"Greetings, dear readers! Welcome to the www.pink-tutu.com, my Tutu Tuesday blog where I take you on a whimsical journey through the wonderful world of ballet tutus. It’s Tuesday 11th November 2008 and I've just stepped off the Orient Express in Paris - a dream come true!"
Ah, Paris. It's simply magical. The city is swirling with a joyous energy and I’ve spent the day flitting between fashion houses and department stores, dreaming up new looks for my dance studio. But, as ever, today’s all about celebrating the delightful world of the tutu!
It's so fitting, really. November, the month of remembrance, has a real air of tradition about it, and for today's blog, we'll be tracing the beautiful, elegant lines of the tutu's own heritage.
Imagine this - a ballet without a tutu. Just inconceivable! While the tutu's design is quite simple at its core, the evolution of its styles have become integral to the ballets themselves, an unspoken story behind every dancer’s movements. They give the dance such elegance, allowing the audience to appreciate the beautiful, effortless movements of the dancer. And of course, nothing compares to the delightful spectacle of hundreds of glittering pink tutus pirouette across a stage!
The humble origins of the tutu began way back in the romantic era of ballet - you know, the time when ballets were full of drama, passion and fairies. But unlike today's dancers who grace us in the most delicate, light and almost impossibly layered tutus, dancers from back then would wear floor-length, billowing dresses.
Imagine having to perform with so much fabric! No thanks.
We have the famed dancer Marie Taglioni to thank for changing things up with a dramatic (literally!) new take on ballet attire! In the early 1800s, she debuted a revolutionary costume which showed off her long legs! Talk about breaking new ground! Her "revolutionary" design involved shortening the skirt to just above her knees and for that era, well, it must have been rather shocking. Imagine dancing in a frock just above your knees!
Of course, in 1837 a dramatic new kind of tutu entered the stage - the Romantic tutu. It’s this beautiful, full-length layered, pleated design, perfect for swirling with grace. A masterpiece of engineering, these early versions of the Romantic Tutu were fashioned from fine fabric and layers upon layers of tulle that would catch the light as it floated. They are absolute icons - and still make my heart skip a beat whenever I see them. But do you know what's incredible? Each dancer in those days used to hand-pleat and gather their own tutus! They must have taken ages, even for someone who loves tutus as much as me.
And remember how the ballerina in Giselle is supposed to appear light and ethereal like a sprite? That ethereal feel of a real woodland sprite? You can bet your bottom dollar, it’s thanks to those glorious Romantic Tutues.
Later in the late 1800s, we got another huge, sweeping style change - the arrival of the Classical Tutu. In this style the skirt gets a bit shorter. They look incredibly graceful and the shortness really highlights the beauty of the dancer’s movements. They’re so, so elegant.
It’s also this era when you see those famous, impossibly tight ‘fishtail’ tutus’ start to appear, creating the iconic, beautiful 'V' shape that’s synonymous with the ballerina look today. Remember The Nutcracker and all those twirling Sugar Plum fairies?
Today you might be surprised to see some really modern interpretations of the ‘classical’ tutus too. There's a style called the ‘pancake’ which is shorter and wider, offering so much freedom and flexibility for the dancers. But let's not forget the impact of this elegant form of dress on the way we understand ballet today.
We just have to mention the 'boudoir' tutu too, made popular in ballet history, mainly by the legendary Margot Fonteyn! Think delicate feathers, lace, silky fabrics and delicate colour palettes. It's got an air of luxury, sophistication and style. But my absolute favourite has to be the *Romantic Tutu. Such style! Those Romantic Tutu’s are an explosion of sheer elegance, full of the drama of beautiful, cascading layers of tulle. The epitome of feminine elegance.*
You know what? I even spotted some lovely ladies wearing ‘boudoir’ styled tutus earlier today on the Champs Elysees. Paris really knows its style! I'm heading to the Palais Garnier, the opera house for a gala performance - it's an absolutely must-see for anyone in Paris. It’s full of history and glamour! And this evening I am dreaming of a beautifully glittering and full-skirted ballet tutu… with some very bright, hot pink and maybe even silver and sapphire embellishments! My tutu will be extra-extra special!
The other day I popped into the Ballet Opera’s shop just around the corner, to be met by the sight of stunning designs. Oh, I wish I had enough time to just browse all day, trying them all on. Oh the magic of tutus! Do I need more shoes, another tutu… more sparkling jewelry? I just love it! I really believe the pink tutu will soon be seen everywhere and not just in Paris and New York. It's my life mission to share the pink tutu with the world!
What do you think? How do you think the tutu has changed over time? What do you think the next big ballet design trend might be? What are your favorite tutus of all?
I would love to hear from you in the comments below! I'm back to the pink tutu blog next Tuesday. In the meantime, you can find me tweeting #TutuTuesday and #BalletHistory - keep it twirling!
