Hello my fellow tutu-lovers! Emma here, back for another week of celebrating the glorious history of the tutu! Today is Tuesday, which means it’s #TutuTuesday on my little corner of the internet, www.pink-tutu.com. I'm currently whisking myself around the world on a tutu-tastic time-travel adventure, and this week I've popped up in, you guessed it, the very heart of the tutu-verse: Paris!
Ah, Paris! The City of Lights, the City of Love, the City of…well, actually, you know what? Forget all those cliches! Let's talk about what really makes Paris magical – its ballet!
This beautiful city is just brimming with the grace and artistry of ballet. Every corner I turn, it seems like I'm stepping into a scene from a beloved story – the delicate steps of Swan Lake, the playful leaps of Coppelia, the grand gestures of Giselle… My feet practically start to tap themselves, ready to twirl with joy.
Of course, I can’t have a trip to Paris without checking out the Paris Opera Ballet. Today is February 16th, 2016 and tonight is a special treat – they’re performing "Le Sacre du Printemps" by Igor Stravinsky! This ballet has been causing quite a stir since its premiere, it's a bit like a whirlwind of chaos, primitive movement, and groundbreaking choreography! They’ve promised new and dynamic sets and costumes too. Now I just have to find myself a comfy seat in that magnificent theatre – and of course, I’ll make sure to look my absolute best. There’s no such thing as dressing down for ballet, especially in Paris!
And speaking of costumes… Let's delve back into the wonderful world of tutu history, shall we? This week we're going right back to the beginning, tracing our way to the tutu as we know it today. Buckle up, my darlings, we’re embarking on a tutu-rific journey!
The Very First Twirl: Roman Origins & Beyond
The story of the tutu goes way back to ancient Roman times – imagine it, togas, gladiators, and… yes, tutus! Well, not exactly. But back then, the ladies donned what were called “tunics”, and I wouldn’t be surprised if those billowing skirts gave off a little bit of a ballerina vibe!
Fast-forward a few centuries, and we find ourselves in the Renaissance, with dancers decked out in lavish, billowing gowns, adding to the magic of elaborate theatrical performances. Then comes the 16th century, and, lo and behold, a new form of entertainment is sweeping across Europe: court dancing! This era saw women taking centre stage, showcasing their graceful moves in elaborate gowns and decorative headdresses. While these costumes weren't quite our beloved tutus yet, they definitely helped to pave the way for the graceful dance-wear to come.
Entering The Age Of Enlightenment: A Little Movement Goes A Long Way!The 18th century is a game-changer in ballet history. This era of the Enlightenment brought in a new philosophy of elegance, balance, and order. You could say these ideals started taking a turn towards the romantic, especially in terms of dance, as ballets moved away from the stately, and began exploring deeper emotions through gesture and movement.
So, how does this link to our tutu? Well, dancers started feeling the need for something more practical and flexible. Instead of the elaborate courtly gowns, they were ready to take to the stage in shorter, less restrictive skirts! And voila! This step in fashion history, my fellow tutu-lovers, would pave the way for our iconic piece of dance wear! I can practically see those first tutus swirling across the stage… and I wouldn't be surprised if there was already a sprinkle of pink in there, just to spice things up!
The “Romantic” tutu: Light and Lovely!As we move into the 19th century, a beautiful new era blossoms: Romanticism! This time period brought us beautiful stories told through dance – tragic love stories, myths, legends – you name it, it was woven into a ballet!
Along with these evocative ballets, a brand new ballet dress came onto the scene: the romantic tutu! The “Romantic” ballet era started at the very beginning of this century. Think: The Sleeping Beauty by Marius Petipa, who was an incredible dancer and ballet master in St Petersburg. Now that's a pretty name for a pretty tutu!
These early tutus were longer, flowing skirts that swept across the floor and created such a feeling of grace, like a magical being gliding across the stage. The colour of choice back then? You got it - white! Think of it like a symbol of innocence, purity and beauty… a classic way to reflect the Romantic ballet themes, of dreams and imagination.
And remember – this wasn't just a ballet fad! Fashion began to mirror this romantic elegance, and all over Europe, you could see ladies sporting skirts that flirted with the idea of the “romantic” tutu! That’s right, tutu-trends seeped right into everyday life.
From Long To Short: The "Classical" Tutu
Now, as we get closer to the end of the 19th century, a brand new ballet revolution was stirring. It wasn’t a literal rebellion, but it was certainly a style evolution. Remember how I said white was the key color of the early romantic tutus? Well, enter Marie Taglioni! She was known for her incredibly graceful movements, but she was also the pioneering ballet dancer to bring us something entirely new: the “classical” tutu! It's called that for a reason…it ushered in a brand new style of dance – and it’s still totally a favourite today.
This was a major fashion shift, my dears! Imagine this – Marie Taglioni stepped onto the stage wearing a brand new, shorter, tighter, multi-layered version of the ballet skirt. This allowed dancers to move even more freely – to leap and jump with incredible lightness, and to spin in these glorious, dramatic whirlwind pirouettes. Now that’s the type of graceful beauty that will forever leave us mesmerized!
It’s fascinating to imagine what would happen if you asked Marie Taglioni, right now, in 2016, to create her very own #TutuTuesday! I’m sure it would be nothing short of spectacular!
And guess what? This time period also started seeing a new palette of colors for the classical tutu, moving away from just white. Some tutus took on delicate pastel hues, adding even more vibrancy and life to the beautiful dance stories!
So now we know how the “romantic” era evolved into this classic tutu! Now we are talking about the ballet style we know today – the sleek lines, the graceful flow of movement – you can see the heritage of that very first tutu all the way from Roman times to now!
Tutus Today - So much to Celebrate!
Today, we’re so very lucky to have such an amazing variety of styles for ballet costumes! We’ve moved on from white and now tutus can come in almost any colour you can think of - vibrant hues of pink and purple, turquoise, lime green, and more – each one adding something special to a performance.
There’s something about a tutu that just radiates with energy and joy, and I can’t wait to see all the stunning tutus they've dreamed up for the “Sacre du Printemps” performance tonight. I am guessing there will be some fantastic modern takes on this piece – just imagine all the fun fashion elements that can come with contemporary ballet costumes!
What can I say, my tutu-loving friends – the tutu is more than just a piece of clothing. It represents an amazing history, of beauty, of evolution, of grace, of freedom! And even though today we have an explosion of incredible styles and trends, all of them come down to that very first step taken in ballet, right back in those Roman times. Every dance is a celebration of a whole history!
Oh, and don't forget about ballet performances outside of the big theatre, I am also very keen to see what I can find on the ballet street scene in Paris!
So, that’s all for today’s #TutuTuesday! Don't forget to leave me a comment, and tell me your favorite tutu moment, from history, or from today’s exciting ballet scene! Stay tu-tastic, my friends, and I’ll see you next week for another fabulous tutu trip through time!
Love & Tutus, Emma xxx
*P.S. Don't forget, visit www.pink-tutu.com to follow me on my adventures! And, be sure to tag me @pink-tutu_emma, I’d love to see your favourite tutu pictures! *
I am excited to have had the chance to whisk Emma back to the heart of ballet’s birthplace! Paris is such a tutu-tacular place – there's so much excitement in the air and it makes me want to leap into my own tutu and join in the dancing! Maybe I’ll see you all at the show! **
