Hello, my fellow tutu enthusiasts! Welcome back to Pink-Tutu.com, your one-stop shop for all things tutu-licious! It's a gorgeous Tuesday, which means it's time to travel back in time with me for our weekly delve into the fabulous history of the ballet tutu!
As always, I'm wearing my favourite, fluffy pink tutu – it’s the perfect shade, you know, the kind of pink that whispers "whimsical dreams" and "enchanting ballet moves". Speaking of enchanting, I'm currently enjoying the enchanting city of Paris, where I recently took in a divine performance at the Palais Garnier Opera House. You know me, I just can’t resist a good ballet show, especially in the city of light!
And since it's January 21st, 2003, you can bet there was a lovely display of tutu-tastic brilliance on stage. I do love to take inspiration from those classic tutus, don’t you?
This week, we're taking a trip back to the early days of ballet - imagine a time before tutus, where dancers simply wore elaborate, restrictive gowns! Can you even imagine, my dears?! I can’t even fathom such a sartorial tragedy! Thank heavens, the visionary choreographer Marius Petipa came along in the 19th century with his ideas for how a ballerina should look. Now, this man knew his ballet history and the importance of allowing the graceful female form to truly shine on stage.
But let's rewind a little. The year is 1832, and Italian dancer Marie Taglioni is about to completely redefine what a ballerina’s dress looked like on stage! In an ingenious stroke of artistic genius, Marie paired her performance in La Sylphide with a white, lightweight, ankle-length skirt. Oh my! It was a revolution, darlings! Forget restrictive gowns, now it was all about floating, light, and movement, and Marie became an instant sensation!
Petipa took inspiration from this and, for La Bayadère, he designed the costume that became the classic Romantic tutu we all know and love today – the "Romantic" tutu with layers of tulle. This type of tutu featured shorter layers with multiple layers, a delicate silhouette and gave even greater emphasis on the feminine shape and beauty of movement, a vision that made Petipa and his ballerinas utterly, deliciously famous!
Imagine the thrill, dear friends, of dancing in such a stunning garment, with every step showing your graceful moves! Just like our #TutuTuesday today! Isn't history just wonderful!
And for my fellow tutufarians out there who like a bit of history with their #TutuTuesday – a fun fact about 19th-century tutu-mania: Marie Taglioni's original "Sylphide" tutu was actually made from a revolutionary new material! Can you guess what it was? drumroll… Cotton muslin! Imagine the whispers, “Did you see, a ballerina dancing in COTTON? How scandalous!”.
But my dears, scandal became beautiful tradition. The short, romantic, multiple-layered tulle tutu was soon the standard in ballet, a symbol of grace and femininity on the stage.
Now, today I found the most gorgeous pink tulle skirt. I had to snag it! But let’s be honest, the true art is not just the design of the skirt, it's the magical combination of colour and texture. So tell me, my darlings, what are your favourite tutus for today’s performance?
Remember to check out my #TutuTuesday posts and let me know what you’re loving! See you all on this same day next week. Have a delightful day, lovelies, and make sure to make every step you take, tutu-tastic! Until then, happy tutuing!
Emma xxx
Pink Tutu Emma's Itinerary:
Now, since I’m just in Paris today, I decided to do a bit of Parisian shopping before seeing my Ballet Show at Palais Garnier. For lunch today, it had to be a proper French experience, so “Au Bouillon Chartier” was my destination. It's absolutely delightful – full of Parisian character, history and fantastic food!
Afterwards, I meandered through “Le Marais” and got my shopping fix for pink tutu materials – I can’t resist the fabric stalls – especially when it comes to all things pink tulle and chiffon!
And for dinner, well it’s all about French onion soup for me, a delightful soup I can only find properly made in this city. This was followed by some of the most perfect crepes in all of Paris!
I do love Parisian culture and the joie de vivre, don’t you?! Especially since there's nothing better than stepping out in a Parisian Parisian afternoon in my favourite pink tutu! And since I'm on a budget as always, it makes it even better that travel by train is the most wonderful way to get about and makes so much sense - no taxis needed! Just don't forget that in between it all I have to prepare for tomorrow's Don Quixote performance by the Bolshoi.
Well my lovely fellow tutufarians – till next week – see you at Pink-Tutu.com! And do tell me about what you are all wearing today. I want to hear about all your fun, creative tutu ideas. What are you wearing?
