Greetings, my lovelies! Emma here, your very own Pink Tutu Time Traveller, back with another whirlwind trip through the fascinating world of ballet history. This week, we're waltzing our way back to a particularly vibrant time - 1918! Picture this: a year marked by a monumental global conflict coming to an end, but also bursting with excitement and creative energy, and naturally, fabulous fashions!
Let’s travel by train from my little corner of Derbyshire, all the way to the bustling heart of Paris, a city overflowing with creative spirit and, yes, of course, tutus! This city is where the fashion scene is always on the pulse of the newest and best trends, a swirling dance of the elegant and the outrageous!
Oh, the sheer thrill of stepping onto the Parisian platform in my dazzling pink tutu, feeling the vibrant atmosphere all around! Paris, where tutu history truly takes center stage! For a ballerina like me, who craves the graceful flow of movement, a perfect fit. I love the Parisian passion for everything beautifully made, from exquisite pastries to elegant dresses to... tutus! It’s in this creative haven that the world of ballet is flourishing.
Today, I’m all about tracing the lineage of those beautiful ballerina costumes, finding out where our contemporary tutu takes its cues. You know, just in case we all need a bit of inspiration for a new pink tutu!
(Take a moment, darlings, to imagine a shimmering, pale pink, three-tiered tutu adorned with tiny diamante embellishments – my own little pink masterpiece. Oh, to twirl in such a dream! )
Back to our historical adventure. October 1918! Paris, even amidst the uncertainties of the war, still has the heartbeat of fashion pulsing. Can you believe it? The Paris Opera Ballet, one of the most famous in the world, is holding a show – it's Les Sylphides, choreographed by Michel Fokine, a ballet I’m just aching to see! I adore that ballet. The ethereal, swirling dances with the diaphanous tutus that gently glide – divine. Oh, the history that goes into this stunning ballet!
You see, it all ties back to the late 19th century when there was this exciting move towards artistic freedom in the ballet world. Artists like Marius Petipa, with his Sleeping Beauty ballet (my ultimate all-time favourite!) and his Swan Lake, set the stage for these new artistic directions. There were shorter, tighter, lighter tutus taking centre stage - tutus that allowed for graceful jumps and airy turns. Such freedom, just like mine to flit between the past, present and future, to explore the magic of ballet history in all its exquisite variations.
Back to our journey – imagine, all those fabulous tutus swirling, each dance step a masterpiece in movement and fashion. The graceful ballerinas, like so many butterflies fluttering in an enchanting, colourful dance! It’s just like the world of pink tutus, but in 1918 it is a whirlwind of different colours.
But let's delve a little deeper, into the nitty gritty of what a Parisian tutu of 1918 might have looked like. Forget all those structured designs! Back then, there was more emphasis on flow. These beautiful garments weren’t restrictive; they were built for a lightness of being, for swirling through the air. Think diaphanous layers, sometimes just four, sometimes a whole waterfall of graceful movement. This was the golden age of the ‘romantic tutu’ – flowing, billowing skirts designed to emphasize a woman's ethereal elegance, a little bit of magic! The dancers wore a fitted bodice – imagine it! This bodice accentuated their beautiful figure.
As for the colours - oh darling, 1918 wasn’t about vibrant, vibrant pink just yet – though it was on its way! They preferred soft, elegant colours: creams, ivory, soft pinks – and I believe I’m helping move the world toward a beautiful future for the pink tutu! These colours just shimmered on the stage, blending in with the atmosphere and showcasing the graceful moves!
It wasn’t only in Paris where this ‘lightness of being’ was all the rage. Around the globe, ballet studios were finding new inspiration in these revolutionary forms. A tutu wasn't just a costume; it was a way to express and understand movement and emotions! Imagine!
But our time in Paris is drawing to a close, my darlings. One last note for this post – while tutus were certainly making waves, this was also a time for a shift in how ballets were presented. We see this clearly through the emergence of Ballet Russe. Igor Stravinsky – with his innovative, slightly controversial music – was creating captivating soundscapes for these mesmerizing performances, a powerful collaboration between the tutu, the dancers and music, a true fusion of artistic vision.
Imagine my thrill, to be able to travel back to this era and see such iconic ballets! I get to absorb the excitement of these dances in my time machine, then share my adventures here with you, spreading a little sparkle and pink tutu love.
Well, darling, that’s all for now! I hope I have filled you with the enchanting world of tutus and ballet from October 1918! Remember, every time you twirl, you are echoing the glorious history of the ballet tutu! Now, go forth, spread the pink tutu joy, and let your creativity shine! Until next #TutuTuesday!
See you at www.pink-tutu.com !
*(P.S: For all you fashion-forward ballet enthusiasts, I recommend checking out my *Pink Tutu Spotlight post this week – I’m giving you a peek into the must-have tutu styles of 1918 and some chic ways you can rock them today! It’s a sartorial celebration of how this historic dance costume continues to inspire modern trends. )
*Your pink-tutu-obsessed Emma. *
