Hello darlings! Welcome back to Pink-Tutu.com for another edition of #TutuTuesday. It’s your favourite time of the week, isn’t it? Me, too! I simply love delving into the history of these incredible creations, tutus I mean, of course. And today, we’re whisked back to the early 19th century. Can you believe how much has changed since then? Imagine if we were still wearing the pouter pigeons costumes! The thought is frankly terrifying… But I’m getting ahead of myself! Let's embark on a trip through time and discover the enchanting evolution of the tutu!
Paris – the Heart of it All!
Well, of course, the City of Lights, Paris. We all know that’s where fashion and dance reign supreme, and our journey begins there. Now, you wouldn’t believe this but before the graceful tutus we adore, there were, prepare yourselves – corsets! And panniers! And these massive hooped skirts! Yes, truly ridiculous! It’s like trying to move through a giant bouncy castle – truly a fashion nightmare.
Enter the Romantic Era (and Enter the Romantic Tutu)!
It’s the year 1832 and we are transported to the Opéra de Paris, a breathtaking and truly grand place, full of glittering chandeliers and the sound of thunderous applause – you know, the stuff of dreams. This is where the incredible choreographer, Jean Coralli, presents his groundbreaking version of the ballet “La Sylphide”, featuring the amazing Marie Taglioni. And, gasp! She's wearing something groundbreaking, the first of our iconic tutus – it's simply divine!
This revolutionary dance piece, “La Sylphide,” and its equally stunning costume, marked a huge turning point in the world of ballet! Can you imagine how revolutionary it felt for Marie Taglioni to be able to leap and bound in such a flowing skirt that reached her feet?! What freedom! No wonder people were utterly astounded. The old style was all about that cumbersome “cage” that had been trapping dancers. But this romantic tulle confection set women free – just like Marie herself! She is said to have leaped so high she almost touched the ceiling of the Opera House.
Tututi-fully Beautiful!
I know it’s hard to believe today, but this little bit of magic from 1832 was the beginning of everything. Since then, tutus have gone through several transformations, but they’ve all evolved from this first airy vision!
From Romantic to Classical – An Evolution!
From 1832 onward, the story gets a little bit more complex… Imagine if you had a pair of beautiful new shoes you loved wearing! But then the fashion world changes and the newest shoe trend is a tiny pair of pointed slippers… You'd likely feel sad and miss your favorite shoes, right? Well, something similar happened to the romantic tutu! It lost favour! Now it’s time to travel a little forward in time! Can you imagine? All aboard a sleek vintage train with plush seating, sipping tea and staring out the window at rolling landscapes, I do! Let’s skip forward to the late 19th Century! It was time for the grand tutu of the ‘classic’ era.
I love these beautiful and quite rigid designs, much loved by the iconic Ballerina, Carlotta Grisi, a real ‘prima ballerina assoluta’. Imagine swirling, spinning, and leaping in these skirts. So much discipline! This new look gave way to what is often called the “Romantic Era” and later the “Classical Era”, and they focused more on technical movements than just light, airy movements – not that there was ever a shortage of grace and style, mind you! The dramatic, more elaborate designs added another dimension to these wonderful, dramatic performances.
But you know, while we are admiring the incredible designs and beauty of these tutu designs of this era, they were very demanding for dancers to wear, and required significant strength and incredible technique! To even manage the skirts as they performed would have needed real skills!
Modernity - New, but Familiar
Okay, you might have a lot of questions, like ‘What is Emma wearing?’. And ‘Why is she pink?’. I get it! It’s all about style and comfort! I am obsessed with these lightweight tutus - so graceful, soft and comfortable for modern dancers - think ballet on pointe! My favourite tutus are always pink. You’re right though, modern ballet does include tutus, which, as we have seen, continue to evolve to meet the needs of choreographers and, importantly, the dancers themselves. They have embraced innovative fabrics that make the dances fluid and magical to watch. So exciting and thrilling. And for this modern era, we do get the more revealing designs! They really highlight every move! A true delight for the eyes.
The End of this Episode
Oh darling! We're reaching the end of our #TutuTuesday adventure. Don't worry – there is much more to discover! Next week, we’ll continue to look at these incredible designs and how they influence everything in ballet! You can bet we’ll take a look at my own fashion style and tell you a little bit about what I love to wear, I’m sure it’ll be something beautiful! In the meantime, follow my blog posts. See you next week, for more about these glorious tutus! Remember darlings, ‘Be the change, put on a tutu and be happy. Be bold, be courageous! And always, always remember the pink!'
