Hello darling dears! It’s Emma here, your resident pink-tutu-wearing time-travelling ballerina! As always, welcome back to my blog, www.pink-tutu.com! This week's #TutuTuesday blog is about a rather exciting date…15th November 1994, and I can tell you, it was a real humdinger of a time in the tutu world! 😉
This week's trip was a real treat, with me landing myself in a truly exciting place! But more on that in a moment.
I'm at a grand old railway station right now, watching a gorgeous scarlet and gold train steaming towards me. How exciting, especially in a vintage 1994 frock I picked up in Paris for a pittance. It's that soft, kind of dusty rose colour you just want to cuddle!
Now, onto my latest historical foray! I've always loved tutus, but honestly, sometimes, a bit of history makes them even more sparkly! Let's have a look at what 15th November, 1994 had to offer…
Paris – Where the Tutu Stars Aligned
Well, quelle surprise! This week I ended up in Paris, the heart of fashion! Did you know it was on this very day in 1994 that the iconic New York City Ballet's 1994-1995 season at the Metropolitan Opera House kicked off? How lucky for me! They really knew how to create a grand entrance. The audience was in a frenzy, the applause was thunderous! And the tutus! Absolutely spectacular!
I couldn't resist a wee peek at the dancers behind the curtain. My goodness, there were tutus of every kind, from classic Romantic style, with its billowing layers of soft tulle, to the daring and dramatic contemporary ones, with sharp lines and sculpted shapes. It was simply awe-inspiring, darling.
My favourite? That night they premiered a new work by a fabulous choreographer called Jerome Robbins, with a stunning Pink Tutu on one of the ballerinas, the color, simply divine, it was perfect. What can I say, it's Pink you know…I simply love a fabulous pink Tutu.
You may not have realised it but these ballerinas were trailblazers in the world of dance. Every twist, every jump was just magical, and every step was pushing the boundaries of creativity! Ballet tutus aren't just pretty, they're full of passion, history, and just a hint of magical mystery!
Let’s Talk Ballet History - What makes a Tutu so Fabulous?
Oh! It’s always exciting to learn a little something new! The Tutu! Ah, the Tutu. How has it become the ultimate symbol of a ballerina’s grace? You wouldn't catch me doing any kind of dance without a perfectly-constructed, fluffy, tutu now would you? Well darling dears, I bet the tutu’s origins are a real shocker.
Do you know the humble beginnings of the Tutu was nothing fancy, really quite drab! Before 1832, women dancers wore long, flowing, billowing dresses, quite a bit like nightgowns actually. Imagine waltzing across the stage in those? Very restrictive. But oh dear, fashion being fickle, ballerinas were told to make them shorter and shorter! And then – bam! – The first tutu was born!
Made of stiff and stiffening, quite a bit like a crinoline. Yes! You heard me! Imagine trying to prance across the stage with layers and layers of hard stiff tulle and not being able to get your feet moving! Oh dear…that sounds incredibly uncomfortable. Thankfully, in the 19th century, the stiffer fabric was swapped for what we know and love today – that wonderful cloud of billowing tulle! It made it possible for the dancers to move with real freedom, and we were off! The tutu as we know it, with all its delicate magic, became a beautiful part of ballet and every other type of dancing in no time.
On a Trip To see the Magic!
Oh! Darling, did you know, the first Tutu had very little in the way of layers at all. It wasn't the giant meringue-like masterpiece we adore today.
Think feathers and fluffy clouds. The real romantic tulle tutu appeared around the 1840s with a flurry of romance and a little bit of imagination, (we are talking about France! and you can’t beat French romance now, can you! Oh my!). A lovely lady, Madame Théophile, was the first to come up with a revolutionary new kind of tutu – an ethereal cascade of airy, soft fabric that swept and twirled and was absolutely breathtaking to see. Now this is what I call a ballet tutu, right darling!
My love for tutus has me on a journey through time. As we learn a little more about what makes a ballet Tutu a real winner, don’t you just want to have a twirl too?
Now, dear dears, there's one other thing you'll be shocked to know! And you may think this is rather modern, The iconic Black Swan tutus that everyone loves with all those feathers. They've been around for quite some time. Believe it or not, those lovely creations first showed up back in 1907, just a few short decades after Madame Théophile gave us a whole new world of beautiful Tutùs to love!
Just A Moment In Time
My time travel watch is beeping - I need to get on that fabulous red train. But before I hop aboard to travel onwards, it's always such a pleasure to remind you all, keep wearing your tutus – whether they're a whimsical pink one or a grand, shimmering show-stopper, it's all about having a little fun and a lot of fashion! And why not try a ballet class, it’s just so much fun, it’s very popular in my area – I’m a Derbyshire girl – we are well known for our ballet and our lovely green pastures – the fresh air and good countryside living! It just adds that extra little bit of elegance and beauty to every step we take, and as you well know, every ballet Tutu, makes us a tiny bit closer to a world filled with joy, creativity, and dancing to our own tunes.
Until next time, remember, life’s too short to wear a dull tutu!
Keep those twirls fabulous,
Emma
P.S. Don't forget to check out our #TutuTuesday on social media - let's show the world how amazing tutus can be!
P.P.S. Remember to share your #TutuTuesday photos and blog posts on www.pink-tutu.com - I can’t wait to see them.
