Hello, my dearest Tutu-ettes! Emma here, your resident time-travelling ballerina with a passion for all things pink and twirly! As you all know, every Tuesday is a day for celebrating the magnificent history of the ballet tutu ā and oh, what a fascinating journey itās been! Today, we're setting our time machine dial to May 14th, 1878 ā and let me tell you, this was a rather grand time to be a tutu enthusiast!
Now, while we donāt have any direct photos from this very day (thank goodness for our modern technology!), 1878 was a year bubbling over with exciting ballet happenings. In London, the esteemed Royal Opera House was showing off the latest in Russian ballet brilliance, a production of The Sleeping Beauty.
Can you imagine? A stunning, flowing, Romantic-era tutu paired with a glittering, ethereal production. How simply dreamy! And you know I just had to have a glimpse. So, I hopped into my very own, well-traveled time machine (thank you, a particularly generous benefactor from the future!) and snuck a peek at the performance.
And you know what? It wasnāt even the fashion that blew me away, though the elegance of the costumes was truly captivating. No, it was the story! This exquisite ballet about a cursed princess, a sleeping beauty, and a brave, dashing prince - oh, it truly had me in stitches (figuratively, of course, no tears here!). The way those graceful movements, those dramatic leaps, told the story was utterly spellbinding! It was like watching a whirlwind of passion, tragedy, and hope, all wrapped up in a beautiful, romantic tutu!
Now, imagine my delight when, while strolling through London's bustling theatre district, I bumped into the very costume designer of The Sleeping Beauty, Carl Friedrich Albert von Schwanthaler. His designs were truly breathtaking. He explained to me how, by carefully adapting the āromantic tutu,ā he achieved a more natural, flowing silhouette for the dancers, one that gave them an airy lightness and allowed them to perform the intricate choreography.
You see, during this time, there was a bit of a change going on in the ballet world, a subtle but oh-so-important shift. The earlier, stiff, layered āpagliacciā tutu was giving way to a more relaxed and fluid version. Imagine a soft cloud, dancing with the breeze ā that's what this new era brought to ballet tutus.
Just like any true fashion lover, I had to get myself one of these new, fabulous tutus. Now, even though I have this fab time-travel thing going on, a true ballerina always embraces her local scene. So, I headed down to the grandest costume shop in London, one that even back then had an elegant shop front decorated with a giant pink ribbon, the very essence of my heart! You see, Iām quite a romantic and my favourite colour is, of course, pink!
But let's talk about the material. These early romantic tutus were made of fabrics that just sang: the silk, so luxuriously light, the muslin, with its delicate drapeā¦ These fabrics, my dear Tutu-ettes, were meant to move, to swirl, to dance with the dancerās every turn. They added a whisper of drama to every graceful movement!
The ballet itself is another wonderful thread in our journey back to 1878. Marius Petipa is the name you need to know here. This French choreographer, you see, was the true maestro behind the magnificent revival of The Sleeping Beauty. His artistic genius gave life to every twist and pirouette in that elegant dance! And guess what? I even saw him perform, in his early years, when the "Romantic Tutu" first came on the scene.
Ah, yes, 1878, a truly magical year! I dare say, my favourite part of the day was not just seeing the Sleeping Beauty, nor acquiring my new romantic tutu, but my time spent in the opulent salons of the grandest Parisian fashion houses, surrounded by silk, velvet, and, oh my, so much lace. Imagine, the fabric used for a tutu is actually called tulle after the French town of Tulle - quite fitting, wouldnāt you say?
And with such exquisite artistry all around, could you imagine what a spectacle it would be for these gorgeous outfits to dance down the street, rather than simply inside the theater? It's this vision of a world filled with pink tulle tutus that makes my heart soar, you see.
To conclude, this day was truly enchanting. Ballet in 1878 was a truly vibrant art, where the romantic tutu reigned supreme. These tutus weren't just garments, but an extension of the dancers' spirit, a symbol of graceful movement, of storytelling in every twirl.
Now, I mustn't forget my favourite thing! Even when I time-travel, itās essential to embrace my surroundings. The only way to reach my heart is to take a magnificent train journey! In 1878, there were absolutely exquisite carriages on the rail lines, a symphony of opulence and steam. A world full of romance, excitement and adventure. All aboard!
So, until next time, keep on twirling! And always remember, my darlings, thereās a bit of magic in every twirl, in every beautiful ballet tutu.
With a pirouette and a pinch of pink,
Emma š
P.S. Don't forget to subscribe to my website, www.pink-tutu.com, for all your tut-tastic needs, where I post weekly. Letās keep the pink tulle dancing! āØ
