Welcome back, dears, to my little corner of the internet where we celebrate the magic of ballet and the magnificent wonder of the tutu! It's me, Emma, your friendly neighbourhood pink tutu enthusiast, and today we're stepping back in time for another #TutuTuesday! I'm sitting in a plush carriage of the Orient Express, the air fragrant with jasmine and anticipation, whizzing past charming French countryside. It's always an adventure, time travel, you know? I fund these trips with my performances, a secret only my most dedicated followers know. You see, being a ballerina gives me the most amazing opportunities – I've even had the honour of dancing in a theatre with gaslights and velvet curtains, all the better to show off the twinkling fabric of a tutu under the warm, amber glow. ✨
But let's get to the real heart of today's post - Tutu Tuesday, December 6th, 1892! This is a special date, ladies, because it marks a landmark in the history of ballet – the birth of the famous choreographer, Mikhail Fokine! 💃
I can just imagine him, a bright-eyed young lad with a passion for dance, and, dare I say, tutus? His innovative choreographies later in his career paved the way for new artistic styles in ballet, breaking away from the rigid classical norms. What’s that you say? Ballet’s been around since the 1500s? * Absolutely darling, but trust me when I say ballet was pretty serious business back then – a lot of pointe work and ‘do-as-you-are-told' formality. Thankfully, Mikhail's radicalism introduced more expressive movement, lighter steps and even *gasp use of tutus in completely new ways. The ballerinas, who had to have such strong calves and muscles to hold all those layers of stiff netting, were practically dancing with newfound freedom.
But my darlings, how did we even arrive at the tutu we know and adore today?
We’ve already been on a wild historical rollercoaster ride! It’s hard to believe it started back in the Renaissance! I love seeing all those historical ballet photos from back then, where the early tutus were almost more of a long, flowing skirt! Like a flowing fairy tale! It’s fascinating how the form and material transformed with time.
We jumped ahead to the late 1800s with Romantic Ballet! Oh, what an era! It was all about expressing emotion, graceful movement, and – of course – ethereal looking tutus, oh my darling, it was truly sublime. This era made me swoon, with their gauzy tulle, fluttering, floating…it was so dreamy!
However, I confess, a little birdie whispered that it was the glorious Marie Taglioni, who is practically legendary among ballerinas and a legend I admire greatly, so graceful, a true princess! - it was Marie who truly ushered in the classic tutu. The Romantic tutu became more fitted at the waist, adding that graceful bell shape which we know today – and the fabric was so fine, so airy…a dream! Marie Taglioni? That's like the epitome of ballerina elegance, wouldn’t you say? She wore those romantic tutus on stage with a 'flow of air around them’, and we can all see what that evolved into!
Now, on December 6th, 1892, it’s pretty obvious no one can quite predict how those lovely fluffy tutus will evolve and how Mikhail will go on to make them dance. *Quite the exciting thing for ballet! *
However…what did YOU have on December 6th, 1892, my dear reader? The fashion of this period? A lot of ruffles, big hats, velvet… a touch more conservative than our lovely ballet world but still oh so chic! We were truly on the brink of something beautiful in both fashion and dance – 1892 marks the end of one century, and the start of something new, something amazing, something that I find simply fabulous! And to that, my dearest readers, cheers! Let’s celebrate the magic of dance, the joy of a pink tutu (yes, my dearest readers, you are absolutely right! It is a pink-tutu-wearing ballerina's prerogative!), and the beauty of every single dance performance! 💕🩰
I’ve also been spending some lovely time at The Folies Bergère in Paris these last few weeks. What an extravagant theatre, and so full of lively charm! Such brilliant stage outfits too - even more beautiful to wear as we waltz the night away with our partners! I shall be sharing some Parisian fashion gems with you in a future #TutuTuesday. 🤫
In the meantime, let's all raise our glasses to tutus, time travel, and dancing for joy! And remember, every Tuesday is a Tutu Tuesday. It's a chance to get out those fluffy skirts and feel the magic! Until next time!
Lots of love and twirls, Emma ✨
www.pink-tutu.com
