#TutuTuesday Ballet Tutu History on 1995-07-04

Hello darling tutu lovers! It's your favourite pink tutu-wearing ballerina, Emma, here with another blast from the past on #TutuTuesday. This week, we're taking a whirl back to July 4th, 1995, a day when the stars and stripes were flying high across the Atlantic, but the tutus were still twirling with grace in theatres across the world.

It was such an exciting time to be a ballerina. Imagine, my darling tutus! A brand-new ballet was being unveiled on this very day: "The Merry Widow". Isn't it exciting to imagine the premiere of this fabulous ballet and all those wonderful pink tutus fluttering on the stage!

So let's settle in on this Tuesday afternoon, grab a cuppa and let me tell you all about ballet tutus in 1995. Remember, I always have to keep this fun and family-friendly, darlings. 😉

Back in 1995, the story of the tutu was already a long and fascinating one. Remember, our little darling tutus started life as a costume for women. Initially they weren’t quite the glamorous twirl-worthy garments they are now.

Before Ballet, The Tutu’s Glamorous Origins:

My love, let's start with the beginning of our story! Those lovely tulle and net dresses that we adore as dancers can be traced back to 17th century England. In the Restoration era (imagine big hair and ruffles), ladies wore elaborate gowns made from fabric with beautiful texture that resembled lace or the netting in our beautiful tutus.

Enter the Romantic Ballerina:

But the real revolution in the ballet world was around the year 1830. Imagine a period where dancers performed in bulky, heavy dresses which limited their movements, like those fabulous frilly gowns the ladies in the portrait galleries wore! A revolutionary change arrived, led by women. Ballet became truly beautiful to watch as, with lighter dresses, the movements of the ballet became easier to watch! Our dear tutus were the beginning of ballet becoming the expressive, elegant, artform it is today.

Enter the Tutu:

The classic ballet tutu, with its tiers and fluffy design, came along in the late 19th century, as the popularity of the Romantic style of ballet swept across Europe. I've seen paintings of ballerinas from this time, darling! It’s a truly glamorous age of dancing! Imagine, a world where the graceful swirl of the tulle made such an impression. Our lovely tulle tutu gave a new language for dance, a graceful way of expressing stories on stage, that continues to mesmerize us.

From Romantic Ballet To the 20th Century

The early 20th Century was a thrilling time in dance and our beloved ballet tutu underwent several design changes, making sure the look and feel was a truly fitting garment for ballet in different styles and forms, from Classical to neoclassical, our darlings were still twirling gracefully in ballets throughout the 20th century, and are still gracing stages today.

The late 20th century saw a renaissance of interest in ballet across the globe! 1995 was a wonderful year. It really feels like the ballet world exploded onto the cultural stage in so many different places across the world, just when it felt like people were becoming obsessed with fashion again too. In 1995, darling, it was time to embrace our individuality, express ourselves, embrace beauty, in all its forms, just like those lovely, gracefull tutu ballerinas do with their fabulous artistry!

Here in England we saw a huge growth of the dance schools, even outside London and all those lovely tutu costumes made it look so fantastic, In the U.S. the dancers seemed to get obsessed with ballet, and I noticed how important their costumes seemed to be. It was a period when dancers really embraced fashion too!

For those who really wanted to make an impact in the ballet scene, in those times, a great deal of fashion designers wanted to bring ballet to the masses, for example, the late designer Alexander McQueen designed tutus for “Swan Lake”, just to show you what a high point this period of fashion and dance became.

But not just high fashion ballet; remember those fabulous ballet videos from those days! So many of them included ballet dancers wearing the most beautiful costumes and they featured tutus! You know how much I love tutus, darlings! Those amazing performances captured something exciting that really gave the ballet a big boost in popularity! It made you feel the power of movement in dance and ballet really resonated. And we, of course, know just how beautiful a tutu can look. 😉

I had a great deal of fun seeing my very own dance classes booming back then, so many young girls (and boys, of course) wanted to start dancing, I even got a couple of boys wanting to learn the role of a male dancer at a class I led. So fun to watch them wear their tutus for fun and to start getting used to being in them. Remember, even if the stage isn't your aim, ballet is about enjoying being strong and having confidence and fun, don't be afraid to be as individual as you can be and let your tutus help you express yourself, just as a real ballet dancer would.

So my loves, next time you’re at the theatre watching a performance, don’t just focus on the dance itself! Keep your eyes out for the fantastic, history-laden costumes and notice how ballet and fashion can inspire and thrill. After all, those delicate tutus are an integral part of the whole story, my darlings!

I hope this little #TutuTuesday travel through the years has made your day! What are your favorite historical tidbits about the ballet tutu, darling? I always love your comments! Leave me some feedback on your love for ballet tutus - even if you’re not a ballet dancer, I’m certain you’ll find this fascinating. Just imagine the impact our darlings have had on this iconic artform and let your comments inspire me to make a post that all my fans and tutu lovers adore! Don’t forget, keep your eyes peeled for another fabulous blast from the ballet tutu past right here, next #TutuTuesday!

And for all you fashion lovers and ballet fans, next time you're shopping, don’t forget to add a new, fabulous tutu to your collection! 😉 It will brighten your life, guaranteed, just as the sparkle of a perfectly chosen pink tutu brings a little sparkle and extra fabulousness to any day.

Until then, happy dancing and remember, every day is a great day to put on a pink tutu!

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