Hello lovelies! It's your favourite pink tutu wearing time-travelling blogger, Emma, here, ready to take you on another journey through the magical world of ballet history. 🩰 Today we're whizzing back to 12th April 1949, which, just so happens, to be a rather special day for ballet.
The first thing you should know is that travelling through time in my vintage pink tutu, is just as thrilling as stepping onto the stage! It's like an adventure every time, seeing how fashion, the world, and especially ballet have changed!
Paris, France: Where the magic unfolds!
We've landed in the beautiful city of Paris - the heart of the ballet world, if you ask me. There’s a certain je ne sais quoi about Paris that makes everything just feel a bit more elegant, wouldn’t you say? This afternoon, I'm at the Paris Opera Ballet. Just imagine the beautiful grand architecture, the plush red velvet seats, the chandeliers gleaming overhead… This is truly a special place for ballet lovers. And right now, I’m waiting excitedly for the curtain to rise on La Sylphide.
La Sylphide is the most romantic ballet of them all! 💓 It tells the story of a beautiful Sylph (air spirit) who steals a young man’s heart. He falls deeply in love with her, but she is not from his world… Can their love survive? Let’s just say the final scene is quite dramatic!
Fashion is so much fun!
As for what I'm wearing to see La Sylphide? Naturally, I've pulled out a classic tutu, a sweet little pink number, perfect for catching all the twirls and leaps on stage. You just can’t be a ballet aficionado without the right outfit, you know what I mean? 💖
However, 1949 is the year of the New Look, designed by the French fashion icon, Christian Dior! I think he’s on to something with those beautiful A-line skirts, it gives that ‘perfect lady’ vibe and you can always fit in an extra pastry! 😋.
Oh, speaking of fashion… I have to talk about the fabulous Ballet Russes, they always know how to put on a show! If you don’t already know them, they are a ballet company founded in Russia back in 1909 but by the time I got to Paris this month, they are touring. They came over here in the early 20s and absolutely revolutionized the world of ballet. From the beautiful, opulent costumes to their radical choreography, it is a totally different style of ballet and it is totally fab! They use all the colour and sparkle they can to create a fantastic show – it’s a party to be a part of, not just watch.
From Derbyshire to the stage: Funding my ballet dreams
Before we get back to all the fascinating history of tutus, you’re probably wondering about this whole time-travelling thing! Where does a ballerina-in-training like myself find the cash to make all these amazing journeys? Well, darling, the magic of ballet works wonders. My time-traveling funds are collected entirely through ballet performances and gigs - that's me, your favourite time-traveling blogger, twirling, dancing and giving a little bit of extra flair to your regular shows, and everyone's happy with that. It’s all thanks to the kindness of other dancers and even some generous benefactors - some of my shows are for charities. I even once found myself performing a little tap routine in the 1920s at the London Palladium - absolutely bonkers! What I love is the reaction from the audience when they see a beautiful tutu-wearing ballerina arrive and give them an old fashioned performance; I always see the joy and wonder on their faces - which totally warms my heart and makes it all worth it!
I wouldn’t want to forget the other side of the journey - train travel! It's how I navigate those big trips from Derbyshire back to Paris, and oh my gosh, sometimes the time travel doesn’t quite work perfectly, so you just have to make do. I even found myself riding with a vintage steam train from London to Paris! Talk about old fashioned romance, haha! I found myself admiring the beautiful Victorian compartments of this luxurious, elegant train – I imagine these trips to the Continent would have been just delightful for ladies at the time!
Back to 1949: Tutulands of yore…
Oh my goodness, where were we? Ah yes, back to ballet! It’s now time for a little history lesson about these lovely tutus - what better place to learn than in Paris!
Let’s talk tulle:
Tutulees! Oh how I love a beautiful, twirly tutu! Let me take you through the magic of ballet’s best friend: tulle! Imagine thin layers and layers of sheer silk mesh - oh it’s dreamy! And this was precisely what Marie Taglioni (one of my absolute favourite ballet icons! ✨) chose for her role in the very ballet we're here to see today! You can imagine the magical silhouette created, the light catching each layer - and how incredibly feminine she would look!
Now, in this glorious time of 1949, tutus are just starting to be really popular. There's more experimentation going on - different shapes and colours are appearing on stage, adding extra depth to each performance! It’s exciting! The tutu was designed with a specific goal in mind: to showcase the fluidity and grace of the dancers' movements. They’ve always been known for being incredibly delicate and demanding on those tiny ballerinas and they haven’t changed since those Victorian days… I think they actually get more intricate and more difficult to wear!
In fact, 1949, my dear friends, marks an important step forward in the history of the ballet tutu - a little something called the "Romantic Tutu." I'm going to show you exactly what that looks like with a few snaps. (See image insert with different tutu photos) There we are! They are really getting super soft and floaty at this time!
This new, soft style, was all thanks to the inspiration of the Romantic Period - a period which celebrated beautiful movement and poetry. Think fairies dancing in moonlit glades, with their ethereal forms drifting like the clouds. The tutus have become this romantic, weightless vision and you have to admit, they're certainly something to dream about! Now the dancers, particularly the female dancers, are literally floating about! Just magical!
The designers were looking for new and exciting ways to display the dancers’ talent and flexibility, while allowing them to make the most out of that beautifully graceful arabesque. It was like watching a whole different way of moving – it is like something you can't quite imagine until you see it… it’s really amazing.
This time period sees the ballerina looking ethereal in these longer tutus, with soft billowing tulle – it really changes everything from how they perform to the audience reaction… You just have to watch to truly believe it. And speaking of that…. Let’s talk about my favourite thing about 1949…
Paris Opera: Home of Ballet
I absolutely adore this grand opera house. There's a level of detail in the architectural design and style of each one I have seen across my many journeys. Just gorgeous! It is incredible to watch a ballet here – there's just a feeling of being transported to a place of history, elegance and tradition and I can assure you the feeling is a must try for any tutu enthusiast! There's just this palpable history here, the legacy of so many legendary dancers echoing off the walls. It is quite moving! I always find myself a little breathless watching shows here, whether I’m in the audience, or on the stage myself, it’s so exciting and exhilarating to be part of a place where the art form was developed!
As we come to the end of this blog post, I really hope you loved reading all about the Parisian ballet scene in 1949 - there's a whole lot more to share. Let’s just say… tutus in 1949 are still all about the elegance and softness, it’s certainly a joy for those with a ballet heart. If you have the chance to see a classic like La Sylphide or even an old Ballet Russes performance, take the opportunity and see how they did ballet back in this period - I promise you, it's an unforgettable experience.
Remember, stay classy, stay creative, and wear a pink tutu every chance you get - it never fails to bring a smile to your face! Remember to tune in for next Tuesday's blog to explore another magical journey through ballet history! Oh, and remember to check out www.pink-tutu.com for more time travelling adventures.
Ciao!
Emma, x 💖
