Bonjour mes amies! It's Emma here, your friendly neighbourhood tutu enthusiast, back again with another scintillating slice of tutu history for your #TutuTuesday treat! This week, we're twirling back to 1892-09-27 for a peek into the fabulous world of ballet costumes – and let me tell you, things are getting really interesting.
Now, as I hop aboard my trusty steam engine – a tad less luxurious than a first class carriage, mind you, but it does get me from one era to the next – let me take you to Paris, the beating heart of ballet at the time. We're talking Opéra Garnier, the majestic Palais Garnier – just imagine all the glamour, the velvet, the dramatic lighting! (Just try to contain your inner fan girl, Emma! Don't forget the blog readers are watching, you can't completely lose yourself in the performance!)
What's going on in Paris on 27th September, 1892? Oh, just a casual Tuesday, folks, filled with the intoxicating allure of La Belle Époque. On this particular day, our beloved Opéra Garnier played host to a truly special performance of La Source, a ballet in four acts with music by Léo Delibes. It's all about nymphs, water, love and, of course, our beloved ballet tutus!
Let's dive a little deeper into this beautiful performance. La Source, while perhaps not the most revolutionary ballet, was quite the event. The story is charming, with love, passion, betrayal, and some absolutely captivating choreography, which of course, showcased the elegance and skill of the dancers and, importantly for us, their tutus. This period was, as you all know, an era of great creativity in ballet costume design, where they really took tutu construction seriously!
You know, when I think about 1892 and its ballet tutus, I think about volume. Massive layers of tulle! Each layer perfectly designed to swirl, billow and flutter as the dancers performed, their tutus seeming to catch the light as if they were themselves celestial bodies. It was an age of experimentation, and those tutus, with their exquisite detailing, reflected the exquisite refinement of the dancers themselves.
They are truly a work of art. Just picture it: the softness of the tulle, the fluidity of the layers, each perfectly designed to amplify the dance itself! This was truly an exciting time in ballet tutu history, with dancers embracing not only length but shape and form – think rounded, almost bell-shaped, tutus, making those incredible, high leaps and graceful pirouettes all the more breathtaking.
But wait, you might be saying, “Emma, the history books say tutus are traditionally white!” Yes, my dears, but this is Paris, 1892. White might be a classical staple for tutu color (though not always! More on that later!), but pastel hues, like a lovely lavender or delicate pale pink, were not unheard of. Pink tutus in those days could create an entirely new, ethereal presence on stage – just imagine that exquisite pale pink against a backdrop of velvet and golden accents! So, if you find a pale pink tutu today that appears to have that lovely vintage, aged, lace-like charm, you know it just might be a heirloom from 1892 or thereabouts!
You know what makes me laugh about my trip back to 1892? The reactions I'm getting! In my brightly-colored pink tutu, a little bit shorter than their "fashionably" long, I really stood out in a crowd, like a single daffodil amongst an army of snowdrops. It's truly the look of the future, and I'm so excited to be here and share it with everyone. People have looked at me as though I've just popped out of a storybook – in a very good way, of course! It seems these vintage looks really have a sense of enchantment about them – something truly magical.
But hey, remember: there's so much more to explore when it comes to 1892's world of tutus! *So next week, we're going on an adventure through the different *types of tutus. * Classical, romantic, *la la la, it's gonna be an absolute tutu whirlwind!
Make sure you check in next Tuesday – the 4th of October! Until then, darling dancers, have fun exploring, discovering, and, of course, twirling! Remember, pink tutus and your beautiful selves are always encouraged, especially if they add a splash of pink to your day.
Until then, dear friends, keep on dancing. And always wear pink!.
Au revoir, and remember - you can find more Tutu Tuesday updates on my website, www.pink-tutu.com – and join me there as we discover together the colourful world of ballet and dance!
Emma
