Bonjour, mes amies! It's Emma here, your pink tutu-clad time traveler, bringing you another installment of your favourite weekly history dive! Iāve been spending time back in 1947, and honestly, Iām just bowled over by the changes fashion has gone through.
You know me, I canāt resist a little vintage shopping when Iām off on my jaunts through the years! And this trip was particularly exciting. I mean, we all know tutus are a staple in the ballet world, but thereās a little story about where it all began that is worth knowing.
The year is 1947, September 30th to be precise, and Iām here in New York City ā the beating heart of fashion. And speaking of beating hearts, I just had to visit the Metropolitan Opera, itās truly iconic. While they haven't embraced the pink tutu craze as fully as I would like (yet!), they're making their own statement with the debut of The Magic Flute. This enchanting opera has everyone talking! I saw it in all its glory, and the costumesā¦ chefs kiss simply beautiful. They even had an elaborate pas de deux, with beautiful billowing white costumes. Almost a tutu if you ask me, but oh dear, a little less pink than I would prefer!
While the Metropolitan Opera isn't known for tutus as such (those can wait until my future pink tutu revolution, ha!), let me tell you, the evolution of the tutu is actually tied to the opera house! You might be thinking, what?! That's not how I learned it. But hold onto your ballet shoes, darling, this is a journey through history!
See, the classic romantic tutu that we associate with Swan Lake, the one with layers and layers of tulle and flowing shapes, it came much earlier in the 19th century. I'm talking Maria Taglioni in La Sylphide and her revolutionary wispy skirt.
That skirt? It actually took its inspiration from the ballerinasā outfits from the earlier āpantomimeā style of ballet that was incredibly popular throughout the 1800s! The iconic pancake-flat tutu, known as the tutu Ć la franƧaise, didnāt even make its first appearance on stage until the 1870s!
Think about it, darling. Those beautiful and powerful operatic sopranos and dramatic divas, they really knew how to create a spectacle. They were inspiring a revolution, one elaborate costume at a time! Itās all a tale of elegant evolution! And my dears, when we talk evolution, weāre talking evolution in dancing too.
Just think, Marie Taglioniās revolutionary, revolutionary, revolutionary (I canāt say it enough!), dance moves, the effortless leaps, the delicate and beautiful expressions she portrayed through dance? These were a true reflection of a woman who was not bound by her garments but set free to express herself and create beautiful, heart-stopping beauty, through motion and passion.
And you know what? That revolution is alive and kicking in ballet today. Dancers today are using that revolutionary freeing up that those 19th-century ballerinas were fighting for. Their movement, their athleticism, their expressions, all flow through that magical, delicate, airy tutu!
However, what is happening here in New York is different ā exciting, but different. Itās a different type of re-imagination of dance! Here we have modern ballet. This was where Martha Graham, a dancer known for her emotionally charged, ground-breaking choreography, was already a celebrated force. This was an era that wanted to move past the traditions of the past.
You see, it's all about how much freedom you're willing to have in a piece of clothing! Think about a ballet tutu, you can spin around freely, you can leap effortlessly. You're flying with your freedom, darling! The 19th century embraced a flowing style that set women free. And those gorgeous pancake-flat, Ć la franƧaise tutus, that were the ultimate in expression. Thatās the tutu we see so much of today in The Nutcracker!
Even with modern danceās different approach to movement and expression, even without a traditional tutu, the freedom of movement, the ability to portray stories with one's body ā that remains as powerful and magical as ever.
So as I sip my afternoon tea in the heart of Manhattan and enjoy my time in 1947, I can't help but wonderā¦ what's next for the tutu? Will we be seeing a revival of the romantic tutu, or something bolder, a more contemporary interpretation, maybe even incorporating a touch of pink! Who knows what surprises the future holds for us?
Well, I for one, am thrilled about it.
I must be off, my train back to the future is waiting for me! Stay pink, darling! Keep moving forward with passion, energy, and, yes, even tutus!
Stay tuned for more of my Tutu Tuesday tales on www.pink-tutu.com, Iāll be here to catch you up on all things fashionable and fun, every Tuesday.
Yours in pink tulle,
Emma
