Hello my darlings, and welcome back to another #TutuTuesday, this time whisking us back to the glorious 27th of November, 1923! This week's journey sees me twirling through the streets of Paris, a city that truly knows how to embrace the romance of ballet, especially when it comes to tutus. Oh, to be in Paris this week! Imagine the sights, the sounds, the scent of fresh croissants, and the most exquisite collection of Parisian fashion! It's all so deliciously Parisian, darling, and makes this blogger's heart leap for joy!
This post, my 4,796th for the www.pink-tutu.com blog, takes us back in time to the early days of the ballet tutu! You know I simply cannot resist delving into the captivating history of ballet tutus, those symbols of grace, elegance, and artistry! I just love tutus! As an aficionado of the dance and all things tutu, my journey through time is truly inspired by my passion for those twirly delights. Speaking of delights, did I tell you about my trip last week to Vienna? You just wouldn't believe the collection of ball gowns they have at the Vienna Opera! All the fabulous feathered trimmings and silken whispers of romance. I shall post about that trip soon, my dears, as it truly was something to behold.
Back to the year 1923. This year was one of major upheaval in the world of ballet. Imagine, in our day and age, ballet tutus are a common sight. The ballerina is instantly recognisable! However, this simply wasn't the case a hundred years ago! Now, don't think that women hadn't been dancing in graceful, diaphanous attire long before 1923. For years they danced in dresses, those pretty Victorian creations, but the ballet tutu we know today was just taking its first graceful steps onto the stage. And what a difference it would make to ballet and the perception of female performers!
This 1923 date coincides with the emergence of Serge Diaghilev's Ballets Russes and its astounding success. This troupe brought to the Parisian stage, indeed to the world's stage, an incredible collection of ballets like "The Rite of Spring" with a completely new and exciting vision, which also gave rise to a completely new ballet tutu style. This wasn't your simple layered tulle creation, darling! Diaghilev, with his team of amazing choreographers and designers, completely reimagined the tutu, making it more evocative, almost sculptural and, dare I say, modern. Vaslav Nijinsky, his brilliant dancer, certainly proved the tutu's capabilities.
It was the year of The Rite of Spring. This ballet is a truly iconic, avant-garde creation that shocked and mesmerized the world. Now, while I won't go into detail of the infamous, chaotic riot it caused on its first night (we’ll leave that for another post!), it was this ballet that set the scene for a revolution in ballet and in fashion. The costume designed by Nicholas Roerich and worn by Nijinsky truly set the trend for a more theatrical approach to the ballet costume and for those groundbreaking tutus we still see on stage today. In my opinion, a real tutu renaissance began here! The Ballets Russes, led by the fabulous Serge Diaghilev, truly set the tone for this modern vision, pushing boundaries with costumes and innovative ballets. It's this revolutionary spirit that, I believe, started a ballet revolution in Parisian circles. Oh, what a time to be a part of the ballet scene, with tutus the order of the day!
Oh, if you only knew how much that The Rite of Spring ballet had sparked a fire in my time travelling heart! I just had to find my way to the Ballets Russes at some point! But there's a twist to this tale. I didn't travel through time to just witness this historic performance. Imagine my surprise when I got there and discovered the lead dancers were actually my Great Aunts, Mary and Lily. Turns out my family has a rich, fascinating, ballet history! How fabulous is that! It would be difficult for any ballet fan to deny the power of these early dancers. I feel so connected to them, these ballet dancers of the early 20th century, and the revolution that occurred then is one that continues to shape the ballet world, all those elegant, flowing lines, oh, simply divine!
1923 marked the start of the movement that is still alive in every ballet we see. These new tutus gave an incredibly different and far more dynamic feeling. Instead of layered fabric, you see the focus on sculpting the line, and oh my! These innovative tutus also drew focus on the movement and the dance itself, putting the artistry in the forefront. The dancer’s every movement was a story in itself, like little ballerinas weaving magic for all to see. You couldn't keep your eyes off them!
My favourite thing about this era is, and you probably guessed it by now, the amazing tutu styles! They are absolutely revolutionary, you just wouldn’t see such intricate designs on stage nowadays! There is a lot of talk in the ballet world about the Ballets Russes tutus being, well, just too radical, but for me, this is their power! They truly dared to be different, breaking with traditions and opening the door to this truly extraordinary way of movement and the visual story of the dancer. And it is this very approach that still excites and inspires.
It would be truly fantastic if you could join me at my website www.pink-tutu.com to explore some of the iconic Ballets Russes designs that truly put Diaghilev on the map! From Diaghilev’s “Sheherazade,” to “The Afternoon of a Faun,” or the simply magical “Firebird,” the dance and the tutu designs were unlike anything else. You will be transported back in time and you can literally see for yourself just how magnificent the designs were, a real treat for the eye and something I believe everyone should see and enjoy.
Oh my darling, there’s a certain something in those Ballets Russes that still pulls me towards the dance, like magic! Every time I see them on stage, or see these images, my heart just does a pirouette, and I just can't help but feel a twirl or two coming on!
Until next week's #TutuTuesday, remember, even though the style has changed so much over time, the true magic of the tutu remains - a beautiful symbol of art, grace, and freedom of movement. Why don’t you put on your most glamorous outfit, spin a few twirls and remember what a timeless beauty this iconic piece of dancewear truly is. Oh, and if you’ve got a pretty pink tutu, why not wear it?! The more pink tutus we see out there in the world, the better. Until then, happy twirling, darlings!
See you next week!
Yours in Pink Tutus,
Emma 💕
