Greetings, fellow tutu enthusiasts! Emma here, your very own time-travelling ballerina, ready to whisk you back to the magical world of tutus! Today, we’re pirouetting our way through the year 1877, and oh my, what a year it was for ballet and, dare I say, for pink!
I've recently disembarked from the Orient Express, after an exhilarating trip across Europe. My Parisian wardrobe is bursting at the seams, with the most exquisite silks and ribbons! Imagine, darling, feathers on your skirt, sparkling sequins on your bodice, and of course, the star of the show: the tutu, so voluminous, so floaty! The Parisien elegance truly captures the heart of the ballet dancer in me.
Speaking of heart-stopping delights, today’s date is particularly special! 18th September, 1877, marks the debut of La Fille Mal Gardée, a ballet that will soon be adored throughout the world. It tells the story of Lise, a rebellious country girl, and her forbidden romance. Imagine a gorgeous tutu, so white and billowy, symbolising pure innocence, but with just the hint of mischief. It's pure magic!
Now, back to the history of the tutu. 1877 was a year of evolution in the dance world. The era of the Romantic tutu, with its layers upon layers of tulle, was gradually fading away. Think more flowing, more graceful, less rigid! Ballet began to reflect the dynamism and athleticism that we associate with it today. We were still clinging to the classic form, though! Imagine gorgeous, perfectly shaped tutus - think ballet barre and a beautiful form that truly reflects the elegance and skill of the dancers. The length still hovered around knee-length for the ladies and just a dash below for the gentlemen, if they were to sport a tutu! I would like to see the gentlemen all wearing pink! Why not? Ballet should be all about the freedom of expression!
Remember, before the era of modern fabrics, the fabric of choice for tutus was still cotton, which, let me tell you, takes a certain artistry to work with! My love of tulle would be just around the corner, waiting for me to waltz into its delicate embrace, but 1877 is still clinging to those lovely cotton fabrics! Cotton might not have quite the dramatic movement of tulle, but the soft drape and beautiful detailing still makes it an excellent dancewear choice!
Speaking of fabric, darling, I simply cannot forget the colour! Yes, my darlings, I am all about that pink, but the colours of this time were something else entirely!
Imagine a soft, pale blue, so delicate and ethereal, that could make any dancer look as if they were floating on a cloud. This was the true "blue-tiful" era for dancing, I assure you. But just you wait until the glorious, fiery red hits the scene - now that’s an energy that even my little Derbyshire heart could appreciate! It takes a certain bravery to embrace red, to let it swirl and dance across the stage! It’s all about the confidence of expression!
To travel through time is truly a joy, darling! Not only do I get to indulge in my love for the history of ballet but I also get to discover the amazing and vibrant history of dance fashion - the gowns, the corsets, and oh yes, those breathtaking tutus!
While you may have imagined the year 1877 as a time of horses and carriages, remember darling, this era brought about a shift! The Industrial Revolution was transforming society, even the world of ballet! It's exciting! New machines meant quicker and cheaper ways to create the beautiful fabrics, even for the ballerinas! Now imagine, a more readily available fabric, that means more designs, more creativity and, ultimately, more opportunities for dazzling pink tutus to take centre stage! What a fabulous combination of change and artistry!
From Derbyshire, to the Parisian theatre stage and right back home - my life, just like the story of the tutu, is always moving, swirling and changing! Remember darlings, I'll be back next Tuesday with more delightful discoveries! If you have any questions about ballet tutus, history, dancewear or the ever evolving beauty of pink tutus, please, do let me know in the comments. Until then, don't forget to dance!
Yours truly,
Emma xx
www.pink-tutu.com
