Hello lovelies! It's Emma here, your favourite pink-tutu-clad time traveller, ready to take you on a journey back to the glorious era of *1890 - specifically, 11th November! *
As a true ballet enthusiast, there's nothing I love more than a good trip down memory lane, exploring the history of our beloved tutu. And this week, we're stepping into a world where the ballet tutu was just starting to take its magnificent, twirling shape.
London, oh London! I arrived this morning on the 10:00 train from Derbyshire, all steam and elegance. It’s absolutely positively sweltering today, but don't let that fool you, my dears, it's fashionable swelter, perfect for a promenade along the Thames, and of course, a ballet performance this evening.
And speaking of ballet, what an exciting time to be alive! Imagine a world where every new season brings fresh, imaginative performances that captivate the imagination. Imagine seeing prima ballerinas take flight, their graceful leaps and delicate movements illuminating the stage, all with an element of playful theatricality. This is what the ballet world offered audiences back in 1890.
The tutus, though still a long way from the airy, lightweight confections we know today, were starting to break away from the stiff, bell-shaped, very much restrictive styles of earlier periods. This was the age of "the romantic tutu," - a creation that resembled a beautiful, airy, soft cloud around the ballerinas' lithe frames.
And a cloud is what I want my ballet costume to be!
We owe a debt of gratitude to the likes of Marius Petipa, one of the ballet world's most renowned choreographers of this era, for his incredible contribution to creating graceful, beautiful and ethereal costumes.
Imagine a romantic tulle tutu flowing freely and delicately, like the softest dandelion seeds, perfectly highlighting a dancer's movements, and making their leaps seem effortlessly magical! This is exactly what Petipa and the fashion world of 1890 aimed for - to enhance a ballerina's beauty through a tutu that felt like it had been born from a magical fairyland! And trust me, those tutus I saw in the rehearsal rooms were quite the fairyland sight!
There's another exciting development that’s making ripples in the ballet world today - the introduction of the Ballet Russe! The sheer boldness of this group's approach to the ballet was already captivating the world and challenging the classical ballet styles. It's a revolution, my dears!
But before I get too caught up in this thrilling tale of ballerinas and swirling tutus, I have to share something truly special...
November 11th 1890, was the day the glorious Ballet Russe company was founded in St. Petersburg, Russia. What an exciting time to be alive and see what this dance company will create! I’ll definitely be purchasing tickets to one of their performances as soon as I get back. I can't wait to be a part of this magical revolution and get a close look at their revolutionary costumes.
Now, what to wear this evening, my dears? My blush-pink tulle tutu with a smattering of silver sparkles - so very romantic! But I am thinking perhaps a pair of those new satin gloves that I saw in a shop in Regent Street! They would perfectly accentuate my wrist and add just the right touch of whimsy to my ensemble. I’ll make sure to pop back later to share more from my London escapades, as it's almost tea time!
Do you wear pink tutus like me, and what are you up to today? Let's all twirl and enjoy this wonderful time together!
Until next Tutu Tuesday!
Love, Emma 💖
P.S. Don't forget to visit www.pink-tutu.com for more fashion and ballet fun!
(Disclaimer: This blog is for entertainment purposes and doesn't represent factual accuracy of all historical events. As an avid fan of ballet history, I love to dream about this time in our past! 💖)
