Welcome back to Pink Tutu, lovelies! It's your favourite Derbyshire gal, Emma, here with another installment of my beloved #TutuTuesday. This week, we're taking a time-travelling trip back to March 24th, 1931! Can you believe it? Almost a century ago! Now, before we delve into the world of tutus back then, let's get a little bit of gossip on what's happening in 1931:
The world was buzzing with news about Amelia Earhart's transatlantic solo flight. Fancy that, eh? The daring lady made history. In London, the music halls were alive with the sweet sounds of a new melody by Irving Berlin called "Let's Face the Music and Dance". Such a tune! And I hear whispers of a fabulous new invention in the United States called a "Frozen Food" machine. Just imagine! Can you picture me grabbing a little frozen treat after a hard day at ballet class? The mind boggles, darling! 🤯
Speaking of dancing, that leads us to our #TutuTuesday journey through ballet history. Oh, how I adore these wondrous creations! It seems like such a simple garment, yet it carries such grace and history! So let's rewind the clock, darlings, to March 24th, 1931. Where would you imagine tutus were at that time? Let's put on our thinking caps!
We know that in the early days of ballet, the ladies were clad in rather restrictive, billowing gowns and very little in the way of a tutu. Oh my, imagine having to dance with such heavy fabric! My little pink toes wouldn't last five minutes! 😉 But in the late 19th century, a fashion change blew through the ballet world: The Romantic Ballet Era!
Oh, darling! What a whirlwind of dreamy beauty and feminine expression it was! Tutus started to take on their modern shape, with wispy tulle, shorter hemlines, and elegant lines. Think of the glorious images we have from Degas and other great artists. Can't you picture delicate fairies fluttering across the stage in clouds of tulle? 🥰
Now, by 1931, the Classical Tutu was starting to make its debut. Classical Ballet was blooming in full glorious flower, thanks to masters like Marius Petipa and Tchaikovsky. This period brought the tutus we associate with ballerinas today, those short, fluffy creations that emphasize the ballerina's athleticism and grace.
However, if you were a ballet dancer in 1931, you wouldn't just be confined to the classical tutus, no dear, not at all! The Romantic Ballet influence was still strong! 🩰 There were still Romantica Tutus, which, while still emphasizing the lightness and grace of the ballerina, weren't as short as the classical variety. They swirled around the stage like dreamy wisps of tulle. Oh, it would have been a treat to witness the ballerinas on stage in those romantic garments! 😍
Remember, this era was also seeing some remarkable ballet companies around the globe. In Russia, the Bolshoi Ballet and Kirov Ballet were bursting with incredible talent. They were known for their classical artistry. But also in London, France, Italy and Denmark ballet companies were flourishing. There was so much going on in the world of ballet back then! I think the most exciting aspect was the blending of the Romantic style with the growing demand for Classical ballet. You know, darling, there was so much beautiful experimentation going on, both on and off stage. Fashion was becoming ever so more important. 👗
Remember, we're not talking just about dance in ballet but in the burgeoning new musical and stage shows, too. Oh! Can you imagine going to a theatre in London in 1931 and being dazzled by beautiful, flowing tutus? Or dancing to an orchestral show? It must have been extraordinary, a beautiful escape!
But back to 1931... It wasn't just about classical and romantic tutu designs, darling! They had the amazing invention of “the T-strap"! Yes, lovelies! We are talking about ballet shoes here! Oh, how this strap revolutionized the ballerina's footwear. Think about it, darlings! This little strap allowed for increased control and security! Imagine what this meant for their dancing. They could go higher, lighter, more elegantly with less worry about the shoes coming off! It was like an extension of the ballet, a beautiful symphony of innovation! 🎉
So there you have it, lovelies! Another installment of my beloved #TutuTuesday. We've taken a grand voyage to 1931 and gotten a glimpse into the world of ballet tutus.
Remember, darlings, fashion, like history, is cyclical. What was fashionable decades ago often returns with a twist and a new name. And the beauty of fashion and dance, dear friends, is that it never stops evolving!
Don't forget to visit www.pink-tutu.com and follow me on all my social media channels!
I look forward to sharing more Tutu Tales with you all next week! 😘
Love,
Emma 💕
Post number 5178
