Hey lovely tutu-lovers! It’s Emma here, your friendly neighbourhood pink-tutu-clad ballerina and historian extraordinaire. I’m absolutely delighted to welcome you to another thrilling episode of my Ballet Tutu History blog! Today, we’re hopping on the train, which, for us, means time travel, and taking a little jaunt back to 1923, a glorious era of dance and, you guessed it, Tutus!
Remember how I told you about those beautiful tutus I found tucked away in the archives of the Bolshoi last week? They were absolutely stunning. Well, let's just say our adventure this week won't be so exciting... because guess what, my little lovelies? In 1923, things were changing, and tutus were beginning to take a rather surprising turn!
Hold on to your sequins, folks! We’re stepping back in time to a place where ballet, once a haven for billowing tutus, started to embrace a new, more modern approach. Now, before I dive into the fashion, we have to talk about a couple of key dancers, or should I say "key ballerinas"! Because this period is absolutely fascinating for ballerinas. They started embracing new fashion that would eventually set the stage for the fashion trends that still endure today.
Imagine being a young ballerina, poised for stardom! You've spent your life practicing, your leaps reaching new heights, your twirls becoming faster and faster... But then you get offered a role! Your new dress? Shudders. Well, not just any new dress, a totally different tutu. Instead of the billowing, voluminous layers you've been practicing in, it's now a slimmed-down, streamlined silhouette. Imagine, my darling readers, all that practice for absolutely no fancy footwork. It's enough to give one a twirling headache.
Now, before I start ranting like a proper madwoman about the fashion choices of the past (my, my... such a shocking thought for my audience), let's take a step back and think about where this change came from. This was the time when "New Ballet" came about. Remember that word "new"? Think of this like, well, you already know! "New", new, new. The change is in! Yes, folks! It is changing all around us. It was time for ballet to start looking...well...new, new, NEW. A time of dramatic reimagining of everything, from music and story to...you guessed it - COSTUMES. I hope you aren't disappointed that the topic of tutus is just so close to my heart.
But wait, darling! It wasn't all just streamlined silhouettes. These amazing ballerinas who were taking this all on – let's call them pioneers – they were pushing the boundaries, embracing colours, patterns and even ditching tutus altogether! Gasp! Oh, how the world must have been shocked, imagine, no tulle... and definitely no pink tulle. What would a ballerina do?!
There is a whole new style emerging from the chaos of 1923: the Ballet Russe. Oh, my goodness! Imagine a time before all this talk about tutus... we could all just be dressed like a ballet company.
Remember, dear friends, change is exciting! It might feel like we've been thrown for a loop. But, this "new ballet" introduced a new style that challenged, that explored, that truly broke the mold of how we looked at dance!
To take us further down this very lovely (and surprising) timeline of tutu-history, we’ve got to journey through fashion magazines! (Oh my darling, wouldn't it be something to hop in a time machine to check out fashion magazines!)
Can you even imagine it? Fashion magazines, that are devoted to ballet, and not the tutus, oh no darling! I mean the dancers' outfits... in 1923? These bold fashion decisions of our pioneers of ballet (yes, my dears, we've gotta name them - I call them "The First Lady of Fashion") have influenced dancers ever since. Think of that - forever. I’d love to meet these revolutionary souls! I imagine them as bold as the colourful leotards they were designing - imagine those patterns, oh, my, and think of the fabric. Do you think they tried pink? Well, there are many people from my generation who like the idea of pink and even those amazing shades of "Pink" with some great metallics - imagine pink that shines. A Pink tutu that glistens. Oh... oh. A tutu of pink sparkles! I must go and check out the stores of this decade for that lovely pink tulle, oh how I would like to experiment...
There are stories galore just in the tutus of our history, and, honestly, this is all so very inspiring! My Tutu History research always fills me with the excitement that I, in fact, have such a fantastic wardrobe. But my loves, back to 1923, think of the freedom. And how can we go on a fashion expedition without a fashion show! Just the other day, I happened upon one of the grandest and most dazzling shows of that era! You see, I get a few glimpses of what is going on while my shows are on, the time machine is simply too fabulous, not just for the ballet show, oh no! It's because of the train travel - yes, the lovely railways. That allows me to make quick jumps across time and I can jump from stage, straight onto the next train, all thanks to those wonderful people that love to come and see a tutu dancing. What a fabulous and amazing life!
And there I was, my little ballerinas, surrounded by stunning ensembles, these revolutionary pieces that forever altered the landscape of dance fashion. Every colour was present in every imaginable pattern, oh my... Imagine if I were to pop on that train and bring it back into the modern day! That's my secret, little readers. But don’t worry! I promise, we’ll have many more opportunities to explore the incredible tutu styles from every corner of our glorious past, all the while remaining focused on our pink vision!
Let’s dive right into the exciting world of ballet history every single Tuesday. I am planning to start another exciting adventure on 06 March. See you then!
See you on Wednesday for a fashion update, it's going to be very pink! 💖🩰
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