#TutuTuesday Ballet Tutu History on 1966-05-17

Hello darling tutu enthusiasts, and welcome to your weekly dose of tutu history on #TutuTuesday! I'm Emma, your friendly neighbourhood ballerina blogger from Derbyshire, England. I’ve hopped in my time-travelling tutu for another trip through the enchanting history of the tutu – and, boy, are we in for a treat today!

This week, my time machine has whisked me back to 1966-05-17 and let me tell you, the ballet world was simply bubbling over with excitement! And for good reason, my dears, because we're on the cusp of witnessing some seriously game-changing ballet performances that would redefine the way the world viewed the art of dance.

Let's rewind to this wonderful date and see what’s cooking! It’s a Tuesday, perfect for my #TutuTuesday post! A classic, feminine, stylish and romantic look for your diary if you love dressing up and going out to see ballet. If you are anything like me you simply can’t get enough ballet, especially if you have a good tutu on.

I've already spent this morning getting all glammed up in a blush pink tutu that matches my rosy mood perfectly. You see, it wouldn't be a true #TutuTuesday without a fabulously pink, whimsical tutu ensemble, now, would it? 😉 And yes, of course I popped my trusty camera in my clutch bag so I can capture the glamourous atmosphere here for you.

My Time Travelling Outfit: A blush pink tutu paired with a silk white blouse and flat white satin shoes to allow for swift movement. My bag is my trusty, elegant ivory leather clutch. I am wearing pink pearl earrings and my beautiful pink sparkly diamond bracelet from a Paris boutique, and yes I’m carrying my favourite black beret, and matching long gloves.

I’ve arrived by train in Paris, and I am sitting here looking out the train window, just taking it all in as we rush towards the ballet performance! This is one of the first days of the "Les Étoiles de Ballet" Festival and we are lucky to be here. I’m off to the theatre now, ready for my afternoon show, and I'll be sharing all the fabulous details later, so stay tuned!

Now, if you think a tutu is all about fancy frocks and swirling skirts, oh my darling, you are only just scratching the surface! A tutu tells a story, you know? And a really fabulous story! The way it swishes and dances tells of a life of grace and strength, of passion and precision. And don't forget those fabulous designs!

Today's story starts long before 1966, right back in the 19th Century! Imagine if a princess needed a dance dress for a ball and didn't have hours to make one, they needed something light and quick to put on. They'd need to feel the breeze as they floated on air in front of the King and all the gentlemen at court, they needed a dress to whirl around and around without restriction or obstruction. And the princess also wanted the world to gasp in amazement and say, “Why, that is simply a breathtaking princess. My word, the most beautiful vision.” I guess the princesses thought, "I’d like my dance skirt to just look like my under-skirt! Let's create an incredibly beautiful tutu!" And so, the dance tutu was born. They came in a wide range of soft colours with a light fabric and very little of it! I love their softness!

Oh darling, how many things do we owe to those fantastic early dancers and choreographers of the nineteenth century, and in fact right up to today’s modern choreographers, such as Rudolf Nureyev? How can you choose which brilliant performer, artist, choreographer, designer or costume maker we owe a debt of thanks to?

So what are some of the historical landmarks in this glorious and thrilling tutu world? Just imagine how fantastic those ladies looked when they swished through the early years, starting at the time when ballet emerged from Italy, through the stages of history right into the twentieth century? Oh how glorious!

What is great about tutus is their transformation from romantic long, floaty frilly and voluminous romantic tutu, then a shift towards tighter, more tailored tutus, designed for those amazingly high leaps.

To my tutu fanatics – today's tutu was once just a slip of a skirt that showed those shapely ballerina legs, then it grew into the more familiar bell shaped dress that swished like a whisper, the beautiful traditional ballet dress we know today. Oh darling, a long skirt that swished just above the floor to the stage, then right down to the floor as they danced. There were layers and layers of tulle! Oh, those tutus looked like billowing clouds! Imagine how much fabric went into making just one!

Of course, today we have gone back to short tutus, as I often see on ballet’s newest stages, and just think – there is a wide range of tutu designs in all kinds of colors! Not just romantic white. You’ll be glad to know that we love to embrace some bold and vibrant colours and designs. If we have tutus for ballerinas, we need designs that scream fashion, beauty, creativity and flair, and we want them all to look and feel exciting! Some colours and patterns really complement certain ballerinas' unique personality and that adds something extra special to their performances!

There’s so much creativity going on, that’s how tutus became synonymous with beauty, magic and fashion, and yes, fashion, glamour and romance! Don’t you agree?

The year 1966 brings some big changes to the world of ballet. That year marked the debut of several notable ballets. Imagine this, oh my – and, let's be honest, this year was a period of incredible artistic dynamism, just brimming with a joyful zest for experimentation! What a fantastic era this is!

