#TutuTuesday #BalletHistory #3998
Greetings, darling readers, and welcome to another installment of Pink Tutu’s #TutuTuesday Ballet History blog!
This week, I’m thrilled to be travelling through time to the enchanting era of 1908. Oh, what a glamorous time! Imagine the wide-brimmed hats, the long, flowing dresses, and the exquisite ball gowns, all swishing and rustling in the grand theatres! And of course, we mustn’t forget the tutues. It’s the dawn of a new age for the tutus! You might say, it’s the “Year of the Tutu!” We’re about to step into a magical era when the modern tutu was born. But first, a little story about me.
I've just hopped off a glamorous, whistle-stop train ride to Paris – the city of love, lights, and ballet! You simply can’t miss a chance to see a show in Paris. So of course, as soon as I landed (my pink tutu got some envious glances at Gare du Nord, darling! What a stunning city this is), I took a spin around the Champs-Élysées looking for a new pink feather boa. Did I find one? Of course, darling!
The Paris Opera Ballet was performing, "The Sleeping Beauty," which I’d just adore - Tchaikovsky's score is a symphony of emotion, so delicate and charming, you could simply melt! You know, there is simply no greater feeling than the thrill of being seated in the theatre, waiting for the curtains to rise! Ballet! It just takes me straight to dreamland, all those stories danced out, the beautiful costumes, the talented dancers – I feel like I could just float off into the ether! And what would those enchanting stories be without the delicate tutus that dance with every pirouette and leap?
But let’s rewind the clock back to this particular #TutuTuesday, 11th August, 1908. This week, I'm looking back at the legendary ballet dancer and choreographer, Anna Pavlova, who is considered by many to have helped shape the modern tutu, especially for ballerinas. Now, Anna was absolutely exquisite, her dancing a sublime combination of technical skill and artistic expression.
1908: It was the year Anna danced one specific production – that was so popular and significant – a work called “ The Dying Swan, ” which you can watch in an astounding version of the original choreography right here on Youtube! It was in this ballet that she donned an outfit that was something truly unique - a very short white tutu with a single, single tier. You've got to see it! It was a revelation - a radical departure from the more cumbersome, layered and lengthy tutus of earlier times.
You know, what is so beautiful about the "Dying Swan", it's her fragility and her grace – it makes me just want to cry. Her short and elegant costume let her movements flow freely. No restrictive layers here! It’s truly amazing how a simple change of attire can lead to a significant change in artistic expression. Her single, graceful, simple tier tutu – It gave the performance such a moving air!
Of course, Anna, who, you must remember was, the Queen of the Pointe shoes, helped to give ballerinas that powerful and delicate poise we so love to watch in a ballet.
So today, the tutu, that glorious swirl of tulle, comes in so many gorgeous forms and shades and I am so passionate about finding and sharing my #TutuTuesday knowledge! Today's tutu has its roots, deep in that year 1908 and Anna Pavlova. The short tutus with single tiers, oh they became the hallmark of the time - It made the graceful, light, dancing movements, even more so – you’ve simply got to admire Anna's artistry and the graceful elegance of her style! Anna Pavlova was certainly one of the most inspiring ballerinas in ballet history. She took the ballet world by storm. It just makes me want to rush to the local library, grab a vintage ballerina story and put on a pink tutu with an ostrich feather trim - oh darling, I love a feather boa and tutu, don't you!
In those early days, ballet was quite restricted; women's costumes, they didn't exactly showcase the beauty and grace of a ballet dancer – and the ballerina could only dance certain, controlled styles, as well as what she could physically manage within those massive multi-layered garments, like the tutu panier which you can see from an illustration from a time about fifty years prior! Just think of all those layers of ruffles and lace! And on those tutu paniers, with so many tiers of lace and frills - you simply could not leap! It was simply impossible – even standing on pointe shoes! Anna’s simple single-tiered tulle tutu – Oh darling, this was truly revolutionary – The dancers could move much more freely and powerfully, especially on pointe shoes. What a joy to watch, just imagine, leaping, twirling, those stunning poses... a dancer’s movement with total freedom!
But there's more to the tutu story! In the same year as the single tiered, Anna Pavlova tutu became the latest style, there were also more traditional versions of the tutu, these with layers, were more elaborate in appearance. And you might remember, these tutus also had panniers (an added layer for extra volume and width for the skirt). These multi-layered pannier-style tutus could often be found at performances like “Swan Lake” by Tchaikovsky which again, Anna danced brilliantly. (The “Swan Lake” is one of my favorite ballets to watch.) These tutu panniers can be thought of as a little “extra” layer which often looks just beautiful, as long as the performer can handle the extra weight! (Just a little warning on the tutus with all those tiers and a big wide skirt – they need careful handling! And by the way, never try to put on a tutu with those added layers without help). In the world of dance, it seems like all those layers of frills in those costumes were truly necessary.
If you see pictures of dancers of the early days of ballet - just have a look – you see they look quite rigid. (Can you imagine how heavy these costumes were! And think of how restricting that tutu panier would have been when attempting any kind of ballet movement! (How lucky for us, so much has changed.) Oh darling! And I bet a dancer’s back, especially if she had to stand in the “Tutu-Pannier” stance for hours on end, (even if they couldn’t dance at all) well – we owe all the ballet dancers of the past so much respect. (The single tier tutu revolution is what makes the dancing that much more captivating. We can thank the ballerina, Anna Pavlova – you might say, her “single tier tutu” helped to shape modern-day ballet!
Anna Pavlova and the ballet really took the world by storm. She helped to open up a new era for dance – this became even more important when you think of the style of performance; this involved not only new dance routines, but an emphasis on costumes and designs. And if you watch that "The Dying Swan" * video, it’s clear – her movements flow *with her costume! She truly is an inspiration. I must visit a dance school, find myself some pointe shoes, get back in those tights and go through some routines - I love being on pointe, just imagine those leaps! But right now I’m off to have a dance with myself, find some tea and cake and plan my next exciting #TutuTuesday post! Oh and dear reader – if you have any ballet history tips do leave a comment below - or follow me on **www.pink-tutu.com
I can’t wait to hear what you have to say. See you next Tuesday.
Emma xxx
