Hello my darlings!
Welcome back to another edition of my #TutuTuesday blog, the one where we travel through time and explore the glorious history of ballet tutus! As always, you'll find me here on my website, www.pink-tutu.com, dressed in my favourite shade of pink tutu, ready to share all the delights of the dance world with you.
This week, weāre stepping back to August 16th, 1910. Oh, my darlings! It's the time of corsets and hats, of elaborate gowns and lace, but what a glorious period for dance. The air was full of music, the lights of the theatre shone brightly, and of course, tutus! And you're never going to believe who is making waves in the world of ballet. I'm talking about Vaslav Nijinsky. You all know his name. I mean, who could forget this incredibly talented man with his breathtaking moves? This date marks his legendary first performance of Le Sacre du Printemps by Igor Stravinsky, and I'm just brimming with excitement to tell you about it!
Backstage with a Twist:
Oh, how I wish I had a time machine! Iād be right there at the Theatre des Champs-Elysees in Paris, nestled among the bustling crowds, ready to witness this extraordinary event. Can you imagine it, my dears? The audience, enthralled by the electrifying dance and powerful music!
Nijinsky, a true artist! He dared to move with such ferocity and intensity, something quite different from what everyone was used to. Think about it: ballet at the time was elegant and graceful, a symphony of floating movements.
Nijinsky, however, flipped the script. His dance, bold and fierce, even a bit scary! Some might say it's scandalous. He used a more primitive style, stomping and leaping and taking the stage to a whole new level. You can't get more innovative than that! But, some critics werenāt happy with the dance! Oh, darling, they even threw things! That just shows you how much it stood out! It changed everything, setting a new standard for the world of ballet.
Now, letās move to the fashion. This time, we're talking costume design! For his performance, Nijinsky worked with LĆ©on Bakst. A fantastically creative individual! He created costumes that shouted his vision - earth tones, textured fabrics, something different to the usual elaborate dance costumes, which was the biggest innovation in a way. They represented the power of the earth, raw and untamed, which fits with Nijinskyās dance. And can you even imagine that dramatic impact! It wasnāt the only time LĆ©on and Nijinsky made waves - they even went on to create the iconic costumes for 'Scheherazade'!
But of course, when it comes to fashion and tutus, no ballet performance can truly be complete without the magic of a graceful tutu! This is a very exciting era for the tutu and Iām getting all starry-eyed over the details! The designs of these 1910s tutus are absolutely dreamy! Imagine, fluffy layered skirts with romantic frills and intricate details, perfect for pirouettes and graceful moves. This delicate ballet fashion is just enchanting. This time period is full of incredible dancers - the likes of Anna Pavlova! She wasn't a friend of the ārevolutionaryā Nijinsky and was far more refined and graceful - just look at the magnificent performances of her swans! It's such a wonderful world where the elegant ballet tutu takes centre stage. You know I just love those **fluffy romantic tutus!
And You Know What I Love About It?
The fashion that made the ballet world just as wonderful as the music. This time was brimming with creativity and excitement! For my dears, this is an era that really gives you that glamorous sparkle. They wanted something different to the stuffy social scene at the time and dance had the most remarkable role in making a bold statement! If the audience wasnāt enthralled by the performance, it was certainly by the stunning costumes! Just imagine a room filled with delicate tutus with soft colours of rose, cream and blue! Such beauty and pure grace, my darlings, I wouldn't have missed this for the world!
I could honestly spend hours reminiscing over this time and sharing my adoration for the elegance, drama, and excitement of it all! The amazing music, the daring performance, the fantastic outfits - truly everything about 1910 was wonderful, wasnāt it?
Travel with Style:
Now my lovely ballet fans, you might think that I spend every Tuesday dressed in my tutu, zipping between eras! Well, in a way, thatās actually true! The lovely people at www.pink-tutu.com help me by funding my little bit of time travelling with my performances at some wonderful ballet studios, so my days are spent shopping, going to ballet shows and getting the very latest news for you on #TutuTuesday!
Of course, no travelling by me can ever be without a stylish railway journey. Thereās something about taking the train that feels both classic and exciting. All those beautiful compartments, the gentle sway, the wonderful opportunity to observe the countryside while sketching my next outfit... I must admit I find the train very, very inspiring! I have a wonderful travelling companion, a small chihuahua, Poirot. He sits next to me as I journey around the world and we enjoy sharing a bag of sweets together - just like two proper friends! Heās so small he hardly even notices weāve travelled back in time, he's busy sniffing at the lovely smells.
And just in case, because heās so lovely! Poirot also comes with me when I go shopping! As I said earlier, no journey for a fashion lover can ever be complete without a trip to the shops, and oh! What an adventure the boutiques of 1910 have to offer!
Oh, how I wish I could share some of my gorgeous 1910 fashion finds! But I wouldnāt want to disrupt this perfect time by arriving with something from the future. My aim is to keep history safe - so I can travel through it!. Imagine! Being sent home because I'd ruined some historic costume design with an outfit!
But my darlings, I do try my best to keep you informed about everything that I see, all the things I love! If there's a beautiful vintage dress or hat that reminds me of the glamour of these stylish times, Iāll share it! And, of course, a wonderful pink tutu design to celebrate every bit of the graceful past.
But now, let's focus back to August 16th, 1910. Today we were at a very special date and I know this period just calls for **more exciting news in the weeks to come! Letās chat next Tuesday with an updated diary of what happens! Remember, subscribe and like - I always love hearing your feedback!
Until then, darling friends!
Emma
#PinkTutu #BalletHistory #TutuTuesday #DanceHistory
