#TutuTuesday Ballet Tutu History on 2000-09-26

Hello, lovelies! It's your favourite pink tutu-wearing ballerina, Emma, here! It's another Tuesday which means it's time for our weekly journey into the fascinating world of ballet tutus. Today, we're hopping on the time-traveling train to the 26th of September, 2000!

Oh, the excitement! Today, a ballet performance I'm attending in London is already generating lots of buzz. It's a special anniversary performance for The Royal Ballet! It's not a usual show - they are doing Cinderella, which everyone in my dance circle seems to be excited about! Apparently it's a brand-new version of this classic fairytale! This must be so exciting! I've seen the traditional productions - I wonder if it will be entirely modern with the choreography? Or will they keep some elements that make Cinderella such a magical, beloved classic? And, I heard it features new, innovative costumes! Oh my gosh, can't wait to see how they've designed the dresses. I am sure the new tutus are going to be spectacular! I'm absolutely thrilled and will make sure you lovely lot know all about the costumes - after my afternoon trip to Harrods...because no day out in London would be complete without shopping for ballet accessories, would it?

So, let's turn the time machine back a little bit, shall we? And travel to a time before 2000, to discover a bit of ballet tutu history and where our beautiful tutus have come from! You wouldn't believe how much history there is!

Did you know that tutus weren't originally the fluffy pink masterpieces that we see in Swan Lake and The Nutcracker? It all started with what they called a 'jupe-culotte'. The name sounds much more French than 'bloomer' but actually, it is similar! Think knee-length skirt with drawers underneath - a real bloomers ensemble with more fullness and fabric. It looked a bit like the outfit worn in Giselle!

Now imagine this: this style didn’t start out on stage! No, these skirts were just normal fashion for the 1800s - just plain long skirted outfits that everyone was wearing. But, ballet is a dynamic art, always moving, and these long, full skirts were too cumbersome for the intricate footwork. So, they started shortening them and adapting the design, to allow more movement and ease of execution for those stunning dance moves.

In came the tutu, the 'true ballerina' dress! We're talking late 1800s now, and these became shortened versions of those long, romantic dresses, that flowed into those shorter, practical garments that the dancers could twirl in! But still with that full look. *The Romantic ballet style, in the 1840s and 50s even made them bigger and longer. It was very grand and full of sweeping romantic movement, like huge panniers! Think *La Sylphide and Giselle!

Can you imagine having to fit all that fabric on your little legs?!

I think they must have been so sweaty!

And the style started changing again in the 1800s to the late 1800s / early 1900s. They got tighter, shorter, more streamlined. They had that big shape of the tutu at the bottom (we'll talk more about this next week because it's an entirely new post on its own!) and they were fitted and a bit more revealing! Think of all those beautiful swan lake costumes. The style really started becoming more suited to the dances they were being worn in.

I bet that those dancers couldn't have been more relieved about those shorter skirts - it must have been an entirely new world for ballet and the way they were doing those movements. Those moves and techniques are so demanding - you have to have so much strength and stamina, and even today's dancers find the demands tough. We are truly lucky to have this amazing artform and such beautiful costumes!

But back to 2000 - oh how I love my time travel journey! I always find inspiration in history because even the things we think of as totally modern often have an amazing historical past! This has given me so many thoughts - about the next tutu I need to buy for my next London shopping trip. I wonder how the Cinderella tutus in this new production will look?

I think I must buy a pink tutu!

Perhaps even with layers of fluffy tulle for that real romantic, full-blown* Cinderella feel? *This will really inspire my dance practice for my upcoming class. *Just as that full look inspires every dancer to perform their best in their big costumes. *I think it's time to practice the grand jete... maybe I can even do a double pirouette. After all, the tutus we wear today are inspired by such a *long, beautiful history, and those amazing, inspirational designs that really give our dances meaning and character!

I hope you enjoyed my #TutuTuesday trip with me today.

See you next Tuesday, darlings!

**Keep it classy and stay fashionable.

And never forget your pink tutu!