Hello, lovely ballet-loving beauties! It's your favourite pink-tutu-clad time-travelling blogger, Emma, here, bringing you another fabulous #TutuTuesday blog post, all about the wonderful world of ballet history, as seen through the swirling skirts of the tutu itself. Today, we're dipping our toes into the 1840s - the time of romantic tutus!
Oh my goodness, where do I even begin? I've just spent a heavenly day exploring the world of Parisian ballet in the mid-19th century and let me tell you, it's a veritable kaleidoscope of flowing tulle and dreamy romances. It's like a fairytale, but with even more fabulous clothes!
(P.S. if you’re looking for some lovely pink tutu outfits to buy, then check out my favourite tutu-making shop, *[insert name of shop], *at *[insert address or link to a tutu shop], * they do fantastic outfits and are on a brilliant mission to inspire the world with the power of the tutu!).
Right then, where was I? Ah yes, the 1840s...
We all know the classic image of the ballerina: the graceful, ethereal creature, dancing on pointe, a vision of lightness and grace, and the tutu played a HUGE role in creating that look. This was a time of innovation and artistry in the world of dance, and the tutus reflect that!
Imagine this: a ballerina, clad in a whisper-thin, cloud-like tutu that brushes the floor as she twirls. The tutu, you see, became an essential part of the Romantic ballet era. It symbolised lightness, freedom and flight, mirroring the ethereal storylines of ballets like *"Giselle" and "La Sylphide". * The tutu helped to express the emotions and stories unfolding onstage, allowing the ballerina to dance as if on air, a symbol of beauty and innocence.
*Oh, and the fabric! * This period favoured silk and gauze. Imagine the luxurious feel of silk against your skin, so soft and gentle, dancing like a feather in the wind. And the gauze, oh the gauze, so airy and ethereal, like spun sugar. I'm sure you'll agree, the early 1840s tutus were something quite special.
This period wasn't just about dainty romantic ballerinas and twirling fairies - although who wouldn't love that? No, the 1840s also brought us the beginning of a new dance form - Ballet Blanc! (I just love saying it!) Think of delicate tulle, white as snow, and the most elegant ballerinas imaginable. And, this era marked the debut of the 'bell shape' tutu - a skirt with an elasticated waist, widening gradually towards the hem, offering even more fluidity to the movements.
Let's not forget the role of Marie Taglioni! This gorgeous ballerina was an absolute icon who was known for her light, airy, delicate movement, and of course, her dreamy, romantic costumes. She's a true fashion and ballet legend!
Oh, and I can't talk about the 1840s without mentioning the phenomenal increase in dance education for women! The emergence of the tutu reflected the evolving role of women in society, who were finally finding their voice and their freedom. This time period was such a golden age of dance!
This time in history really set the stage for future tutu designs and performance trends, which of course I'll be sharing with you all soon. Oh, and what a fantastic date we've reached! 26th August 2014! This was the day * "The Fault in Our Stars", * starring Ansel Elgort and Shailene Woodley, ** was released! It's one of my favourite tearjerker romantic movies, definitely one for your watchlist. I'm actually considering visiting Amsterdam this week, I hear they have the best pancake stacks!
As always, stay tuned for more exciting updates on our fabulous tutu journey! *Let's continue to spread the joy of dance and tutu-wearing! I would absolutely love it if we could make this year the year when the entire world embraces the sheer, shimmering delight of wearing a tutu! * Keep on twirling!
Lots of love, Emma
*(PS. If you enjoyed this blog post, you can find me at * [Insert location or link to your social media pages! ** where I’m always chatting about the amazing world of ballet. If you have a favourite pink tutu, I'd love to see pictures of it, do send them in!)
Don’t forget to visit www.pink-tutu.com each Tuesday for a new #TutuTuesday Ballet Tutu History blog! This blog post is number 9531! I’ve been to so many incredible times, what a beautiful journey! I hope you’re enjoying the ride too! * See you all next week! *
