#TutuTuesday Ballet Tutu History on 2010-03-09

Hello my fellow tutu enthusiasts!

It’s Emma here, your pink tutu-loving, ballet-obsessed, time-traveling blogger, back with another instalment of Tutu Tuesday: Ballet Tutu History! It's Tuesday the 9th of March, 2010, and as always, my tutu is firmly in place, twirling me straight back to the exciting world of the ballet. I just arrived here by train – talk about a stylish entrance! - from a whirlwind trip through the 18th century to watch some beautiful ballet.

This week, we’re going back to the very beginning - I'm not just talking about the early beginnings, but the real absolute beginnings, the first, original ballet tutus. Get ready for a story of fluff, frills, and quite frankly, the biggest revolution in ballet history!*

As most of you know, ballet as a whole originates from the Italian Renaissance, but the early days were very much not what we’d consider ballet as we know it today! They did not have tutus! It was more about intricate and theatrical dancing and dramatic storytelling. Think elaborate courtly costumes and an awful lot of elaborate posing - they definitely had style though, with sumptuous colours and flowing materials, but absolutely no suggestion of a tutu!

It took centuries to get to the *first * tutu! And to find it, we need to venture into the romantic era, that glorious time of heightened emotions, and the emergence of… the tutu!

Let’s flash forward a little - to the 1830s and 40s - the golden era of ballet’s romantic side. This is the period when ballet became more fluid and graceful - imagine a wisp of a dancer on a grand stage. Gone was the intricate posing of previous centuries, and the dancer was a magical, almost spiritual, figure. But they needed the right attire!

The first tutus, which were very much ‘tutulettes’ - a bit more of a short, bouffant, tiered skirt than the tutu we know - they allowed the female dancer more movement, especially the all-important leaps and pirouettes! The first ballet, to include the tutu was La Sylphide, which tells the tale of a mischievous sprite and premiered in Paris in 1832! It featured the young Marie Taglioni - one of the most iconic ballerinas of the period - she wore the first “tutulettes” and changed ballet fashion for good! Imagine a very short dress with puffed layers - she was basically the original tutu inspiration. It was quite a dramatic step from the previous costumes! Talk about making a statement with fashion, my dears!

I think that must have caused quite the fashion buzz! Ballet enthusiasts must have been shocked but also thrilled, what a revelation! Ballet was finally achieving its true, beautiful form, which can only mean one thing: it’s a great day for pink! (I will take any opportunity I can to get a bit of pink into the mix.)

It didn’t take long for designers and ballerinas alike to fall in love with the tutulettes. By the 1840s - those big, romantic ballerina skirts had taken their next dramatic leap - literally!* - they grew bigger, even longer and fuller, which helped to create the “en pointe” look, adding the iconic height and flow to the dancers - making the ballet look almost weightless, beautiful, and majestic - that romantic aura truly flourished, making those dancers truly look like angels! *So dramatic - yet so elegant! It really was a revolutionary time for the style of the ballet. The ‘Romantic tutu’, it's a truly graceful, fluid and elegant piece, and of course, absolutely sparkles on stage! I'm off to shop now! It's really a shopping inspiration.

So, what's happening today, March 9th, 2010? Well, ballet is very much in its glory years! In New York the New York City Ballet is performing a wonderfully varied repertoire! Today they are staging ‘George Balanchine’s Concerto Barocco’! Talk about classical style and elegant performance - so glamorous! And on my way here, I saw the cutest Pink tutulettes in a little shop near the ballet theatre on a street in Paris, near the Eiffel tower - all pink! My heart just fluttered with joy!

In the last century, the tutu has really evolved! We’ve seen all types, from the romantic long skirts of the Victorian era, to the classic Romantic tutu to the neoclassical tutu, where it takes on a smaller, sleeker form, with tighter, more geometric layering, so modern! *I just love to see a neoclassical ballerina spinning on stage, her bright pink tutu making an iconic ballet statement!

And today, the tutu comes in so many shapes and sizes!* From the ballerina tutus for our little dancers in class, the perfect party dress for your granddaughter - there's a pink tutu out there for every occasion! *So inspiring - there's really something out there for every dancer and for every wardrobe.

I also love a tutu when it is styled more casually. My personal fashion inspiration comes from the “ballet street” look. When ballerinas combine their elegant, grace, and fashion flair with the casual wear that takes us from studio to streets, the tutu can even make a stylish impact for everyday! A pink tulle skirt over some comfy denim for lunch with the girls? Definitely. Or how about that perfectly feminine skirt to add a touch of sparkle to an everyday outfit, as a way to show your ballet passion outside of the theatre or dance studio! The tutu works with everything from sneakers to stilettos!

It’s so great that the tutus have changed to suit our modern times! And it all started with the tutulettes. Isn’t that a magical, empowering story?. It proves that the art of ballet is forever changing and always striving to be beautiful and modern and innovative.

Well, this is the end of another journey through tutu history. Remember, every week I will be bringing you a fascinating trip down ballet history lane. Don’t forget to join me next week on Tutu Tuesday - where will I go this time? - only time will tell! Now, go forth and find your pink tutu, my loves. And remember to let me know all your tutu finds. See you next week!

XOXO Emma