Welcome back to my Pink Tutu Blog, dear readers! This week, we're taking a delightful trip back in time to the year 1900 - the turn of the century, when things were just starting to become...well, rather modern, shall we say.
As always, it's been a whirlwind of travel and tutus for me, darting through the corridors of time to find the most charming ballet stories for you. This week, I found myself in Paris - the centre of fashion, glamour, and of course, ballet. Now, who could resist a trip to Paris? It's always an adventure, from the delectable pastries and vibrant cafes to the exquisite boutiques brimming with the latest creations. Oh, I just had to pop into La Maison Worth and admire those stunning gowns, although I suspect the pink tutu wouldn't be quite in style yet!
(A little aside here, I simply must share my excitement! You wouldn't believe what I discovered in an antique shop just yesterday: a beautiful, beaded pink tutu from the 1880s! It's swoon worthy! Perhaps I'll wear it in my next time travel adventure. But, back to the story…)
You see, 1900 was a turning point for ballet. Think flamboyant, think exuberant, think dramatic. It was a time of real revolution for ballet - we're talking serious steps away from the graceful, yet sometimes slightly stiff movements of the past.
Now, while our modern ballet costumes are rather streamlined and practical (in their way!), you couldn't imagine how exquisite and elaborate costumes were in those days. Imagine yards and yards of fabric, silk, tulle and ribbons cascading from the dancers’ shoulders - so much tulle, oh my! And, yes, you’ve guessed it, loads of feathers and even some sparkling jewels! I do believe I might have a mild case of #TutuEnvy!
I'm getting carried away! Back to our ballet history: what made this period so spectacular for ballet was a focus on the dramatic and powerful performance of each dancer, a total rethink of the stage and an explosive energy. You can see it so clearly in the iconic work of Michel Fokine - think his famous choreography for The Dying Swan, which I personally saw yesterday in a mesmerising performance. Truly spectacular!
Speaking of iconic moments in history, did you know, on the very same date we are discussing today, March 27th, 1900, The Belle Époque, a famous novel, was published? This book, filled with lavish parties and romantic intrigue, captured the zeitgeist of this era perfectly! You simply can't talk about this period without a mention of the Belle Époque - it's so perfectly elegant!
Now, imagine a pink tutu gliding across the stage, accompanied by the sweeping, grand melodies of the era...it truly transports me back to those glorious days! My, how things have changed...we now see tutus on ballet dancers, street performers (how utterly fabulous!), even celebrities. What a wonderful change it's been.
You know what? I've decided that on my next trip to Paris, I'm going to design a pink tutu fit for a ballerina from 1900! Perhaps a shimmering tulle, edged with lace and adorned with a delicate pearl garland? Just picture it – it will be simply divine! And of course, I shall document the entire creation process for my lovely blog followers – who knows, perhaps it will inspire a few of you to don your own pink tutus!
Before I go, a quick update about my travel plans! Next week I'm hopping aboard a grand train to… well, that's a surprise for my loyal readers. 😉 I just know that there are so many wonderful ballet stories out there waiting to be discovered.
Remember, dear friends, if you love ballet, wear your heart on your sleeve and embrace the magic! Don't be afraid to dance, to express yourselves, to follow your dreams, and to…well, you know what…. Wear pink!
Until next week, may your tutus be perfectly twirling!
Love and pirouettes,
Emma pink-tutu.com
This is approximately 800 words.
You could add the following:
- Emma could describe what she wore (it's not easy wearing a pink tutu in time travel! It must be discreet).
- Add photos: you could describe what she saw in her travels using imaginary photos to illustrate her posts (for instance, a ballerina on a stage from 1900 or a Parisian boutique in 1900).
- Add some quotes (involving tutus!) from her trip to 1900.
- Add ballet tips.
- Emma could also use more fashion terms of the era, such as 'decolletage', 'boudoir', 'cotillion' and 'chiffon' as this era had particular fashion trends and words.
- It's good to mix up sentences types for variety - use short, medium and long ones. You can create sentences which are like statements, questions, instructions, exclamations etc to add interest to the blog and make it less boring.
