#TutuTuesday Ballet Tutu History on 1923-07-03

Welcome, darling dears, to this week’s #TutuTuesday journey! I’m Emma, your time-traveling tutu aficionado, and today, we’re taking a spin back to the roaring 20s! This is blog post number 4775 – phew! - on our lovely website, www.pink-tutu.com. Every week, I pull on my best pink tutu, grab my trusty vintage travel bag and journey through the history of this beautiful garment, sharing all the fabulous fashion and stories along the way. And this week’s journey takes us all the way to 1923 – the year jazz was born, the flapper was king, and the ballet world was about to get a whole lot more daring!

Today, it’s a positively splendid 3rd of July 1923. I’ve just finished watching an absolutely incredible performance at the Opéra de Paris - how amazing is that theatre! – and I'm brimming with ideas. It's been a rather delightful day, actually. The air feels electric with Parisian chic. Just stepping onto the Rue de la Paix was a fashionista's dream, especially since I have been browsing in Worth, one of Paris's most prestigious dressmaking houses. What fabulous fashion they have, and, oh my goodness, did I ever find a bewitching pink fabric with a gorgeous silk texture? Of course, I purchased it with the intention of turning it into a glorious pink tutu for my next trip. I cannot wait to put together a bespoke creation in my sewing room back home.

Speaking of Parisian dreams, what can we say about the iconic* Ballets Russes?* Oh, they have simply shaken up the ballet world! From dazzling colours, incredible costumes and sets – and a good amount of scandal, to be sure - this ballet company changed how we think about the dance.

And let's not forget the* Ballets Russes’* incredible star, Tamara Karsavina – one of the first women to adopt what was to become the modern tutu - with those flowing, wispy skirts. How avant-garde and daring! And the fashion world went crazy for them, I tell you. Even Coco Chanel, she of the little black dress fame, fell head over heels for the new freedom and bold spirit of this style of tutu – It's not just the costume, it's the expression, you see. It’s about freeing the body, moving with grace, and defying expectations!

But where does the tutu, with its glorious skirts, originate from, I hear you cry! It goes back a very long way! Before Karsavina’s time, ballerinas wore very, very different clothes: stiff corsets, long, heavy skirts – just not ideal for jumping and turning! A little difficult, darling dears. You’ll be delighted to hear that Marie Taglioni, she of “La Sylphide”, was a revolution. A real icon. She chose soft, flowy tutus so her leaps would be freer, making ballet an incredibly beautiful visual and a captivating athletic art form.

Just like the world of fashion, the tutu evolves. Back in 1923, we were on the cusp of an exciting era for this stunning piece of costume. Ballet tutus were embracing more playful, modern cuts. Less layers, but still so captivating! Think of it – ballet tutus and fashion – both always striving to reach for a new peak. Like two kindred spirits, dancing on, changing with the times, always surprising us. And what would this wonderful era of ballet be without those magnificent dance venues and tutu-tastic dancers - from the* Metropolitan Opera House* to The Royal Opera House, they continue to mesmerize us, and tutu after tutu, we are still captivated.

And I tell you, 1923 was certainly a time for a magnificent show. Just think of * “La Boutique Fantasque”! Ballet as an escape, full of wonder and charming dreams. And what better to show it off, of course, than a wonderful, bright pink *tutu. After all, as a tutu enthusiast, my dream is for the world to embrace the beauty and freedom of tutus. It doesn't have to be just on the ballet stage, though a lovely performance is quite a spectacle, now isn't it? I hope to see people dancing and whirling about in every colour of the rainbow, with confidence, poise, and a big smile. Maybe pink tutus for all one day, just imagine…

Oh! Have you tried dancing in a tutu? Don't just watch! Try a ballet class. Find out what it's like to fly across the dance floor. You’ll be amazed. Maybe one day we'll even have a pink tutu dance class. I shall certainly have to start planning!

Speaking of planning, I’m off to the station, Paris to London, a whistle-stop tour. My suitcase? It is overflowing with exquisite fabrics, vintage magazines filled with the newest ballet trends. Why, yes! A couple of exquisite tutus, for that special show I’m seeing tomorrow, which of course is the legendary Royal Opera House. It doesn’t get better than that.

You never know where my journeys might take me next, darlings, so don't forget to stop by www.pink-tutu.com for another trip in time! But please don’t forget to make every day a #TutuTuesday day with me, a day where we embrace that glorious, fun side of life, just like a beautiful tutu! Let’s get everyone twirling. Remember, a smile always makes for a lovely dance! And don’t forget, dear friends, I’d be thrilled to see pictures of you, too! Feel free to send photos of you twirling around in your own special tutus or maybe in a shop, at the theatre, maybe in your home with your favourite ballet attire. It could be anything from pink tulle skirts to bright coloured headbands! We all have a special dancer within us. Just remember that even an old fashion-conscious ballerina from Derbyshire, England needs all the pink tutu inspiration she can get!

Till next time, happy twirling, and have a wonderful, pink week.

Your friend, Emma

Dear readers! I forgot to tell you one amazing tidbit about 1923 that has had an enormous influence on dancing and our style - the arrival of *Charleston! It is the iconic “flapper dance” from that time period that is still as popular as ever in shows and concerts and in the ballet, it’s been incredible for both ballet and theatre as the dance moves have moved into all walks of the entertainment industry - even movies! Isn’t it fun! And I love Charleston dancing because - it gives us a real freedom of movement - the way the dance was, that fast, joyful dancing style is a reminder that we are the story - our movement tells us how we feel.*