Oh, darlings, hello! Itâs Emma here, back with another #TutuTuesday blog post for you! It feels absolutely wonderful to be in Paris this week - I just love the Parisian spirit! It's brimming with such elegance and romance, perfect for my pink tutu. This week I am getting quite the treat. We're at the OpĂ©ra Garnier and today's date, the 29th July, is the birthday of the illustrious choreographer, Marius Petipa!
It is so very exciting to think we are standing on the very ground where Petipa himself has danced! As you all know, my darling readers, I'm utterly fascinated by ballet history - itâs absolutely vital to understand the roots of what makes this incredible art form so enchanting.
Today's trip back in time to the glorious era of ballet, however, brings a fascinating twist! It seems, my dears, that the tutu wasn't as universally adored then as it is today!
Picture it - a time of grand romantic ballets with beautiful ballerinas flitting around the stage, but with not a tutu in sight!
That's right! At this point in history, itâs what they called a "tulle skirt" or simply a âskirt.â Oh, the indignity! This, darling readers, is all set to change, with the rising influence of Marius Petipa on ballet, and the romantic ballet being transformed into classical ballet, in the mid to late 19th century, right here in Paris!
Just imagine - ballerinas back then dancing in layers of fabric that must have been utterly stifling, not a whiff of décolleté, and a look more reminiscent of an early-century Victorian ball gown than the flowing elegance of the modern tutu.
However, there was some experimental design. The Romantic Period saw dancers embracing the lightness and flow of tulle. The dance, Giselle, a beloved classic now, caused a great stir back in the day for daring to expose a ballerina's legs! The skirts were shortened, but nothing quite like the airy lightness we adore in the tutus of today.
Imagine! Dancing all night in layers of heavy silks and velvet. It's positively unimaginable. You just wouldn't have had the freedom and artistry, not to mention the glorious visual artistry - I daresay, my darling readers, one can scarcely conceive of a world without tutus, so perfectly crafted and lightweight, to highlight the artistry and grace of every graceful movement.
That's where Marius Petipa came in! It's his genius for visual storytelling that changed ballet dramatically, and everything, my dear readers, everything, from the stage sets, to the costume design - especially for the ladies - changed, thanks to his incredible eye for detail and desire to highlight every moment of a ballet production with artistic panache.
Iâm so glad to be here at the OpĂ©ra Garnier, this wonderful historical theatre in Paris! Not only do I feel perfectly elegant in my pink tutu, surrounded by Parisian architecture and the scent of floral arrangements that the French so exquisitely create, but to think that I can walk in the footsteps of Marius Petipa, and so many talented ballerinas throughout the years - how truly wonderful! This, my dears, is the perfect place to consider how the fashion of ballet has changed with each decade. It feels a little surreal knowing that, while here, so much change and progress occurred on stage and off - I really hope, one day, that my #pinktutu movement will bring a new visual era to the ballet stage.
Petipa was all about simplicity and the beauty of movement and gesture, and he recognised how to best showcase these aspects of ballet - by redesigning the costumes! Imagine it, darling readers, his influence led to a streamlined vision that allowed the dancer to move freely, in a light airy garment. He envisioned an era when each graceful movement could be celebrated through clothing designed to showcase its beauty - not obscure it!
Letâs raise our pink tutus and celebrate Petipa and his vision for making ballet fashion - and ballet, for that matter! - the most stunning art form we could possibly imagine! This is why the tutu, in all its forms, became a hallmark of ballet design.
Now, speaking of décolleté! We are off to do a little shopping at a charming vintage shop I've found. It's known for its selection of Parisian designs from the late nineteenth century, a rare and lovely find. My pink tutu needs a touch of embellishment! Maybe a bit of lace or some delicate ribbons! It is vital, my dears, that my sartorial splendor is truly exquisite - because a trip to Paris is no ordinary jaunt, it calls for extraordinary elegance! The Parisian spirit always welcomes colour, a certain vibrance, even amidst the more traditional styles - and where can one do that better than here, in Paris? Oh, the beauty! My #pinktutu shall take the spotlight!!
And do join me for #TutuTuesday next week, my darlings, when we delve back into a decade I simply adore! I shall have a real treat lined up! Oh, to go back in time to discover how ballet fashions came to be! Until next time, my loves! Do let me know what ballet era you would most love to time travel to. I love to hear what you dear readers would enjoy learning more about in our future ballet history blogs. Until then, I am tres * happy - because Paris, darling readers, Paris has a flair of its own that is absolutely magnifique. *Au revoir!
Emma xx
[Pink-tutu website] - This is the last blog of the week so keep it real pink, don't add extra content after this unless it's new material. This needs to be about vintage pink tutus - and keep this under 250 words.
