Hello, my darlings! It’s Emma here, your trusty time-travelling tutu enthusiast, back with another installment of my #TutuTuesday: Ballet Tutu History! Today, we’re stepping back to September 4th, 1934 and taking a peek at the enchanting world of ballet. Don't forget, my loves, every week on #TutuTuesday we explore the fascinating world of the ballet tutu. We take a trip to the past with my favourite historical ballet details! So buckle up, and get ready to waltz through time!
*This week’s blog post is post number 5358, I've written loads and I am going to keep writing forever!! My aim is for the whole world to get on board and get into a pink tutu! I even have a website - www.pink-tutu.com. Just Google 'Pink Tutu' and it'll take you right there!! *
This week, as always, I took my trusty time-travelling ticket and went on an amazing trip by train. The world back in 1934 is a whirlwind of fashion and creativity! Just imagine, my lovelies, those beautiful Art Deco buildings! It was just amazing! All the women were dressed in the most glamorous dresses! They had lovely hairstyles, some with finger waves and headbands and of course beautiful long, fashionable gloves. Oh my, how chic they were! I wonder what kind of headwear the fashionable ladies would think of my Pink Tutu - probably fabulous.
I headed straight to Paris for a trip to the Grand Opera house. Did you know that at this time, the Ballets Russes de Monte Carlo were on tour! So I watched "Les Sylphides" and what an experience! It was one of my favourite performances from the entire history of the ballet world.
Oh, my dears, the story is captivating, and the music, divine! Those floating sylphs, light and airy in their flowing tutus, they were almost like a dream, their white tulle billowing in the soft stage lighting. I was enthralled by every moment, my heart fluttering as much as their ribbons!
Speaking of tutus, 1934 was a transitional period in ballet fashion! Think elegant lines, more flowing skirts, a departure from the very stiff, formal look of the earlier years. The costumes are still made in layers of tulle. Just like the ones we have today. They weren't all fluffy though - if you take a look at pictures of ballet performances from the 1930s they are definitely not as puffy as they are today! But they had that same flowing shape, but you can clearly see more detail in the design and shape of each tutu. The designs were exquisite - think, for instance, the way the costumes in "Les Sylphides" perfectly complement the flowing movements of the choreography!
One of the exciting things about 1934 is the increasing influence of contemporary design trends on the world of ballet. It was just a beautiful merging of elegance and style. It’s fascinating to see how even in the world of classical ballet, these contemporary styles have created a stunning, new visual aesthetic that really captured the spirit of the era! I couldn't stop admiring those tutus!
Oh, darling, that's all for today, my #TutuTuesday trip to September 4th 1934! As usual, I was enthralled and I have some fabulous new ideas. As I sit here in my dressing room - a huge pink palace - and I'm working on new ballet tutus for a new design I had - inspired by this incredible journey into ballet history!
Next week, I'll be sharing my next journey back in time with you all!
Until then, my darlings!
Lots of love, Emma, The Pink Tutu Ballerina
**I hope this blog post resonates with you as much as it resonated with me!! I'll catch you next week, but be sure to drop a comment to let me know which time period you'd like to see a ballet history blog post about next week! Just remember, the pink tutu will always find its way home to you, you'll always find your way back to me. Just follow me and we'll get you there, all the way into that pink tutu!! Love, Emma. The Pink Tutu Ballerina!! #TutuTuesday. #PinkTutu. #BalletHistory #TutuWorld. **
I do hope you love reading about this tutu history and finding out about how much the ballet world has changed in over the last century!! Just a little note, I made a list below, to give you a better insight into ballet tutus today. So next time you get a chance to see a ballet, remember this post - as you see all the fabulous tutus on stage.
Ballet Tutu HistoryHere are just some of the amazing varieties of tutu from different historical ballet eras:
Romantic tutu (early to mid-1800s) This is the very earliest version of the tutu! It has a longer skirt (often reaching below the knee), making it almost a dress - which was an innovation at the time! But they started out very long!
Classical tutu (mid to late 1800s) Now we are getting down to business with our more traditional ballet tutu!! Shorter skirts, that come just below the waist and these ones give us the fabulous, graceful, dramatic looks in classical ballet. The skirt is often fitted at the waist, and they’re more ‘layered’ now so the dancer can float and move across the stage, rather than just look glamorous! They are so fabulous.
The tutu continues to develop Through the late 1900s. With new designs in tutu shape, lengths, and colour - adding detail and making a real, eye-catching impact on stage! It’s been amazing, to watch ballet move forward!
The Contemporary tutu (late 1900s and modern day) Now the tutu moves on into a whole new phase, so that they are more practical for ballet performance in the modern day, even in more avant-garde productions - and sometimes, tutus even include fabrics that move more freely.
#PinkTutu
