Hello my darling tutu lovers! Welcome back to Pink-Tutu.com, your one-stop shop for all things fabulous, frilly and twirly! It's Emma here, your resident time-traveling tutu enthusiast, and I'm so excited to be back with you today for #TutuTuesday - our weekly delve into the fascinating history of the ballet tutu. This week, we're stepping back to 1922, a year that saw a pivotal change in the shape of the tutu, taking us away from the romantic, flowing forms and bringing in a new, exciting era of shorter styles!
Now, let's just be honest – who wouldn't be thrilled by the thought of less fabric and more leg to show off? As a fellow aficionado of the pink, fluffy, fabulous tutu, I can't help but feel a tiny pang of longing for this era in my heart. Imagine strutting your stuff in a tutu that allows you to kick your legs up higher, really showing off those impressive extensions and pirouettes.
But let's not jump ahead. Let's take a little train journey back in time to discover why the tutu went for a style trim!
We're leaving London Paddington, the hub of all things glamorous and fashionable. As the countryside zips past the windows of our quaint train carriage, I daydream about the latest styles in Paris – yes, it's the capital of the world, ladies, for all things elegant and stylish! It's a city full of dazzling, extravagant shows at the opera and the ballet.
Back then, everyone who was anyone was headed to see Serge Diaghilev's legendary Ballets Russes. Can you imagine, seeing the world's most famous dancers in some of the most iconic performances? It would be amazing! It's hard to resist the pull of the gorgeous costumes and extravagant set designs – a theatrical spectacle like no other. They were revolutionary in the world of ballet! The costumes, of course, were a massive part of the spectacle!
And what would be better to represent the Ballets Russes than the revolutionary * short* tutu! This short tutu - also sometimes known as the 'Russian tutu' - didn't simply replace the previous style overnight - no, no, it was an evolution that gradually took over!
Think feathery plumes, beautiful beaded embellishments, sparkly diamantes and even bolder, brighter, and even more vibrant colours. The stage was a feast for the eyes!
Now, can you believe that in 1922, the biggest and best shows in London included* The Russian Ballet, with *Tamara Karsavina dancing the iconic "The Sleeping Beauty" ! As I'm writing this, it feels as if those tutus were only invented yesterday! How times do change! But just imagine all the stories that those tutus could tell.
My, my, the fashion was very different back then. For the ladies of the day, the style of choice included beaded, sequined flapper dresses with fringe. It sounds pretty spectacular - just picture the bright, sparkling, flashy and sophisticated styles that women wore.
For some of the dancers who loved the traditional romantic tutus, a time of change was ahead. The stage was about to be flooded with shorter styles which provided more flexibility for the dancers and really made for an exciting, more visually captivating spectacle, in the ballet theatres of the world.
Did you know? Some people think that a certain dancer may have even played a role in influencing this fashion shift - Vaslav Nijinsky - yes, this amazing and talented artist even contributed his flair to ballet costume design himself
Now, this time, I'm going to head off to watch * "Le Sacre du Printemps "* by Igor Stravinsky at The Royal Opera House in London. It’s such an iconic piece! They really did push the boundaries back in the day, bringing new and exciting styles to the world of dance.
Today, the shorter tutu remains one of the most popular tutu styles. If I wasn't careful, it could even become the next pink tutu obsession, which, for someone like myself, would certainly make the trip back to the year 2023 a lot more stylish. But I'm going to be a little selfish this week and embrace all of the stunningly elaborate details of this iconic 1922 design, in all of it's flamboyant glory!
And I'm sure it would be absolutely amazing, in pink!
Until next week - remember, you can share all your tutu stories with me in the comment section, and of course, follow Pink-Tutu.com, for all your tutu adventures and time-traveling adventures!
And now - if you will excuse me, I must find the very pinkest and most fluffy of tutus!
See you all next week!
Emma
xx
