Bonjour, darlings! It’s Emma here, your friendly neighbourhood tutu-wearing time traveller, bringing you another captivating slice of #TutuTuesday ballet history. Today, we're travelling back to a sweltering June day in 1927, a time of flapper dresses, Charleston dances, and, yes, gasp, the beginnings of a tutu evolution. This is post number 4982 on my ballet tutu history blog - have you read all 4981 before this one? I think it's a fabulous number, full of magical tutu vibes, what do you think? You can catch my latest musings at www.pink-tutu.com, where every Tuesday I travel back through time, uncovering the secret stories behind the twirling masterpieces we call tutus!
I know what you’re thinking – a ballet tutu history post, what’s so exciting about 1927? Well, you wouldn't believe the changes bubbling away backstage! You see, darling, in the early 1920s, ballerinas were swishing around in knee-length tutus, their freedom of movement limited, their elegance muted. It’s no surprise really - the focus back then was on grand gestures and a more restrained beauty.
Imagine our beloved tulle, the fabric of our tutu dreams, a little…more practical? Picture tight-fitting, floor-length skirts for those big, slow ballets, like Swan Lake. Now picture all that swishing on stage, all that swish-swish, imagine those graceful leaps. Not. They were definitely a lot less, shall we say, "flowy."
That’s where our girl, Diaghilev, the iconic ballet impresario, steps onto the scene. Now, this was a man who understood drama. Diaghilev and his team were experimenting with designs that made the most of movement. It was the age of the "Romantic" ballet – passionate, sweeping, expressive – and Diaghilev wanted every little detail to scream that passion from the stage.
But before I go on, I have to share my latest shopping trip, which, my dears, took me to the chicest boutique in Paris! You’ve got to imagine me, a cloud of pink tulle, swishing through the doors. You're right, darling, my trip was on a strict budget (don’t tell anyone but it’s an important performance on Saturday, I have to secure funding for another trip - more on that later!) So I picked up the cutest pair of ballet pumps, perfect for my vintage ballerina look. What colour? Of course it was pink, my favourite shade of all, it was literally a blush, soft like the petals of a rose, gorgeous. My friend, Anna, says I shouldn’t wear my own pink tutu for shopping trips… She thinks it makes me stand out! Imagine! The nerve. Oh well, I suppose if she likes wearing green that’s her business!
Back to the story! Diaghilev commissioned his genius, Coco Chanel, to create a new costume design. Chanel was an absolute darling - she understood femininity in a way no one else did! Can you picture her, a tiny pink flower herself, whipping up a whirlwind of new designs? She said that she "wanted the dancers to move like smoke" - now that’s poetic, wouldn’t you say?
Diaghilev's team were working on a ballet, a bold move called The Rite of Spring, choreographed by the incredible Vaslav Nijinsky, now he was truly a maverick, a modern-day dance revolutionary! Think big leaps, explosive jumps, revolutionary choreography! Nijinsky's moves, they would challenge ballet forever, they demanded new costumes and Chanel delivered, big time!
And the result? Short tutus! Tutus with shorter skirts that didn’t restrict movement! This revolution, dear reader, it took a while to get going but when it did, wow, it changed everything!
Did you know the design Chanel crafted had only one piece of fabric - like a big oval shape? That one single piece created such a dramatic effect, revealing legs in a bold new way. It gave Nijinsky’s moves all the space in the world – and that allowed his dancing to soar to new heights! Can you imagine, a tiny sliver of fabric turning a ballerina into a free-flying, whirling dervish! Think how dramatic it looked, spectacular!
This was, my darlings, a massive shift in ballet history – a moment of sheer freedom of movement! Suddenly, the ballerinas had wings – well, almost! And, with that came a new wave of ballet performances - faster, bolder, full of energy - they embraced all those big leaps and exhilarating steps that were held back before, because of those long, restricting tutus! The whole art form was on the verge of transformation, ready to take off in a whole new way!
The ballet itself? Well, The Rite of Spring had the audience going wild with the wildness, they had never seen dancing quite like this! They were totally mesmerized by the intense movement, bold, fearless, full of passion, oh, my darlings! The power, the expression, it swept them away! That performance on the stage - they didn’t understand the revolution, that's why they booed at first! It was so different from anything they’d seen before. You just had to be there!
Speaking of performances, there’s a lovely little performance happening this very day! Just imagine, darlings, we can see a performance of The Rite of Spring in all its dramatic glory – can you hear the music? That bold and haunting melody taking you back in time. You can practically smell the excitement, the sheer joy of those short tutus on the stage.
For my part, I will be travelling by train, all the way to the Coliseum, you know, that beautiful theatre that shines so brightly under the London sky, I just love the feel of London, you can just breathe that theatre magic in! I'll be right there in the balcony seat, a swirl of pink tutu watching those dancers! I love to see how they make that shorter tutu move and how they have honed it into the most expressive tool in the entire world. It's what a true performer does!
But back to that Coliseum! You might want to dress a little fancy - this theatre really loves it’s theatricality, it’s about flaunting those fab clothes and being a little glamorous. And just think how much fun you can have if you choose to follow the trend – those cute little dropped-waist dresses and all that gorgeous sparkle! That's exactly how I'm planning to dress for the night!
As for the rest of 1927? It’s the time of Diaghilev and Nijinsky in their creative prime – what a powerhouse of artistic energy! A perfect moment to slip on a glamorous gown, watch a performance, and maybe even take a little twirl! Don't forget to look for the newest, most dramatic ballet outfits – that's how the fashionistas are getting their tutu on. It’s just the start of new and * exciting* fashion in the world of ballet.
I, for one, can't wait to see how things evolve, and how it all affects what we love to see on stage, our own dear tutud world. Just think! Maybe that is what gives our amazing costumes such power - those early pioneers paved the way! And don’t forget, darlings, every time we twirl, every time we put on those beautiful garments, we honour their courage and vision!
And that's a wrap for #TutuTuesday this week, dear readers! Stay tuned for next Tuesday's #TutuTuesday, where we'll continue exploring the world of ballet tutus, a journey that's all about celebrating dance, fashion and femininity!
Remember, every day’s a tutu day - what will your twirl be like today?
Keep swirling and shimmering,
Emma
xx
