Hello my lovely Tutu Twirlers! Welcome back to another fabulous edition of my #TutuTuesday blog. Today, we're twirling our way back in time to 1st January 1935. Itâs an exciting day to talk about tutus, as itâs a big anniversary! Letâs put on our sparkly slippers, pack our pink tutus and jump on a steam train for a whirl through time. (Just like my favourite, The Flying Scotsman - such a romantic name! Can you imagine going through the English countryside on a long journey just for a performance?)
But before we step into the glittering world of 1935, remember you can always find me over at www.pink-tutu.com each Tuesday for all the latest tutu-tastic updates. It's been a busy week for me, my darlings! You see, I had to squeeze in another amazing ballet performance for funding my time travels, and I went to an absolutely delightful vintage shop in Covent Garden on Saturday. Found a glorious beaded dress with sequins â it'll be perfect for my next #TutuTuesday look!
Today's post is actually extra special, my darlings! You see, January 1st marks the anniversary of a rather pivotal moment in the history of tutus.
It was precisely one hundred years before - back in 1935! - that a truly iconic tutu made its grand debut in âLa Sylphideâ. This special tutu, created by Carl von Weber in 1832 in Paris for his ballet âLa Sylphideâ, revolutionised how dancers looked onstage. Think delicate, wispy, gauze, like spun silk and ethereal beauty â the epitome of elegance and grace!
This exquisite creation wasnât just a piece of clothing, darlings, it was a statement! Imagine: the light catching its shimmering layers as the ballerina moved with the elegance of a bird! This tutu, with its Romantic styling, broke all the traditional rigidness of ballet costume designs and ushered in a whole new era.
From then on, tutus became a symbol of not just ballet itself but femininity, grace, and the ultimate expression of a dancer's skill. Theyâve continued to inspire artists and designers across the globe and, frankly, that makes me giddy! Can you imagine how thrilling it would be to wear such a special, timeless costume? I'd look so divine twirling on stage!
Oh, did I mention? It's also the anniversary of *âLe Lac des Cygnesâ *by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky! You see, it's a rather significant year, full of tutus, grace and absolutely phenomenal ballet music, even if I say so myself!
We simply canât talk about this incredible era without mentioning Anna Pavlova, a dancer who was practically a legend! With her ethereal movements and pure talent, she wore those beautiful Romantic-era tutus with such perfection, giving the public their first real glimpse of the artistry and sheer artistry that the "la danse" is all about.
Do you know how excited I was to see a revival of âLa Sylphideâ in London, performed by the Royal Ballet back in 2014? The moment that magical gauze tutu billowed out as the dancer leapt, I was mesmerised! The beauty of those delicate, Romantic, graceful costumes from the era just blows me away, donât you think?
This whole era â from the introduction of âLa Sylphideâ to the emergence of Anna Pavlova, with the incredible *âLe Lac des Cygnesâ *and so many other captivating ballets - has shaped ballet costume design, not only for dancers like myself, but for countless generations! Just imagine how fantastic that feels. Weâre part of a wonderful tradition, and itâs such a glorious history that Iâm happy to be part of.
But what else happened in the year 1935 you ask? Well, in addition to all those wonderful dance performances and beautiful tutus, the world saw some exciting innovations:
- *The very first, âSupermarketâ â Kroger in America, wow! * (imagine all the goodies in pink you could find there!)
- The âMidas Touchâ, The famous Disney animation short â the one with the very naughty donkey, if you can believe it!
- In 1935, Amelia Earhart - yes that woman - flew solo across the Pacific Ocean. Incredible! (Can you imagine trying that in a pink tutu? Perhaps notâŚ)
For now, I must say farewell, but please let me know what your thoughts are about my #TutuTuesday blog! * I would love to hear all about it! Please share your own ballerina inspirations, tutu adventures and other exciting fashion moments on *www.pink-tutu.com - just click on the link to share and donât forget to tag your posts #TutuTuesday! See you next Tuesday, darling! Until then, I hope youâre all out there twirling and wearing lots of pink!
With love,
Emma
