Greetings from your favourite pink tutu-wearing time traveller! It's Tuesday, which means it's time for another blast from the past on my #TutuTuesday Ballet Tutu History blog! This week, we're twirling back to 1889, a most wonderful year for ballet, with its flurry of new talent and elegant trends! 🩰 As you all know, www.pink-tutu.com is the one-stop-shop for everything pink, pretty, and ballet related. This is my 3023rd post, so you can just imagine how much history I've gathered through time!
Now, let's put on our dancing shoes and dive into the Parisian ballet scene! 🇫🇷
This week I've found myself on a luxurious train to the grand Opéra Garnier in Paris, its opulent facade gleaming in the crisp December air. December 3rd, 1889? Why, it's opening night for a brand new ballet, Le Lac des Cygnes! Imagine my excitement! I just had to be here to witness the first ever performance of this masterpiece! 🦢
Speaking of masterpieces, the tutus! Oh my! These dancers looked so heavenly!
Their costumes were a dream, in soft pastel colours, the skirts puffed up with a touch of wire to create those beautiful, floating shapes. I've always loved the classic, knee-length tulle tutu – and it looks like this style was just taking off! The delicate, graceful designs perfectly captured the ethereal beauty of swans. There were four distinct looks! Each dancer had a costume made just for their character:
White Act I: Pure, graceful, embodying the innocence of the swans.
Black Act II: Ominous, dramatic, capturing the darker side of the story.
White Act III: Majestic and breathtaking, for the triumphant return of the swans.
Royal: For the lovely Queen of the Swans, adorned in soft, glistening blue fabric with stunning jewels.
Isn't it delightful that ballet designers were experimenting with so many colours and fabrics already back then? This gave us those timeless looks, iconic designs that inspire us all!
Just picturing the dancers twirling, with their feathered tutus, as the graceful cygnets and fierce swans, gives me the most romantic and theatrical shivers. 😍 What I wouldn't give to see that performance!
However, even with all this elegant dancing, there's a hint of nostalgia in my heart. The ballerina at the time, Anna Pavlova, just made me feel so sad. The ballet world just didn't see how groundbreaking she would become, not for several years at least. She was only twenty when I met her, so shy and beautiful. Her talents were simply undeniable! I had a sneak peek into the future and, oh my goodness! The leaps and spins! You could practically see her defying gravity! Just seeing her talent bloom is giving me the most delightful feeling of anticipation knowing that the future is overflowing with gorgeous new techniques.
Just knowing this little peek of future talent inspires me even more to get the pink tutu out and practice! The world's going to be seeing some sensational dancing, just you wait!
Time Travel Trivia:
The ballet itself: * The inspiration for the ballet? *The swan's journey...of love, loyalty and tragedy. You wouldn't be wrong in calling it a swansong! This timeless story is what makes the show so emotional! The original was set to Tchaikovsky’s score. The music’s beautiful, isn’t it? You should listen to it on your own time – especially that Swan Lake Waltz!
Tutu Design Evolution: * Le Lac des Cygnes* itself pushed the boundaries for tutu design. These ballerina's graceful movements showcased the new styles beautifully. The fluffy, longer skirt made the whole look even more elegant, and this design started influencing other performances, giving the classical tutu as we know it today.
Pavlova's Debut: In this period, ballet was big news! It wasn't always this way, of course. And we have Anna Pavlova to thank for showing off those moves in a way the world had never seen!
My outfit: You might be asking, "Emma, what are you wearing today? How else could you make it to a ballet like that without the perfect pink tutu?!" Of course, this required some planning! For such a beautiful, iconic show, I needed something special. You might call it a ballet-chic look: My favourite pale pink tulle tutu, as puffy and delicate as a swan's down. I paired it with a sparkling, iridescent top, and my pearl earrings – those are never a bad idea, darlings. I had a gorgeous matching pink, feather boa. Such a statement!
I couldn’t have looked more perfect, especially since Le Lac des Cygnes is all about swans! 💖
Fashion Finds:
Speaking of fashion... have you seen those incredible fashion illustrations I found on the streets of Paris?! So glamorous! The ladies here are ahead of their time in terms of fashion - I must say. The ladies are so creative with those long gloves, large hats and luxurious fabrics, always flowing and swirling in every new look they design! I bet they’d look delightful in pink tutus. 🧤👒
Next Time, my darlings!
Well, that was Le Lac des Cygnes in Paris. A magical time. I must dash now! You'll not believe what I'm going to see next week – just wait and see! Stay tuned, you can get a front row seat to more fascinating ballet history right here on www.pink-tutu.com, every Tuesday! 💖
Emma x
