Hello darling! It's your favourite pink tutu-loving blogger Emma here, and today is a very special #TutuTuesday! This week I've time-travelled all the way back to the 25th of June 1912 and landed myself smack-dab in the middle of Paris, the very heart of ballet! This fabulous city just buzzes with dance and excitement, and I've been absolutely soaking up the atmosphere, all while sporting my own gorgeous pink tutu, of course.
Oh, don't you just love the whimsical way they wear tutus in this era? So romantic! They’ve still got the classic shape, but the layers are more fluid, almost like a dream. You wouldn't believe the stunning tulle fabrics and beautiful embroidery I've seen on show at the opera house. Just picture it: delicate petals swirling, soft pastel colours… it's simply divine.
This particular day in June, the city is positively electric. The Eiffel Tower shimmers, a grand silhouette against the summer sky, and a special performance of “The Sleeping Beauty” by the Ballet Russe de Serge Diaghilev is set to take place tonight! Just imagine, seeing a company like that… pure ballet magic. Sighs wistfully And yes, you can bet your bottom dollar I’ll be there in the front row, eyes glued to the stage, absorbing every stunning move, every delicate point shoe!
But let's rewind a little, shall we? Back to our tutus! The year 1912 is a time of fantastic progress for the tutu. You know, it's a lot easier for the ballerinas to move when their skirts are actually designed for it, isn't it? I mean, just try wearing one of those super heavy layered hoopskirt things from a century before. Imagine, being able to leap and twirl with that sort of restriction? Simply unthinkable!
Today, tutus have become this beautifully sculpted silhouette - and don't forget, this shape actually accentuates the dancer’s body. No hiding there, darling! It’s all about elegant lines and showing off those muscles. It's the perfect combination of femininity and athleticism! Just like me. 😉
What I truly find so amazing about tutus is that they have remained such an enduring part of ballet’s heritage, even while adapting and evolving to reflect each era's style and what is considered ‘in’ in the fashion world.
This brings me back to our exciting time-travel day! Now, the Ballet Russe de Serge Diaghilev were famed for their bold innovations, daring collaborations, and the way they seamlessly combined the old and the new. It's absolutely brilliant how they took ballet and pushed it to the very edge, while still staying true to its timeless elegance!
The "Sleeping Beauty", of course, was one of the great traditional ballet productions, with a set designed by Alexandre Benois – he used gorgeous shades of pink, which were popular during this period! Imagine my excitement to see how they incorporated this into the sets and the costumes. Such creativity! I am dying to know what costumes they chose for the princesses and the fairies… And you know I will be showing you all about them tomorrow when I share all about my evening at the show. I hope the train won't be full!
You've got to love the 1912 tutu, honestly. It's just got that air of elegance, of effortlessly beautiful, that just brings me so much joy. We need more pink tutus, don't you think? I'll keep reminding the world of their elegance every #TutuTuesday on our pink-tutu.com website, with even more of these time travel shenanigans.
So darling, until next time, may your week be filled with grace, pink, and a lot of twirling!
Keep dancing!
💖 Emma
(Remember, this post is number 4200 on www.pink-tutu.com and is part of the Ballet Tutu History blog.)
