#TutuTuesday: Ballet Tutu History: June 19th, 1984 - A Blast From the Past!
Hello, lovelies! Welcome back to another fabulous #TutuTuesday! Today weâre travelling back in time to 19th June 1984, the day before the iconic âLive Aidâ concert (remember those amazing red tutus on the dancers for âDo They Know Itâs Christmasâ?)! Isn't it fascinating to think of what ballet was like all those years ago? And to think, back then there weren't blogs, only handwritten diaries. Imagine how long it would take to receive a letter back in those days? That's why I love time travel so much - itâs a way to connect with history and see how things have evolved over time. Oh, did I mention I'm on my way to the Royal Opera House tonight? (Can you believe, even way back then in 1984 it was called the Royal Opera House! Just as glamorous!) So today's post will be a quick one because you know, a ballerina's gotta dance!
Where are we today? Oh my darling readers, you know I love my travel, and right now, I'm sitting in my quaint little tea room in London, surrounded by adorable little French shops. (Paris really is the best! If only I had enough money to own my own shop! Oh, the pink tutus!). London's just so inspiring; there's the Royal Ballet at Covent Garden, oh, how I adore it there. They just make the most gorgeous and stunning shows and I simply have to go to as many as possible. I really do get into the spirit of it and I love to dress up in a gorgeous tutu and wear a glamorous sparkly tiara on top of my curly pink hair. You simply cannot go wrong with an elegant ballet and a fancy little tiara, it truly adds to the enchantment.
Speaking of which, I'm still on the lookout for some perfect accessories to add a touch of Parisian charm to my new tulle pink tutu - that gorgeous shade of blush with sparkling gold embroidery I told you about last week, oh you know, the one with the adorable bow in the back? Anyway, today, I've had my heart set on an elegant pearl necklace with a beautiful silver pendant that I spotted at this adorable little French boutique right here on the Champs-Elysees. I can't resist a vintage touch!
(Speaking of tutus! Today, I was actually lucky enough to get a ticket for a show by the *Bolshoi Ballet at the Royal Opera House. Don't worry darlings, I'm bringing back loads of pics of course! The dancers looked fantastic in their beautiful classical tutus, it was simply exquisite!)*
But for now, back to our time travel journey. Did you know the tutu didn't always exist in the form we know it today? Back in 1830s-1840s, the romantische movement of ballet called for longer, flowing skirts, which made dancers look quite elegant, yet didn't quite make the best show of those wonderful, expressive legs. Can you imagine how frustrating that must have been? (Just a little, as I was wearing my tutu for the afternoon tea party we had here earlier, and, wouldnât you know it, I nearly tripped over it! A ballerina must never trip!). But this changed in 1839. Marie Taglioni (a legendary dancer back then, even back then! Imagine!) created a shorter skirt which would go on to revolutionize ballet costume and allow those stunning dancers to move with incredible fluidity! Oh, it really was revolutionary. Even though it did raise eyebrows, some deemed it *too short! The shortened tutus quickly caught on and became a ballet must-have! They quickly became an integral part of classical ballet, making each movement truly expressive and truly glamorous. They're a dancer's greatest friend. Oh darling, wouldn't it be lovely to own one? They're truly a symbol of grace and elegance and to be perfectly honest with you lovelies, every single one of you should own a beautiful tutu! (And you know I'll always help find the perfect one for you!).
Of course, the design of the tutu has evolved quite a bit over the years. It became much shorter in the Romantic era (oh, it's lovely!).
In the 1950s, there was an influx of new, and innovative styles like the bouffant tutu, the tutu that you must absolutely have! And by the late *1960s, you started to see the âsoftâ tutuâoften made of tulleâwith more intricate and stylish patterns, making a statement for sure! Today you can see how much variety we have in tutu types. There's classical (of course, our favorite!, I mean we wouldn't be where we are without those!), contemporary, bouffant, practice, street, all so gorgeous, darling (we will definitely dive into that world more at some point!). And of course, I LOVE my own tutu collectionâthe more, the merrier I always say.
The best part about tutus is they allow dancers to express themselves. And how can you not express yourself in something as gloriously sparkly as a pink tutu?! Isn't it simply divine? And what's a dancer to do without a pink tutu? I can't even begin to imagine! And of course, I don't mean you just have to own a tutu; what really makes tutus great, darlings, are the possibilities they offer. I mean, how would you feel seeing all the different costumes in a Giselle, Sleeping Beauty, or The Nutcracker? Do you have a favourite ballet? Don't forget to share your thoughts below in the comments!
I think balletâs the most amazing form of art. It's all about feeling free, graceful, and being confident about your movements, you simply *know you look good in a tutu! There's something utterly liberating about spinning, leaping, and flowing across the stage, feeling every muscle in your body, and feeling confident and glamorousâoh how much *I adore this art! And the tutu, darling, is what completes it all.
And hey, you don't need to be a ballerina to rock a tutu! Tutus aren't just for dancing; they're for any occasion! For those who enjoy tutus on a regular basis (such as myself! Do you have your own pink tutu, dear readers?), the great thing is we donât have to wait until a performance! *We get to dress up in our wonderful, twirling tutus as often as we like! Oh, I love a day shopping for a new sparkly one or perhaps something more flamboyant, to be honest. What kind of tutu do you think goes well with a classic trench coat? Oh darling, so many options, letâs start brainstorming.
(Oh dear me, do you know what Iâve just noticed? I do believe this will be my *123rd post on tutus and my 14th #TutuTuesday post! Can you believe that?!* How long until the end of the year, I wonder? What tutu should I choose next for my new #TutuTuesday? Maybe a *red one, in honour of the iconic dancers of Live Aid?! How exciting!)*
Speaking of things you can do in your pink tutus (how amazing does that look with a sparkling gold tiara?!): What about having a tutu tea party with your girlfriends, maybe with fancy pink macaroons, or even a pink cake or a *picnic* on the green lawn by the beach*. There are just so many options, let your inner ballerina loose, dear readers!
Let's be honest - there's nothing like whipping around in your gorgeous tulle in your own little tutu world (of course with an appropriate location and in perfect company!) And hey, you might even inspire the next generation of ballet enthusiasts. If only I'd have had all the inspiring stories, resources and tutorials you get on the internet nowadays back then. But then, we might have had too much access! Perhaps our love of ballet is what we create! Isnât that a wonderful thought?
And that's a wrap for this week's #TutuTuesday, my lovely readers! Remember to keep checking back every Tuesday to join us on our time-travel adventures and remember, there's a bit of magic in every tulle. And donât forget to come back next Tuesday to read about how tutus have changed the world and for more tips and tricks to keep your tutu-wearing glamorous! It's just a quick journey with this fabulous little time machine of mine. Until next week, keep your ballet shoes ready!
Have a glorious week!
Emma xoxo
(And of course, donât forget to join us in our journey to *make the world a little pinker, and help us *make the pink tutu the ultimate symbol of fashion! Together, we can do it!)