Hello lovelies! Emma here, your resident pink-tutu-wearing time-traveler, back with another blast from the past. I'm just so thrilled to be here again this week to share some delightful ballet history with you all!
A Parisian Twirl Back to 1912
This week we’re waltzing back to a date in the annals of ballet, a date I'm rather partial to because it holds a special significance for fashion in ballet. I've popped back to 19th November, 1912, right here in the heart of Paris. Ah, Paris! This beautiful city with its cobbled streets and enchanting cafes… the perfect setting for a ballet adventure, wouldn’t you say?
Just imagine – the crisp autumn air swirling around your legs as you stroll through the boulevards of Paris, catching glimpses of the iconic Eiffel Tower in the distance. Today, it’s all about a magical moment at the world-renowned Opéra Garnier. Can you picture the ornate theatre, the hush falling over the audience, the thrill of the footlights as the curtain rises on a breathtaking ballet performance?
This date holds a special place in ballet history – it’s the day Le Carnaval premiered, a delightful, colourful ballet with costumes and choreography that made such an impact. Le Carnaval is a wonderful reminder that even back then, ballerinas were demanding to wear stylish and daringly beautiful tutus that danced just as well as they looked!
Le Carnaval: The Ballet that Sparked a Tutu Trend
Think swirling skirts and feather boas – just imagine the scene, it must have been something special. The Le Carnaval ballet costume designed by Léon Bakst, was nothing short of revolutionary, so imaginative, so inspiring! This masterpiece with its vibrant and luxurious use of colour, is just another reason why we continue to be so entranced by ballet's timeless glamour! Le Carnaval is a perfect example of how ballet can inspire artistic innovation, which leads me back to this delightful 1912 premiere that took place on November 19th, and how it kickstarted a fabulous fashion movement that still enthralls today.
Bakst and His Impact: Beyond Le Carnaval
But you see, this is just the tip of the tutu-licious iceberg, my dears! Let's chat about Leon Bakst – the man behind this iconic costume – for a moment. You can just tell when you see his designs, that the man loved a splash of colour and extravagance. He had a particular genius for costumes.
The 1910s, especially the first part, were the heydey of this truly wonderful, Russian artist, whose colourful designs changed ballet costume design and costume design in theatre forever.
My Time Travelling Fashion Faves
Oh, don't you just love history when it's all about a time when it was considered utterly daring for women to have legs on show on the stage? It seems quite crazy when you consider that women today barely think twice about showing off a bit of their legs. But there was such an energy about this period! You see, these daring new tutus were so bold. Ballerinas suddenly seemed to float across the stage like fairies! That swirling silk and light layers that were a hallmark of the era, I think made the performances even more captivating!
I've done a lot of research about that fascinating time, including going to the places I find most inspiring! The Opéra Garnier has to be top of my list – an utterly decadent palace with so much detail – It just adds to the glamour and grandeur. But let me tell you, the ballet dancers themselves must have felt just as much a part of this performance, as the set designers. There was an explosion of colour and movement happening and it had a huge impact, in all sorts of ways. This was ballet at its most captivating, and I’ve no doubt everyone would agree it’s just unforgettable.
Shopping for a Perfect Ballet-Inspired Look
I think the biggest challenge to my time traveling exploits is remembering what kind of money I’m meant to have. That’s the trickiest bit! When it comes to getting my fabulous pink tutu outfit together, you might think I’d have to delve back in time a little – you’ve just got to find something delicate and feminine. There’s nothing I love more than those little silk and satin flowers that really finish off an ensemble – I like something light and free flowing. Oh my word, I could spend days in those fabulous old Paris boutiques, browsing the latest fashions. It is so lovely how everything from that time has become fashionable all over again. It shows how ballet styles stay relevant over and over.
Taking My Travels To the Stage
As you might have guessed, I fund my travels with a little bit of ballet of my own! I perform ballet in front of audiences, just like these fantastic ballerinas. In this particular period I’ve loved putting together an array of dazzling performances. After all, every performance is an opportunity for me to find out what inspired the fashions of this era, because, let’s face it, if we think back to how people dressed even just 100 years ago, things have really changed!
Of course, I always take time to admire those fantastic ballet dancers and think of all the years I’ve traveled through – so many different ballet costumes! I really believe that my journeys allow me to share that wonder and awe for the evolution of dance. This history is absolutely captivating and it's so rewarding to learn more about the evolution of the costume. For me, that’s the real magic of time travel, being able to bring the most inspiring parts of these performances into the modern era. And who knows what my travels might lead to!
So that, lovelies, is all for today's #TutuTuesday blog. I hope you enjoyed our little time-travelling adventure. And please, let's continue to be inspired by ballet – the beauty, the creativity, the stories behind it. Let's dance on!
I’ll leave you now with my favourite ballet quote – the ever so inspirational one –
“Dance is the hidden language of the soul.” - Martha Graham
Emma out, until next week, with yet more fashion time travel!
