Bonjour, my lovelies! It's Emma here, your resident tutu-loving time traveller, and welcome back to another delightful #TutuTuesday adventure! This week, we're waltzing back to the elegant year of 1902, stepping into a world where corseted gowns and feathered hats were the norm, and the stage was ablaze with graceful ballet ballerinas.
I just had to time travel to Paris this week, darling. I heard whispers that the legendary Russian ballerina Anna Pavlova was making waves at the Théâtre du Châtelet! Honestly, what's better than a good Parisian ballet performance? Perhaps a visit to the Galeries Lafayette on a blustery December day to check out the latest creations!
Speaking of creations... let's chat about the humble tutu, my dear friends. I always adore sharing the evolution of this fabulous fashion staple on my blog. In 1902, tutus were still pretty darn new, although they were steadily becoming a mainstay in the ballet world.
It was just before this date in 1902 that the legendary Russian ballerina, Olga Preobrazhenskaya, broke convention and debuted a truly revolutionary design! She ditched the long, cumbersome, romantic tutus of yore and introduced the world to a much shorter tutu - think about a shorter, more youthful and athletic, tiered design that highlighted the ballerina's strength and movements. It was groundbreaking and is still widely considered one of the biggest milestones in tutu history! This new silhouette allowed dancers more freedom of movement and gave a fresh, energetic feel to ballet.
As I imagine a beautiful Preobrazhenskaya, she was the original queen of short and sweet, a true style icon ahead of her time, she became known for her incredible, athletic grace! That revolutionary, innovative design revolutionised ballet performance, bringing about an era of modern elegance that remains influential to this day. The shorter tutu still remains in use across the world, especially with classical ballets like "Swan Lake" and "Giselle."
It's such an exciting era for ballet. My fellow Derbyshire girl, Dame Alicia Markova, was still a little lady of five at the time, but this is the very year the Royal Ballet School was established, which is now, as you all know, one of the world's top ballet schools! That little school in London will go on to become a hotbed of dancing talent and innovation for the decades to come!
Before we say goodbye, let me leave you with a fun little fact about ballet in Paris on this day, December 2nd, 1902. It was the first performance of a rather whimsical ballet titled "Les Cloches," or "The Bells," which featured a delightful array of bell-shaped tutus - just imagine those tinkling as the dancers twirled across the stage! Imagine that, just imagine it, darlings! A dazzling symphony of tinkling bells and flowing skirts! It must have been magical.
Anyway, darling readers, I have to rush now. You see, my next journey whisks me away to the thrilling streets of London. Perhaps a peek at the beautiful costumes at The Royal Opera House and perhaps some lovely fashion discoveries along the way! Remember, it's not just the grand stage that holds beauty - the streets, shops, and tea parties are all filled with delightful style inspiration!
Do remember to check out our fabulous blog posts each week for more #TutuTuesday magic and stay up-to-date on all your favorite ballet news and events! It's going to be a twirling, twirling, wonderful week, my dears. And don't forget: you never need a stage to wear your own little bit of ballet magic - so keep your pink tutus handy!
Till next week,
Emma x
www.pink-tutu.com
