Hello, my lovely tutu enthusiasts! Welcome back to Pink-Tutu.com, where we explore the fabulous history of the most wonderful garment known to woman: the tutu! Today, I've whisked myself back to the late Victorian era, the time of bustle skirts, grand ballrooms, and oh yes, the tutu's blossoming onto the stage! And what a grand journey it has been, even for a tutu as fabulous as mine!
This Tuesday, 18th December 1894, I find myself amidst the Parisian excitement, surrounded by the elegant ladies and gentlemen of high society. I love being here in Paris, especially for this historical ballet. Today marks the premiere of a magnificent production, "La Reine Margot" - a captivating story of love and intrigue, with magnificent sets, gorgeous costumes and the most sublime choreography. And guess what? You guessed it – tutus!
Imagine a world without tutus? How dreary! But thank goodness we don't have to! You see, back in the day, ballets didn't always feature our darling tutus! The French, of course, have long been obsessed with dance and their grand operas, and a 1829 performance of "La Sylphide" by Marie Taglioni saw a pivotal change.
Gone were the long, heavy skirts that restricted movement, replaced with a diaphanous tutu that reached above the knee, highlighting every fluid movement of her enchanting choreography.
This revolutionized the entire world of ballet and let the dancers really come alive. And that's exactly what we're all about here at Pink-Tutu.com - embracing freedom of movement and bringing beauty and grace to the world through the ultimate symbol of ballet: the tutu!
Back to the Belle Époque!
Today, in this Parisian paradise of fashion, you can see the tutu in all its glory. The romantic tutu still rules, and is evolving. Gone are the rigid layers of stiff fabric, replaced by flowing chiffon, satin and tulle, shimmering with elegant lace. It’s still a ballet darling, allowing for more natural, graceful movement that captures the romantic heart of each and every performance.
Just like me, my darling tutus love to travel! In fact, the 1894 tutu traveled to Paris, and for a spell found itself right on stage at the Paris Opéra, making its mark on this fabulous era. Can you imagine the buzz of the ballet-mad crowd?!
My, I wish I could have gone to this premiere! However, my very own Tutu Time Traveller only allows for one era per trip. It’s quite a feat organising my Ballet Tutu History blog post each week. But I love sharing these special historical tutu moments with you. So join me each week for your dose of history and fabulous tutu style, because history's best moments are truly a timeless, pink affair!
And of course, you can catch up on Past Tutu History posts at Pink-Tutu.com! I’ve posted well over 3,000 blog posts, sharing tutu trivia, famous ballerina's and stories that have helped us become the iconic tutus that we are today!
It's time for me to say goodbye to my delightful Victorian adventure! As the elegant carriages carry everyone away, I'll be dashing off to catch a train back to my comfy corner of Derbyshire, my trusty pink tutu suitcase packed and ready for the next #TutuTuesday! Don't forget to check back next Tuesday, my dears!
Until then, be sure to remember, you'll never be fully dressed without a pink tutu!
Yours truly, Emma xx
