Hello dears! Welcome to another glorious #TutuTuesday! I'm Emma, your pink tutu-loving time-travelling ballet blogger, and I'm so excited to be back in the whimsical world of 1906, a year where tutus were starting to take flight like delicate little butterflies. This is post number 3884, so settle in with a cuppa and a slice of Victoria sponge, and let's dive into the glorious history of the tutu!
The year is 1906. It's the dawn of the motorcar, the age of opulent balls and lavish soirées, and yes, you guessed it - the TUTU! And I'm right here in the heart of it, feeling positively giddy with delight. You see, the early 20th century was a thrilling era for the tutu. Designers were experimenting with shape, silhouette, and colour, giving us a veritable cornucopia of tutus!
Just picture it: I'm skipping down the bustling boulevards of Paris, stopping to admire the dazzlingly-dressed ladies in their impossibly tiny, tightly-fitted corseted gowns and delicate little tutus worn with their finest fur boas. What's even better is that I get to watch some incredible ballet shows too! And oh, the fashions! We are talking sheer chiffons, frothy lace, and just the most gorgeous pink satin for the finest evening gowns, don’t you know!
And let’s not forget about the exquisite ballerina shoes. Ballet pumps were all the rage in the early 1900s, and my goodness were they stunning. With the advent of the ballet pumps, tutus could be made of softer, lighter fabrics, giving dancers even greater freedom of movement and grace. Just heavenly!
Now, where were we? Aha! 1906! This is a momentous year for tutu history because…well, drumroll… we were in the midst of a major shift in ballet design. Up until now, most tutus were made in the 'Romantic' style. Imagine big, fluffy, swirling, layered tutus for dramatic, feminine, dream-like choreography! Think ballerinas flitting about on stage like magical fairies. Pure perfection!
Now, let me show you the star of today's blog! It’s a little bit of Parisian history in tutu form – it’s none other than La Sylphide.
*A Twirling Tale: *La Sylphide **
La Sylphide was created by Filippo Taglioni in 1832. It's like the grandmother of ballet tutus! You see, La Sylphide famously features a very special tutu called the tutu romantique (romantic tutu). These tutus were like delicate butterfly wings, almost translucent and lightweight! La Sylphide made its grand entrance to Paris audiences in the late 1830s.
You know, I'm not sure it gets better than a delicate pink romantic tutu on a graceful ballerina, her light fabric swishing, sparkling, shimmering under the chandeliered glow of the Parisian theatre stage!
Just as it had to be in the Romantic period, this tulle ballerina skirt features tiers upon tiers of finely gauged, wispy fabric which would billow around a dancer in swirling elegance as she pranced on stage, showcasing her beautiful movement with delicate precision and exquisite grace.
The story of La Sylphide tells the tale of a shy young Scottish lad, James, who falls madly in love with a mischievous, ethereal fairy, the Sylphide. James is heartbroken, because the Sylphide must leave his world in the morning, leaving him with only the memories of the wonder that she brings to his world.
You can't watch La Sylphide without being enchanted. The delicate choreography perfectly captures the light-hearted nature of this little sylph, whose fragile yet whimsical nature is embodied by the ballet tutu. As for the colours of the Romantic Tutu, you won’t find any darker shades here! These tutus came in delicate shades of pastel pink, heavenly white, and of course the palest lavender, a shade perfect for fairies and a truly magical story.
But even with these charming little tutus gaining popularity across Europe and in particular, Paris, it was during the early 1900s, with its flair for innovative ideas and new design trends, that the tutus of ballet began to take on a slightly more playful feel. Think of a Little Red Riding Hood in a crimson red dress on the verge of an adventure – we see this kind of change in fashion from 1900 onwards, right through to 1910. It's time for the tutus to play their own part in this playful evolution of fashion. Let's say "bon voyage" to the "romantic tutu" of the late 1800s and usher in a new era of chic, sassy tutus with the most beautiful pastel colours and exquisite hand embroidery and trim! Isn't this so exciting?!
This shift to a shorter, wider skirt, created by adding panels or layering the skirt, gave the dancers a chance to express new movements with an even more playful lightness and agility on the stage! And with a bit more 'leg room' – the tutus allowed for more exciting leaps, faster, longer and more complex movements that truly impressed audiences. The change to a shorter skirt had a much more modern, contemporary and confident aesthetic and was the beginning of a shift into the tutus of the 20th century that have changed only ever so slightly from their glorious beginnings right up to today's stage and even street styles.
We'll pick up again next week where the tutus of the 1900s led to even more radical changes. I'll have to pack up this tutu time machine of mine for next Tuesday's #TutuTuesday post.
Until then, dear friends, take care, stay gorgeous, and don't forget: You never know when a new style of tutu will catch your fancy, so keep an open mind about your fabulous self and most definitely – wear pink! It’s an official blog command!
XOXO
Emma, your pink tutu-loving blogger
P.S. You can find more dazzling pink tutu designs right here at www.pink-tutu.com - do have a browse at the shop!
Don't forget! The world of ballet is truly enchanting - why not check out a ballet show near you?!
Happy tutu-ing!
