#TutuTuesday Ballet Tutu History on 2008-10-07

Hello my darling dears, and welcome to another delightful installment of #TutuTuesday! Today, I'm feeling positively whimsical. In fact, it's more than whimsical, it's positively pink-tastic because I've just returned from a gloriously nostalgic journey! My latest trip via the swirling time vortex whisked me all the way back to 7th October, 2008! Imagine my delight at stepping out onto the cobbled streets of ahem - let's just say a rather famous Parisian square (can't give too much away, now can I? Let the mystery linger!) in my dazzling pink tulle creation! This week’s #TutuTuesday post is all about those gorgeous, iconic twirling symbols of grace and artistry that have captivated us for centuries, tutus! I'm feeling incredibly inspired after my adventure, so let’s dig right into the tutu tapestry of history.

Now, darling, before we go further, have I mentioned that today is the day the greatest ballet performance ever is premiering at the Royal Opera House in London? You just wouldn't believe how lucky I am to have this opportunity to get my tutus in a tizz, not to mention a chance to enjoy the premiere. Imagine all the stunning tutus! Just wait until I show you my outfit... it’s all pink and everything! Of course, my latest travels took place just days before the show so this week I had the opportunity to attend the pre-opening press conference and you know what? I think you're going to want to have a look for yourself - there's a link to my photo diary from that amazing day at the end of this blog, darlings! Anyway, onto this week's historical exploration of ballet!

This blog post is the 9224th in my ballet blog collection at www.pink-tutu.com – why not make it a daily habit to check it out? If you’re reading this, it’s more than likely you’re as bonkers about ballet tutus as I am, but let’s be honest, I’ve been wearing a pink tutu every day for a couple of years now, I could get up to all sorts of trouble dressed up as a ballet dancer… but, well, it’s not as if that’s ever stopped me. As for tutus and where we are in our little corner of the universe here in London, you can find tutus all over town: They’re everywhere from the iconic dancewear stores of ahem, let’s call him the “London dance maestro”, on Covent Garden to the bustling West End and in those iconic department stores near Hyde Park. Speaking of which... there's a fabulous little store I must tell you about, all of its items are pink! Just perfect for you, darling!

Anyway, before we dive back into those amazing costumes...

I'm going to take you on a journey right back to 1832, because that's where it all started: a little thing called La Sylphide (one of the most gorgeous ballet performances – if you can ever manage to actually get a ticket, snap it up like you’ve got ten pairs of hands). You're going to want to write this date down, darlings, 1832 was a really big year for tutus, you see! They were designed to mimic the fluttery movement of fairies. That year, a designer named Marie Taglioni did the unthinkable. That's right, unthinkable: She liberated women's movement - and their legs – in a stunningly elegant outfit, something quite shocking for its day. And let's face it, darling, this revolutionary garment is still shocking and pretty damn sensational for a ballet dress. Can you believe that just one small step towards liberation, with those amazing, free-flowing skirts - they could actually dance, not just twirl! This one iconic movement set the stage for ballet's next 200 years, and there’s still plenty of freedom of movement in ballet fashion today. Those skirts - those tutus- are some of the most glamorous costumes that dancers wear. I certainly like the design of a good tutu - they're more than just an outfit. Let me put it to you this way, my dears: these are mini-dresses of whimsy.

So, if I haven’t already completely bewitched you with all things tutu... there is just so much more to this incredible dance wardrobe essential - and we are going to really delve deep.

If you look closely, the tutu's design has taken many forms since the 19th century when Marie Taglioni debuted it – and it still does! I like to think of all these variations as like little cousins in a massive ballet family! And how these designs evolved, tells you so much about the dance, too, so buckle your seats, darling! Let’s talk about a few main types of tutus, and those historic changes… you'll definitely know them: I’ll keep this bit fairly quick - I just want you to be ready for that show at the Opera House, my darling…

The Romantic Tutu: (aka, Marie’s little dance revolution… well, the ballet revolution, actually! and it took me back in time for this week’s post) These gorgeous tutus are pretty short! They flow all the way to the top of the dancer's legs and can really, really flow on stage. Honestly, my darling, when those amazing performers spin *those amazing tutus, they are such *glorious visions of beauty, the perfect symbol of romantic dance! The tulle (my favorite material, darling!) hangs quite lightly on the stage – absolutely captivating – perfect for showing those gorgeous moves. It's quite delicate looking, too – a bit like an ethereal vision - as fairy-like as you’d expect. And how do you get that graceful floating look from a tutu? That’s the real magic of tutus…. it's actually achieved with layers and layers of very lightweight tulle. Honestly, it's as close as ballet ever comes to magic.

The Classical Tutu: The ballet world loves the ballet’s history - love, love, loves - and the tutu design is so important - a huge, significant part of ballet history. And since Taglioni’s debut (remember those tiny, gorgeous little skirt dresses… those first tutus) there’s been a change, an evolution. This type of tutu takes on a more constructed look and it's more rigid. If you love the structured, iconic design that defines ballet, it all started here - I mean, that's the ballet look, you know? The Romantic tutu's beauty is in its movement, the classical tutu is about perfection - design, silhouette and that iconic shape. And these tutus really, really fit into the story and the performance, my darling - the shape is everything: The bodice, that structured look… I’m really impressed with that design, because those tutus are pretty, pretty dramatic - the fabric sits very smoothly over the dancer's body, a really structured, tight shape.

If you’ve got the chance to visit London’s Royal Opera House, make sure to visit the Dance Museum, you have to see all these beautiful tutus. The museum has tutus from ballet history. I was there the other day - I got so excited, darling. And yes, you’re probably going to ask - it’s really quite a whimsical collection and if you want a more whimsical tutu there's also a huge selection at the Victoria and Albert Museum. And if you’re interested in getting your tutus on, there are plenty of fabulous shops in London.

And speaking of London… let’s get to London! And those dances!

And darling… I cannot wait to go to that show, the Royal Opera House… it’s like it’s a magical tutu experience, don’t you think? Imagine all the stunning, flawless twirls in that ballet performance ...the grace, the movement. A tutu, darling, is not just a costume – it's a part of the story, a work of art…

Oh, darling…I must be going... I can’t miss a moment of this ballet, it’s a real treat! There are links to my tutu diaries, to my experiences, so don’t miss them!

See you next Tuesday! Don’t forget to pop in and give the blog a look, darling! Love, Emma x

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