Bonjour from Paris!
This #TutuTuesday Iâve arrived in the City of Lights, or shall I say the City of Light Pink? Because letâs face it, every fashion-forward girl knows a fabulous pink tutu is the perfect way to brighten up any city! đ I'm practically vibrating with excitement because today's a big day! I'm going to see Le Sacre du Printemps by Igor Stravinsky. It's a classic, darlings! Can you believe it's been 50 years since it premiered? Time flies when you're having fun!
You know how I love to explore fashion history. So naturally, I've been digging through all the archives I could find about 1965 and tutus. And I've stumbled upon something fascinating, my loves: the rise of the âDemi-Pointeâ Tutu!
Let's take a trip down memory lane, shall we?
A History of Tutudom (in a Tutu!)Firstly, if you havenât got your pink tutu on, what are you waiting for? This blog is all about tutus so let's get into a little history on these dance fashion legends. As we all know, the tutu has had a bit of an evolution â a metamorphosis, you could say, a story written on tulle. Itâs had quite the makeover over the years and has been one of fashionâs most fabulous forms. Think Marie Taglioni and the Romantic era! Imagine her iconic performance in La Sylphide, those delicate wispy layers and fluttering tulle that took her literally âflyingâ. Such ethereal grace!
Before Marie Taglioni and the era of romance in ballet (the era where women dancers went barefoot!) the idea of the tutu would have been completely unknown, dancers in that era wore the 'classic' Romantic Period tutu (which isnât that dissimilar to today's version), or full length âlongâ skirts. There wasnât really any âstyleâ at all, so thank heavens Marie Taglioni decided to shake things up a bit! (That's our inspiration right there! Do we dare challenge a 'fashion law'? Letâs all shake up some fashion history ourselves and get those pink tutus on!)
It was a bit later that Marius Petipa and other choreographers decided to try the "Demi-Pointeâ look! Thatâs the one that's mid-calf and doesn't touch the floor, which allowed dancers like Anna Pavlova, and Tamara Karsavina to create real "flight" onstage. This version of the tutu brought a new athletic and visual effect into ballet that is still favoured to this day. In essence, that little bit of additional fabric creates so much impact, it literally gave the impression of âfloating.â
These days the âDemi-Pointeâ tutu still stands strong, it is what you will most often see being worn on stage. But have no fear, my loves! There are so many other types of tutus.
Tutudom and The "Tutu Explosion"To celebrate the "Demi-Pointeâ I wanted to show you the most elegant "Demi-Pointe" Tutus in action and as you know my favourite dancers, the ballerinas, are the true muses of the Tutu.
The tutu has gone through a âfashion metamorphosisâ - Let's dive into the styles we adore ( and how the 1960's started that new 'ballet fashion movement'! ):
The Romantic tutu ( the kind Marie Taglioni made famous! : Think ethereal and billowing tulle, cascading in graceful waves around the legs. It evokes a sense of magic and delicacy - all *Pink! * ( and we all know that a pink tutu just screams 'magic' right?) It is usually made from many layers of tulle. A perfect choice for dream-like ballets, such as Giselle and Swan Lake ( you know, the classic swanâs dress! )
**The 'Demi-Pointe' (The 'new' and improved Tutu)** This classic style allows for freedom of movement and elegance. It hits mid-calf - so it's not floor-length like the Romantics! The structure and length is also ideal for showcasing those impressive ballet turns and jumps. And yes you guessed it! In Pink - absolutely iconic, it's practically in every Ballet!
The ** 'Plat-Form' Tutu ( The modern and avant-garde tutu)! : Think the Tutu reimagined, with bold lines and a focus on symmetry. It's all about sharp angles and dramatic flourishes â the 'Demi-Pointe' given a fashion upgrade! It's definitely more theatrical, often a statement in movement, design, colour and often incorporates bold new materials â such as a more âmodernâ fabrics. (Think leather, or a whole tutu covered in sequins...I donât want to give any ideas to some of my fellow tutu fanatics and their creative ideas... đ )
This is how my tutus travelled through time - itâs all about the âjourneyâ, you might have started with a basic âDemi-Pointe' Tutu like those from the 1960âs then maybe wanted a "Plat-Formâ one for that modern dance class! Iâve travelled through time, not just for the tutus! Although, they are the core reason why! To see and learn from the greats!
I do love tutus ( and I do wear all kinds), but itâs not just the tulle that I love it's the entire world of ballet that inspires me! Itâs what keeps me traveling, dancing and dreaming! The world of ballet is as grand as a perfectly pleated âDemi-Pointe' Tutu and I'm only getting started exploring its glorious history!
Donât forget! Join me on Instagram: @EmmaTutuQueen, you can also follow my ballet and tutu related blogs, stories, posts and adventures every week. The link is on the website ( www.pink-tutu.com), that's where I put all the fun things. My blog is where you will find all my Tutu and Fashion discoveries for your âeveryday balletâ, it is so much fun, ( we will discuss my journey next week! It is pretty special and I cannot wait to share more.) You can follow me on www.pink-tutu.com.
So now, off to Paris for the performance! I hope I get to wear a pink âDemi-Pointe' tutu as my dress today ( with some very smart matching heels!). If not, you know, Iâm not afraid to break some rules â even fashion rules, ( even though I've been told tutus are not meant for the everyday street) who made those rules? Oh, I guess those were âfashion rulesâ made up in the 1960s! So whoâs to say I wonât break those. ;)
*Keep twirling and remember â there's a pink tutu out there for everyone! *
Until next Tuesday my lovelies! Emma XOXO đđ¸đŠ°
This blog post was inspired by the beautiful world of Ballet and is a fictional representation of the history of the ballet tutu and a fictional ballerina character.
