#TutuTuesday Ballet Tutu History on 1925-02-24

Bonjour mes chéries! Emma here, back from a delightful little trip to 1925 Paris. Now, you all know my love of pink tutus runs deep, but it's truly astounding to witness the evolution of this little garment. I recently learned about a very special dancer, Olga Spessivtseva, who is like a TutuQueen of that era, and I was fortunate enough to see her perform. Let me tell you, the Parisians are absolutely obsessed with ballet, and let me tell you, they love a good tutu!

This trip has just sparkled with the allure of history, art and a sprinkle of tutus! It felt like a magical time-warp, and you're just going to adore the insights I’ve picked up about tutu history!

In 1925, Paris was buzzing with cultural happenings - from the latest fashions to revolutionary artistic movements. And, believe it or not, the ballet scene was a huge part of it all. People just couldn't get enough! They'd queue for hours to see ballerinas like Spessivtseva dance - now, this lady's a true legend.

You see, this era was seeing a movement towards simplicity, especially in costume design. Gone were the bulky layers and complicated embellishments, and instead, the ballet tutu took centre stage! We're talking delicate, airy tulle, so light and elegant - just imagine the graceful swishes as ballerinas took the stage. It was utterly mesmerising.

But even then, my lovely lovelies, there was still this yearning for that something special that a tutu could bring to a performance. And just like in fashion, there was this quest for newness. The ballet world wasn't one to just rest on their laurels. They craved a bit of sparkle and originality!

I mean, let's face it - who can resist a shimmering fabric, perfectly twirled and spun to life in the theatre lights? It just feels effortlessly enchanting.

You see, when I first stepped through that magical time portal to 1925, I knew right away what was calling out to me - the tutu history. The Parisian opulence, the exquisite elegance – oh, how it’s changed! But also how it’s remained…the same? I’ll try to sum it all up for you…

Firstly, imagine a classic Roman Empire toga draped around the ballerina's form - this was the original 'tutu'. It all began as these 'Roman tunics', simple cotton garments, to make movement easier and beautify the dance.

Now, let's skip a few centuries - think 1830s. That’s when Marie Taglioni (oh, she was an icon!), swept the ballet stage with the Romantic tutu! These beauties were much lighter and softer, made of tulle and decorated with flowers. Think airy and ethereal, with beautiful tulle flowing all around the stage - picture it in your mind’s eye.

The early 20th Century - and I’m speaking of this incredible, elegant era! - brought about another change – the tutu evolved again. It became even shorter – a bit bolder, but always preserving that timeless grace. The tutu of this period is the one we most know - it was shorter, emphasizing a ballet dancer's figure.

That leads me to 1925 – just imagine how this change influenced ballet at the time. It made ballet a statement of individuality and style - the epitome of effortless beauty! This was what attracted dancers like Spessivtseva to these daringly new tutues, adding new twists and turns to this ballet-changing garment.

Now, back to the 1925 Parisian scene - it was like a tutu explosion. The theatre lights reflected off the delicate tulle and created this truly magnificent aura, something so dreamy you just get lost in it. And of course, the entire experience was enriched with the dazzling ballet performances - you'd swear the dancers were made of light with how effortlessly they moved across the stage.

But speaking of our beloved ballerinas - there’s someone else we simply have to talk about – Olga Spessivtseva! This incredibly talented dancer and an undeniable icon of the era. I was lucky to see her dance at the beautiful Opéra Garnier, and she literally left me breathless! Imagine a powerful, expressive ballerina who dances as if the entire world melts away with her every move – you can almost imagine the soft, yet sturdy, elegant tutu swaying as she does a simple plié!

This speciality that Spessivtseva had... the sheer passion... the breathtaking grace... the powerful movements! It was like watching a goddess on earth. I felt like the whole performance was created by the tutu itself – the way it swayed with her every movement – it simply added a unique layer of magic to her artistry.

Oh! This era had these spectacular dances, all performed by ballerinas in those shorter tutus that helped emphasize their every movement, the beauty and strength they exuded with their leaps, turns, and grand jetés... You know what? There’s this captivating simplicity to this dance-tutu combination – nothing less, and nothing more. This era helped make ballet what we know it to be now, with simple designs and strong lines, creating truly striking performances.

This was a ballet style of sheer artistry, with focus placed upon the dancer's physique and how they moved within their tutus - just glorious!

Back here in my present, I am already thinking of ways to add this historical magic to my future performances! And, just you wait, I’m already dreaming up the next #PinkTutu for our upcoming show – a 1920’s inspired pink tutu, made with beautiful soft, shimmering tulle, like a star-studded sky. *Isn’t that just dreamy? *

Let’s add just a hint of glamour, perhaps some sparkling sequins for a modern-day touch. Who knows? I might even wear it when I visit this period again. Ooh, how romantic!

But, speaking of pink tutus, you just wait and see – next week’s #TutuTuesday blog post is dedicated to how tutus went from stage to street, how dancers started taking their tutus from ballet classes to everyday life – this change is just remarkable! And if you ask me, it was a revolutionary step – but you know my philosophy: if we can wear them in ballet, we can wear them *anywhere, right?! 😉

Now, tell me, are you as excited about tutu history as I am? Which tutu era is your favourite? I would love to hear all about it! Leave me a comment below and join the conversation. And don't forget to follow my blog and Instagram for more #TutuTuesday adventures! 🩰💖

P.S. I'll be back next Tuesday with a new tutu journey to tell! Keep an eye out on www.pink-tutu.com – you wouldn’t want to miss my upcoming post, trust me! 😊

P.P.S. If you want to take a leap of faith, just remember – we all deserve to twirl in pink! 😉 It's truly *revolutionary,* I tell you! 💖