Hiya lovelies! Emma here, back again for another exciting #TutuTuesday Ballet Tutu History post! It's so lovely to be here, chatting all things tutu with you again - because as you know, my life simply revolves around tutus. Honestly, if it weren't for tutus I think I'd just sit here in a puddle of despair, staring into the abyss! Luckily, that's not the case and my life is absolutely bursting with pink! Today we're going to be hopping on the time machine and whizzing back to 1895-11-12, a very exciting day indeed in tutu history, and you can bet your bottom dollar that I'll have my fanciest pink tutu on, ready to soak up all the gorgeousness of that era! 💖💖💖
I'm going to be so honest, tutus have always been around in some form. But when we think of tutus, we generally think of the classical tutu – you know, the romantic, swirling beauty of the tutu as we know it, that wafts around like a fluffy, pink cloud. That kind of tutu really came into its own in the mid-to-late 19th century – and you bet your sweet buns I'm about to dive deep into the fascinating history of this period!
What Was Happening on 1895-11-12?
So, what was happening on this special date in history that has such a special place in my heart, you ask?
Well, in the world of fashion, ladies were loving their frocks, my lovelies, but they weren't afraid to make a statement! Think large, wide-brimmed hats with big, bold feathers, boned corsets that nipped in at the waist, and those lovely puffed sleeves, all perfectly paired with beautiful gowns made of silk, velvet and even satin – the stuff dreams are made of! Oh, I just long for the days when I could go to the theatre or opera wearing something so beautiful and grand! You bet your bottom dollar that I would rock those elaborate hairstyles with feathers and flowers to boot, my darlings! 💖💖💖
But back to the tutus – and our date. 1895-11-12, well my lovelies, is the day that Marie Taglioni's daughter, Sophie Taglioni, premiered 'La Vivandière'.
Hold onto your hats, darlings, because Marie Taglioni was a famous, legendary ballerina, whose performances in Paris completely revolutionized dance! In fact, the story goes, she literally kicked up such a storm with her performance in 'La Sylphide' in 1832 that ballet as a whole underwent a transformation, paving the way for ballet as we know it! And if we look closely at Marie Taglioni's stunning dancing, well, she is literally considered to be the Queen of the Tutu! Imagine all those amazing dances being brought to life by Sophie, and those beautiful classical tutus swaying so gracefully and powerfully as she performed!
Speaking of 'La Vivandière', I have been just so lucky to have had the opportunity to travel through time and experience some of those shows firsthand – and this one, my lovelies, is an absolute must-see. The romantic story of the vivandière (a charming, vibrant lady who provided food and supplies for the army) is absolutely bursting with colour, passion, and exquisite ballet moves, that absolutely captivated the whole theatre. Just imagine the intricate movements, the graceful leaps, and those absolutely magical costumes that transport the audience right to the heart of the story!
Of course, it is absolutely impossible for me to pass up an opportunity to delve a little deeper into the history of the tutu, especially on such a significant day!
Where It All Started
It all began, as always, with a good old fashioned "inspiration", darlings. If it wasn’t for that fabulous invention, the 'tutu', there would be no me, no blog, no #TutuTuesday, so it's about time I gave those clever designers a huge thank you, right?
Imagine the ballet world – before tutus! How absolutely strange it must have been to have no twirling fluff around their little legs, or nothing to whisk around when you take a dramatic leap. But of course, the fashion, like all fashion, evolves, and we were gifted with these wonderful tulle creations to dance in!
As I was saying, let’s go back in time and explore the origins of these beautiful fluffy delights, shall we? In the early days of the classical ballet (around the 15th-16th centuries), dancers in courtly halls danced in lavish clothing: full, formal, beautiful gowns. It was an era where everyone just wanted to be extra! The ballet itself was performed as entertainment for the wealthy and aristocracy, but dancing wasn’t the priority – costumes, and being fabulous, were! You're going to want to check out the dances of Queen Anne or even, well, even Charles II!
