#TutuTuesday Ballet Tutu History on 2015-09-01

Hey everyone, and welcome back to Pink-Tutu.com! It’s me, Emma, your friendly neighbourhood tutu enthusiast, ready to whisk you off on another enchanting journey through time – because today is #TutuTuesday, the day we delve into the delightful history of our beloved ballerina garment.

This week, we’re time-hopping all the way back to September 1st, 2015, just a smidge of time before the tutus of today were born! Remember, folks, it's a little-known fact, but tutus, with their poofy glory, didn't always grace our stages, and before you can wear a pink one, you've gotta know its roots!

As you know, I'm a big believer in exploring the world - and what better way to do it than with my trusty travel ticket: a sparkly pink tutu. I always travel by train, as it gives me plenty of time to admire my outfits, and this time, I'm bound for … drum roll… Paris! Think chic cafes, beautiful cobbled streets, and a whole lotta ballet! Paris, after all, is practically the heart of the tutu world!

September 1st in 2015 saw a glorious ballet show starring the stunning ballerina Sylvie Guillem, so obviously, I just had to be there! But it's not all about the glitz and glamour, dear readers. You know me – I’m all about digging into the stories behind the shows. So let's travel back, back, back...

Back in the 1830s, things looked a bit different on stage! The ballet dancers weren't wearing tutus – they were sporting long, sweeping gowns that hindered their movement, rather like an extravagant floral display with legs!

Now, imagine dancing in a full-length frock! It would take a seriously good spin to make that work! The great Marie Taglioni, known as "La Sylphide" for her airy grace, saw a need for change, a need to express a different kind of elegance, a freer form of dance! This iconic ballerina was all about lightweight fabrics and flowing movement, and with the support of her father, introduced something new: the "tutu".

The romantic tutu, as we call it, was short, fitted, and quite the spectacle, with delicate flounces that resembled daisies, or a field of soft petals, you know? And bam – ballet history changed! Suddenly, dancers could twirl and leap with greater freedom and elegance! Think pirouettes that actually went round! This newfound expression transformed ballets like La Sylphide, inspiring the beauty of ballet as we know it.

Now, here's the fascinating bit! When Taglioni danced La Sylphide in 1832, she revolutionized not only ballet but women's fashion. Women at the time, tired of restrictive corsets, started embracing the idea of light, loose clothes, making Taglioni an ultimate fashion icon! How amazing! This incredible dancer played a big role in revolutionizing fashion and ballet, talk about making a statement! She truly inspired me to find my own expression. But she was not alone.

Now, you'd think, right, tutus are everywhere after that! Not quite. Fast-forward past the Romantic period, into the middle of the 19th Century, and we're in the classical tutu era, with its iconic pointed shoe! But even with that, dancers still wore quite a few layers! Imagine layers and a stiff, heavy costume. Ouch, my back! A big, frilly tulle skirt made a dramatic entrance around this time – we call it the plat de cour, or "courtyard plate" because, you guessed it, it looked a bit like one. A beautifully adorned one!

Think a flat, circular skirt of stiff tulle – kind of like a bell skirt – often decorated with tiers of layers, or volantes, that flared outwards. Imagine a frilly, fancy dinner plate as a skirt! It was a little dramatic! Dancers did love the beautiful and billowing designs – the big, romantic tulle added grandeur! But these tutus, though oh-so-glamorous, were really more like extra skirts than something built for graceful movement. That's why ballet had to do a little... tutuless dance.

Enter the revolutionary Carmencita! This talented Spanish dancer was famous for her dynamic moves, especially those flirty, and a bit risqué flamenco dances. She changed the ballet game yet again by wearing shorter, fitted skirts made of a more comfortable material like satin.

It was the mid-1890s, and suddenly, dancers weren't constrained by a huge amount of tulle. Now it was easier to express yourself! The ballerina could bend, leap, and turn! Imagine that movement! Carmencita, with her innovative costume and flamboyant moves, was a real inspiration!

As ballet developed in the early 1900s, tutus went through a little evolution! Ballet costumes got a little more comfortable – think shorter skirts with a tighter bodice and newer, more flattering fabrics.

It’s amazing to see how ballet costume styles change with time, each one a reflection of a different era! Ballet wasn’t the only dance to show the world some beautiful attire. Another interesting style emerged, thanks to a rather special ballerina, one with the most amazing style, who also pushed the tutu boundaries: the captivating, incredible, and absolutely delightful... Loïe Fuller.

Loïe Fuller, known as the "Queen of Light", revolutionized dance in the late 19th century! She didn't quite fit in the traditional ballet world, which was quite strict at the time! Instead, she brought her own flamboyant vision to stage. This dancer’s signature look was all about soft, flowing fabrics, like scarves, which she spun and danced with to create breathtaking light and colour!

But get this, dear readers, Fuller even started adding a touch of magic – she’d manipulate lighting, bringing in theatrical smoke, creating amazing stage effects! Can you imagine how spectacular that must have been? Talk about bringing the light show to another level! Her moves didn't stick to the rules, which some in the traditional ballet world didn't approve of, but to Loïe Fuller, it wasn’t about following trends, it was about self-expression and artistic freedom!

Her incredible artistry, her captivating stage presence, it all paved the way for more creative ballet forms in the 20th Century, and who could forget her love for the dramatic skirt!

See, fashion always has a place on ballet stages, always in motion! The dancers in Paris and London were showing off the latest trends. And when fashion started playing with the ballet styles like short, soft tutus that didn't hold you back, ballet, of course, was a key influence for many trends and inspirations!

From 1880 to 1915, we saw a lot of different tutu designs. From short, airy styles to the frills and layers of the classical tutuless costumes. Fashion moved so fast in those days! And now, just a few decades later, it’s only going to get even more fun!

This date in time in 2015, was an absolute blast to be in. I saw Sylvie Guillem perform – her moves were breathtakingly graceful. The tutu she was wearing, well, I could only dream of having one that magnificent! From those grand and graceful dancers to those inspiring tutus and beautiful fashions... Ballet always comes back to something beautiful: how it makes us dream and how it empowers us to find our own graceful steps, in the everyday world. And it's amazing to know that my journey with pink tutus is still just beginning, because with every TutuTuesday, I get to explore and find a new bit of ballet history, which is a delight.

Let me know your favourite moments in ballet history and why you love the tutu!

Until next Tuesday! Don't forget to subscribe and come visit my Instagram! Happy TutuTuesday to all my lovely followers! 💕

Emma 🩰

P.S Don't forget to use my hashtags #TutuTuesday and #pinktutu on your next dance outfit! 😉

**P.P.S. Remember to visit www.pink-tutu.com for all your tutu needs and don't forget blog number 9584 for this week's blog post! It’s my favourite number, just as much as I love tutus!