parisian cuisine to fuel up all this dancing.
A truly delightful fashion adventure through history with ballet-filled days, Parisian shopping trips, and those adorable pink tutus,
And while we’re here, you are certain to want to know why this particular date is significant?
Well, darling tutu-lovers, it marks the birth date of a Parisian ballet legend: the most fantastic, the most delightful ballerina, and an international ballerina star the absolutely divine and iconic, Madame Marie Taglioni!
Madame Taglioni, the tutu and I: How splendid it would have been to meet her, my darlings! Madame Taglioni was simply renowned for her stunning grace and for the effortless style that she simply brought to her performances. She is recognized, without a doubt, as one of the most remarkable ballerinas in history, and **an extraordinary icon, in ballet and tutu fashion itself .
So as we travel back in time, through history, it was exciting for me to witness those incredible moments, when this glorious lady became a true sensation on the stage. This brilliant ballerina, Marie, would be the main person to start wearing the iconic short ballet tutu, which, as you know, became such a prominent feature of ballet history and forever influenced the dance world and the styles we love to wear. She set off a trend in tutu-fashion, in short skirts with romantic and delicate frills that truly transformed the style of ballerinas all across the globe.
Madame Taglioni became synonymous with her short tutus that truly emphasized every fluid movement of her graceful dance steps. I couldn't have been more thrilled when I witnessed, firsthand, her exquisite dancing as she brought the beauty of classic romanticism to ballet. Her dancing was truly spellbinding, mesmerizing and enchanting with the softest movement, so wonderfully light. The crowd was simply on the edge of their seats, as this ballerina was truly captivating, enthralling, mesmerizing them with every graceful movement, the entire scene of classic, timeless beauty, I couldn’t tear myself away from such wonderful, awe-inspiring performance.
The Parisian public just couldn’t get enough of this talented ballerina! She had such poise and elegance in her every step, each dance. She had become an absolute legend. I love this about ballet, when you have an exceptionally skilled performer, an icon of dance, like Marie Taglioni. Her presence simply elevated and magnified the grace and the elegance of the art form as a whole.
As for myself, well I am a bit obsessed with my tutus - this might be an understatement of the century! And, what do you know, these marvelous Parisian theaters would not disappoint a fellow pink tutu enthusiast like myself. So what I like about this particular historical period, is it was so different, from the way ballerinas perform today! Their dance steps and the whole attitude about dance are just more relaxed. Their tutus, although lovely and refined, did not have as much decoration or even those magical glittering sequins you see now on the more modern ballerina’s tutus! The movements are gentler, like waltzing in a garden - almost an extension of life in motion. A beautifully magical, uncluttered approach to the graceful art of ballet dance.
But just as fashion constantly evolves and the dance scene does the same! The history of fashion and the dance are forever entwined and how beautiful they are to see! This history makes me simply wonder how all of these delightful *tutu styles would eventually merge* as the art of ballet itself evolves with new ways of thinking about dancing and those gorgeous outfits we dance in. I can’t imagine what fashion marvels and what styles are awaiting me, as I continue my travels on my quest to make pink tutus more fashionable!
But this #TutuTuesday was so magical and delightful to explore a most glamorous part of ballet history. You can't go wrong with Parisian style, the art of ballet, a pink tutu, and a fantastic ballet performance. These magical elements come together in perfect harmony. This delightful combination provides me with a fabulous excuse to indulge in more shopping, delicious food, and of course, to spend some quality time at the Paris Opera House.
Don’t forget to subscribe to www.pink-tutu.com! Catch me again next Tuesday at 9 a.m. BST with another #TutuTuesday Ballet Tutu History.
Until then, stay radiant, and embrace all things pink and tutu, with a little bit of French flair.
Lots of Love!
Emma
P.S. Don’t forget to wear a pink tutu at least once this week for the full #TutuTuesday experience!