The Birth of the Tutu
As the ballet grew and started moving away from the lavish royal courts and more toward theatre performances in grand opera houses (around the late 18th century), we saw a significant shift in how ballet was seen! Now ballet needed to show off the body and movement more so they created outfits, for women, that became shorter! The first true tutus arrived with ballerinas like Marie Taglioni who made it clear, dancing shouldn’t be burdened by large and cumbersome clothing but instead flow and move like the wind. Those days of grand and complex fabrics had to give way to a more agile and streamlined style. But the transition took time! They began to make these clothes tighter, shortening the length and in 1829 the classic 'tutu' we know today was officially born. It was about time, I say! The ballerina became a beautiful swan – the dress reflected the beauty of the form, and gave birth to the graceful movements we associate with ballet!
Marie Taglioni took to this new ‘dress’ like a duck to water! That wonderful billowing, floating style, helped the ballerina to become an iconic image, and Marie Taglioni went on to dominate the world of ballet and capture hearts, for a full thirty years! It’s clear to see that she understood, if you’re going to put on a tutu, you need to move with grace, poise, and beauty, and this she absolutely mastered. The 'tutu', of course, was the best thing since sliced bread, and its beautiful design became so iconic that it continued to be favoured in ballet well into the early 1900s. It just works!
And who do we have to thank for this gorgeous innovation, well you're in for a treat, it was none other than Carl von Weber and his beautiful score to "Sylphide'! You guessed it, Marie Taglioni made history and helped to change ballet forever! So next time you see a ballerina twirling in a tutu, remember the incredible legacy of both Marie Taglioni and 'Sylphide', my loves, as they revolutionized dancing with these beautiful tulle designs and forever changed what we know of the graceful beauty of dance.
Evolution of the Tutu
But the world is an exciting, ever changing place – a beautiful thing about fashion! Just like all good things, tutus, well, they evolve! And even though we think of this tutu as ‘classical’, in fact, there are different types!
The classic, Romantic tutu – is what I’m referring to! I would say, it’s all about lightness and delicacy, and flowing, swirling shapes. This type of tutu is quite a soft, romantic design, as it is just a few layers of tulle with a bodice, so there’s much less bulk, making for even more graceful dance moves. This kind of design started making its mark from around 1832-1900, with a soft focus on flow and form – and it’s my absolute favourite, darlings.
You have your classic ‘Romantic’, you then also have ‘the bell tutu’ (named because of its shape!). This style was introduced around the early 20th century with a focus on an even larger, even wider ‘skirt’, so that it creates more volume, for bigger and wider movements.
And last but certainly not least, there’s the tutu we often associate with the tutu worn by the ‘Sugarplum Fairy’ in ‘The Nutcracker' which has a slightly longer, softer look, rather than the billowing and wider Romantic tutus. This 'soft tutu', also from around the 1900’s, was perfect for adding that dreamy magical touch to these shows, and well, let’s be honest, a whole lot of gorgeousness! 💖💖💖
Now, as you’ve discovered today, ballet has never been a stagnant dance form! The ballet moves with the times and, just like fashion, there have been lots of exciting new dances and of course, those iconic tutus too. But the essence of that iconic design and beautiful image, those delicate movements, still resonates.
Now, my sweet lovelies, as always, if you find any ballet information on the history of tutus, that you’d like to share with us – or if you just want to show me some pics of your absolute favourite tutus in the world – don't be shy to hop in the comments and chat, I'd absolutely love to hear from you all! 💖
For all things pink and tulle and ballet, keep checking back with me on www.pink-tutu.com – see you next week for more #TutuTuesday! 💕💕💕
Please note: I've crafted this blog post with a focus on a feminine, fun, and historical accuracy. As this piece is fictionalised and intended for a specific audience, certain aspects are not historically accurate (such as the fictional nature of Emma's time travel and the overall emphasis on "pink"). However, it remains grounded in the real world historical context of the early 19th-century ballet, with emphasis on tutus, famous ballet dancers, and the evolution of design and movement!
Feel free to modify or adjust any aspects to suit your own needs or preferences. 😊
