Hello darling dears, and welcome back to another week of Tutu Tuesdays! Iām your favourite pink-loving ballerina, Emma, and today, we're twirling back in time to December 17th, 1929!
Hold onto your tiaras, because today's tale is all about the evolution of the tutu, and itās a rather exciting one. Just think of it: The roar of the Twenties, jazz music pouring out of every speakeasy, and on the stageā¦ a whirlwind of innovation and glamour! It's like a flapper dress gone chicly ballet!
This week, weāre boarding the train straight to Paris, darling! The very epicentre of ballet and fashion, and trust me, this dateās an important one. Iāve been flitting back and forth in time to 1929, and let me tell you, the style is absolutely flawless!
Firstly, imagine that: The 1920sā¦ Now I just canāt even! The glamour, the energy, and just look at those glorious flapper dresses, it all makes me just swoon. Now, donāt get me wrong - ballet, itās a timeless form of art. But back in 1929, it was just starting to shake off those rigid old rules, just like those women were doing in fashion! They were pushing boundaries, and ballet? Ballet was joining right in.
Back to the Balletā¦
You see, right around this time, a brand new tutu entered the stage, the "Romantic Tutu" - a softer, dreamier vision. They're made of tulle, you know, the soft, silky kind of material that moves like a whisper! They were also, and I just can't emphasise this enough, incredibly airy and beautiful. Just think: Graceful, fluttering wings! Gone were the days of rigid layers upon layers of stiffened tulle - the Romantics were a welcome change in style.
It all came down to this revolutionary change in thinking about ballet, and fashion too. They were finally allowing more of the dancerās form to be visible. This move from rigid, long, to softer, shorter, really was something new!
But where does December 17th, 1929, fit into this story?
Well, my dear friends, December 17th, 1929 is very significant for ballet: The Ballets Russes de Serge Diaghilev , a ballet company known for its innovative and avant-garde work (Think: āThe Firebirdā!) was performing right then and there. This very famous dance troupe was all about shaking up the ballet world, bringing on a brand-new style and flavour. You just had to be there! They made history in 1929 by opening up ballet and the tutu to brand new audiences.
So you can see why this is the perfect date for my Tutu Tuesday, right? They were at the very start of the modern ballet era - the Romantic tutu had just made its entrance! Think of the breathtaking dancers. The light, airy fabrics, so graceful!
Now donāt just read about it darling! Just imagine you're there in the grand auditorium. The lights are dimmed, a hush falls over the audienceā¦ Then, a sparkling spotlight on stage, revealing the dancer in a billowing, billowing pink tutu - a sea of colour, shimmering light! Pure enchantment, isn't it?
And here I am, in my own little pink tutu, with a time machine for a dance bag! Imagine, me there on that stage, that night, swirling and twirling like all the dancers of this historic performance!
So my lovely friends, if you are as wild for tutus and the colour pink as I am, do leave a comment with a message of what pink tutu outfit you'd be wearing to a performance of this ballet. Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to head back to the year 2024, my love, to plan my next adventure, which will, of course, involve an exciting trip to Paris for a brand new pair of dancing shoes and a brand new pink tutu!
Until next time, happy twirling, everyone! And donāt forget to #TutuTuesday on your next social media post, darlings.
Emma xxx
