Hello, darlings! It's Emma here, your resident tutu enthusiast and history buff, back with another #TutuTuesday blog post! This week, we're going to take a whirl through time to 5th September 1905, and let's be honest, it’s all about the tutu.
Welcome to blog post number 3845! It's so much fun exploring the history of the tutu – a true embodiment of elegance and grace, the perfect companion to any ballerina (and trust me, if you have the confidence, it can be a perfect companion to anybody!)
And today's journey, darlings, starts in Paris, the undisputed centre of all things chic! The fashion capital of the world, it's bursting with glamour and excitement – just like our pink tutus, don’t you think?
But what was a tutu like back in 1905? You’ll be delighted to hear that even then, the tutu was already making waves! In 1905, ballerinas graced the stage with elegant variations of the tutu, showing off the delicate movements that define this graceful dance.
Imagine yourself stepping into a Parisian theatre, velvet curtains sweeping aside to reveal a beautiful stage filled with dancers in their stunning, billowing tutus. It's an ethereal experience that truly takes you back to a more romantic, graceful era.
Did you know? The tutu we know today originated back in the 19th century. The word "tutu" itself comes from the French word for "dress" (shortened from "tunique"). Isn't that interesting?
This time, we'll dive deep into a specific historical period and discuss what is going on for this particular #TutuTuesday date of the 5th of September in 1905!
It’s always such an adventure travelling through time! It wasn't easy, but the energy from last week's performance in Berlin was a fabulous boost. You know I had to slip in some pink before we left though, my darling – wouldn't want to offend my muse, even for a trip into the past! (Besides, if I ever meet a real, actual real fairy, she'll definitely have a fondness for the colour pink! Well, it would be a disgrace for her not to).
Well, I took the train (all the way, through the night!). They're simply glorious for travelling – lots of space, comfy seats and a real vintage vibe!
This week we find ourselves on the 5th of September 1905 – It’s a quiet morning and I have made my way to the Opéra Garnier (one of the most breathtaking places for ballet in the whole of France!), where the ballets of the period, especially ballets in 1905 were truly unique, they combined romantic themes, dramatic costumes and captivating music! They were often inspired by folklore, literature and mythology. Think swan lakes and enchanted forests! Absolutely fabulous!
Of course, my top priority on this visit? Clothes, my darlings! Shopping! Just walking the streets is such an inspiration! This is when they were coming into the more elegant period for their clothing design – not just here in Paris but in Britain as well! My, oh my! What we’ve lost in some areas for the sake of simplicity – a few frills wouldn’t hurt!
They are really pushing the boundaries of clothing styles for ballerinas, too, I've been observing some absolutely divine tutus! From flowing, silk-like materials to graceful layers of tulle, and an abundance of ribbons! Honestly, the colours are even a bit more on the bright and bolder side here! I love a good dash of boldness, of course, but it’s wonderful how it all hangs and falls on those dancers when they move.
Fashion in 1905
Ladies’ fashion at this time is beautiful. The 1900s saw a very fashionable move towards elegant feminine forms in everything from clothing to the arts, especially dance – you can just feel the movement and flow.
In fashion, 1905 brought more changes, even from the very start of the new century. In Britain, the ‘S-Bend’ era had taken hold of women’s fashion! Tight waists were in and this era embraced a long and sleek figure with lots of corsetry, ruched tops and flouncy materials in colours like white, creams, pink and pale blues!
Here in Paris, a slim silhouette was in for eveningwear, and they wore everything from lace blouses with matching boleros to long skirts – there was an ethereal grace to all of it and I just loved it!
It’s truly the most incredible thing being able to immerse yourself in a specific period!
Oh, you're right, my darling! A lot of people, including me, have seen those pictures of the legendary "Romantic" period in dance with all those tutus! (Oh, the gorgeous ruffles!). But think of what they did next! These dresses with hundreds of layers of netting. They changed to be able to create these stunning, powerful, expressive moves! What a truly beautiful art form ballet is, wouldn’t you agree?
Did you know…?
Just to make sure we don't leave out all of our historical dance aficionados, a tutu was designed by Marius Petipa for the Grand Pas de Deux (the most beautiful pas de deux of all time – which means a dance for two!) – it’s actually my favorite to dance in – for the legendary “Don Quixote,” created in 1869 for the Ballet Imperial of Russia in St. Petersburg. Oh my! To have danced in that? Incredible! The costumes, all those silks! What elegance! This pas de deux is simply legendary.
What was a ballerina in Paris like? You might find yourself feeling a little transported – ballerinas were not just dancers. They were celebrities! The dancing was dramatic, exciting, flamboyant and passionate – the emotions poured out!
Parisian theatres had the biggest stars – just look at all of those legendary Prima Ballerinas! Just as we love seeing our modern dancers on the stage, those ballerinas became famous all over the world for their graceful movements, beautiful costumes and passionate artistry.
I'm also quite smitten by how beautiful the ballerinas' shoes were back in those days! Oh, to twirl in those exquisitely crafted shoes, oh my darling! Satin ribbons and beautifully finished with graceful details in velvet. Imagine them, just stepping out onto the stage, it’s a sight to behold!
You may be curious, though, darling. A lot of tutus during that time were not just delicate, they could be very heavy as well! To really look their very best, you’d be dancing in those elaborate layers, ribbons and bows, but that didn't stop the ballerinas from displaying those amazing jumps, pirouettes, and gracefully floating across the stage. Those ladies truly had some fantastic talent and endurance, wouldn’t you agree, darling?
It was, for sure, a transformative era in ballet – I think this is one of the main times, actually, when the ballet really took off. In these times they changed the whole approach and the designs – imagine all the things they would do to create an extra frill, layer or change in colour, to create this beautiful design!
And don’t even get me started on the beauty of it all, oh darling! So romantic and elegant! Just imagine – all the swirling and elegant, soft, romantic tutus! And oh, don't even get me started on the flowers they used on the stage and in the costumes! It truly brings it to life, bringing back a simpler, romantic, elegance. What else is better for romance than flowers?
Well, you must be dying to know, how about a little insight into this date’s story in 1905 for our TutuTuesday journey. The French newspaper "Le Figaro" reported in 1905 on the Russian Grand Duchess Marie of Russia (known as Marie Alexandrovna, the younger sister of Tsar Nicholas II), who visited the city with the entire family. She even took ballet lessons! What a beautiful woman! Just think what it was like to actually meet a member of royalty! Now that's a story for our history blog.
What better story for this tutu trip back to 1905, my darling? A time filled with beauty, movement and romance!
Of course, I can't go on without making a note to share a special “tutu” fact of the day:
In 1905, as well, we start seeing those iconic little dance shops popping up across London, Paris and many European towns. Now that's progress for us dancers!
Well darling, there you have it – we've gone back through time in a flutter!
The tutus in those times were truly revolutionary – they gave a chance to move freely and display a huge amount of detail.
That’s it for another journey into tutu time, but I have lots of interesting facts and fascinating information to share.
Keep checking back every week for more #TutuTuesday, and be sure to tell me about your favourite era and let me know what you want to know – whether you’ve been dancing for years or have never stepped foot in a ballet studio – you never know, there might just be some inspiration to find something special to make you think, "That's just perfect for my next tutu trip!”
Keep it fabulous! And don't forget to wear pink! And if it’s in the form of a tutu, well, just fabulous! * Emma www.pink-tutu.com*
