Hello darlings! It's your favourite pink tutu wearing time traveller, Emma, back with another fabulous journey into the history of ballet. I’m a bit dusty this week from a whirlwind tour of Europe and couldn’t wait to share my discoveries.
Buckle up, dears, because today we’re whisking ourselves back to March 28th, 1876 – oh, the year that Marie Taglioni was already a legend! And believe me, I know what you’re thinking. "Emma, a little birdie told me tutus didn't become iconic until after this date?" Well, let me tell you, my loves, even then, a proper tutu was already a revolutionary look.
So let's take a waltz back to that enchanting day, shall we?
A Little Bit of History (And a LOT of Tulle!)
To get into the spirit of things, you have to imagine a theatre stage lit only by candles. That's right! It's not as sparkly and glitzy as we know it today. That kind of stage lighting – using gas, which wasn't even standard until later - would create dramatic contrasts and shadowy effects that would make the delicate tulle even more alluring.
Now picture this, lovelies. It’s an opera house packed full of fashionably dressed ladies with feathered hats, gentlemen in silk waistcoats, and a beautiful dancer on stage. While it might have looked pretty, 1876 was still a very rigid and formal period. Ballet itself was considered a high art with strict rules and movements, as though a ballerina was painted on the canvas of the stage. In this era, movement was slow and stately, with dramatic pauses, elegant turns, and precisely placed steps. All designed to highlight the movement, to let each gesture flow and to evoke that ethereal sense of artistry.
And now for our star. Picture a woman in a graceful tutu! No, my loves, it wouldn't be the big, fluffy "romantic" style yet. Think more knee length, tulle – still voluminous, mind you, but still showing the elegance of the form! This was the period that really refined the ballet tutu we know and love today. Think silk, satin, ribbons, a nod to a simplicity that was absolutely grand. It was as though they were revealing the essence of beauty. And let me tell you, this was a major departure from the cumbersome costumes that ballerinas wore just a generation earlier!
A Tale of Two Tutues (Or is it Three?)
You might have seen that iconic 'picture' of ballerinas from the 17th century! Imagine a skirt over their skirts! This was called the Panniér, and it looked as if they were standing inside a big hoop! We even had our early pas de basque style tutus – that's ballet jumps and leaps, dear! – but they still had that bulky design. A major struggle, for the life of me, for delicate dance!
Imagine this. Those long-length gowns with tiers and layers, they might have been stylish, but can you imagine moving like that in a ballet, darlings? I * shudder* to think about it! And they just looked a little overpowering, like those fluffy feathered decorations on a ballgown, but heavier! No thanks!
You'll be delighted to know that a few geniuses (and visionaries!) understood that if you want the body to express itself with such beauty, you have to show its elegance and allow movement to flow. They brought out the lighter, layered, and oh-so-delicate tulle to empower the movement.
Now, fast forward to 1876. The ‘romantics’ are creating extravaganzas on stage that will stun the audiences - but think more of soft tulle, my dear! Those skirts were still a little longer, * and the effect of this length, remember, it's still about the *elegant line of the dancer. There's so much history in that detail! It takes *care, artistry, passion. And it was revolutionary!*
And the Revolution Continues
Of course, a revolution never really ends. It's constant in art, especially when it comes to tutus. By the late 1800s, tutus became lighter, with the iconic 'classic romantic tutu' design getting *short and getting *grand! We see dancers taking to the stage with incredible leaps and extensions, which just goes to show how powerful movement can be! The tutus, my darlings, were simply getting better at expressing those dreams and ambitions!
Think of that for a moment. The romantic tutus – just beautiful to behold, I know. And what’s revolutionary is that those changes led to new styles for contemporary ballet as well. Can you even imagine what might have been if the earlier tutus had stayed the same?!
It’s been a real joy to go back to the year 1876! It shows just how important it is to understand the past of dance. Every layer, every fold, every style of a tutu has a story. We have to keep learning about the way fashion shapes and influences movement itself!
You see, every step in ballet history – each and every movement and performance – has led us to where we are now. We're still adding new styles and trends, because the beauty of ballet never fades. I’m so proud to be a part of that – and even prouder to have discovered this gem from history.
So, dears, I want you to join me. Put on your pink tutu – you know you want to! – and join me in a little dance in honor of the amazing legacy that brought us our most elegant fashion. And be sure to tell me all about your own favourite ballet moments and the things that inspire you!
And remember – no matter how grand or simple it looks, a ballet tutu has history – and it's a history of pure joy and movement!
Until next Tuesday! Emma.
P.S. It's totally worth it!
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Catch my performances: This week I'm at the Vienna State Opera House – my next ballet trip is to St. Petersburg! Don't forget to check my posts on Instagram!
Use hashtag #TutuTuesday for your ballet fashion moments!