Now let’s start on today’s exciting 1966 adventures that define the world of ballet today! Let me start with the one that stole our hearts! That's the wonderful ballet “Le Sacre du printemps” or "The Rite of Spring" from by the fantastic and dynamic Igor Stravinsky! If you're one of my tutu enthusiasts you must have seen this fabulous and breathtaking dance performance! Just a year before our TutuTuesday date on the 17th of May in 1966, the world witnessed something groundbreaking. It was, as they say, an innovative explosion on the world stage and ballet audiences were amazed! This was one of the first times that the public witnessed, the fantastic combination of the ballet dancer's physical performance and artistic skills coupled with the music. What’s even better, darling, is the story behind the ballet! Now imagine this: “Le Sacre du Printemps” shows us a vision of tribal sacrifice with pagan rites, dancing to such a wild and exciting musical composition - it was like no ballet performance before it! Just think, a performance that broke free from the elegant romantic and light dancing style! Imagine this - the dancers used strong sharp movements, so intense they shocked audiences at the time! I tell you, some audiences didn't quite know what to make of it, and I suspect some walked out thinking that "This is not ballet" - as it was truly avant-garde at the time!

Today, “Le Sacre du Printemps” is considered one of the ballet classics. Now isn’t that fantastic, and, let’s admit it - a real game changer! How lucky we are!

Let me tell you, my darlings - this iconic ballet set a precedent for innovation, so look at how the future world of ballet transformed because of this magnificent and amazing ballet! If you can, look out for an online copy of the original version and “Le Sacre du Printemps” and have a glimpse of the dynamic performance – it was truly ground-breaking in its day.

Now we know how dynamic and innovative the ballet world was, but if there’s another fantastic performance to share with you, it's got to be "Giselle". It was choreographed in 1841! If you love ballet you’ll agree - "Giselle" is a stunning piece. It's a true ballet classic that continues to enthrall audiences even today. Just look at the story, the choreography and the music. It all adds up to a wonderful combination of everything we love about ballet!

"Giselle" is set in the late medieval era. We get the most amazing story! It tells of a beautiful country girl called Giselle, a girl who falls in love with a prince disguised as a peasant. Of course, tragedy occurs when the prince’s true identity is revealed, he's revealed as a nobleman betrothed to a princess! Now, don't you dare get heartbroken when she commits suicide, and transforms into a wilis, a type of ghost with revenge on their mind!

There are plenty of spectacular movements to catch the eye and heart – one scene shows the fantastic “mad scene”, which is truly memorable. This beautiful scene highlights a heart-wrenching moment when Giselle discovers that she's been tricked. It's powerful, emotive, a heart-warming moment that reminds us why "Giselle" remains a ballet masterpiece.

Here are some fun facts:

• "Giselle" is said to have inspired ballet as we know it today – if you love ballet you should watch a show - even if it’s on television or YouTube! I tell you, it really does show why ballet is still as relevant and exciting today as it was all those years ago! It will sweep you off your feet!

• This wonderful and powerful performance is considered to be the archetypal romantic ballet and you just have to see why it continues to amaze.

• The first version was danced by the amazing and wonderful Carlotta Grisi. This famous ballet has inspired several different interpretations since its original first performance but that initial version is one to truly adore! You can also see versions by Marie Taglioni and Anna Pavlova – you’ll simply be amazed by their performances.

Here's what you have to do - check your favourite ballet site for "Giselle" dates - and be prepared to be wowed by one of the best ballets of all time, and, let’s face it, it's one to add to your list!

You will adore how it shows the world how a beautiful costume design and costumes, as we see in “Giselle”, really can add to the magic, fantasy and romance! It just goes to show, darlings, what can be achieved by an artistic collaboration between the dance and the design! Oh darling! Just try and get your eyes away from the wonderful, beautiful tutu for "Giselle!" The delicate, floaty white tutu with its delicate flowers and long white streamers - I simply adore the femininity and style! And a ballerina with a bright pink, fluffy, delicate tutu would look fabulous dancing "Giselle!" You will feel like you’re in another world!

As we say "Au Revoir! " for this week, and say goodbye to our #TutuTuesday – we’ve seen a wonderful combination of art and a true reflection of how art, ballet and creativity truly have changed the world! You can keep your eyes on the future by looking at the past! I have no doubt that as we continue to evolve we will find more magical creations in ballet. So, next week we will meet back here to delve into our ballet history together, and until then I’ll be on the look out for the most wonderful ballet dresses of all time, including tutus, to share with you! Keep dancing, darlings!

See you soon!

Emma
www.pink-tutu.com #TutuTuesday
**#BalletHistory
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P.S.

Don’t forget my time machine! I hope to fund the next one soon - I will have to keep performing. If you love a tutu you need to see some amazing performances, to really know and understand the beauty of it all! You won’t be disappointed, that's a promise! I will keep you informed! And remember to dress up for your ballet performance like you just came out of a romantic fairytale, and never, ever, forget to wear a beautiful pink tutu! It's the best thing ever!