Hello my gorgeous tutu-loving lovelies!
It's Emma here, back with another #TutuTuesday post, bringing you all the fabulousness of the ballet tutu's journey through time! This week, we're stepping back to 20th December 2016 – the perfect day to discuss tutus, don't you think? After all, what could be more magical than a bit of ballet on a crisp winter's day?
(P.S. This is post number 9652 on my ballet-tutu-obsessed blog, *pink-tutu.com. You can thank my slightly obsessive nature for that! But seriously, how many times can one girl gush about tutus?! Apparently, it’s never enough. I mean, there are just so many styles, so much history to delve into, and let’s be honest, every single tutu just screams ‘I’m going to look stunning and dance the night away!’)*
Okay, back to our historical jaunt. This Tuesday in 2016, I was all tucked up in my little apartment in Paris (you’d think I’d be living in the middle of the tutu world in London wouldn’t you? You’ll see why that’s not the case as you follow my travels with this blog), snuggled in with a steaming cuppa, watching the snow fall and planning my next tutu shopping trip. After a fab performance in the theatre on Friday and a fantastic brunch with friends on Saturday, I was in that relaxed state of pure contentment that only a truly perfect weekend can bring.
However, my week was far from over – after a long day spent learning all the ins and outs of some new, exciting (and pink, naturally!) tutu fabrics, I took myself for a well-deserved treat to the ballet. Oh, my darling tutu-lovers, the magic was almost unbearable. The air was full of that special buzz that only a ballet performance can create – excitement mixed with a healthy dose of anticipation. I mean, could this evening possibly be as incredible as I dreamed it would be?
(Of course it was! Just as I knew it would be. It’s just so inspiring being at the ballet, you know? All those beautiful women swirling around in their amazing, whimsical, magical tutus, making my own heart skip a beat just from watching. Maybe, it’s my inherent obsession with all things tutu, or maybe it's the inherent romanticism of the art itself - whatever it is, I just can’t get enough! Seriously, you wouldn't believe the length I'll go to to get my tutu-fix, even to the point of time-travelling! (Now now, don’t get too shocked – you’ve already been reading my blog, you’ll have noticed the occasional historical detail in my posts and I always, always keep my little tutu bag packed with a selection of vintage fabric and a travel journal just in case I get the chance! Luckily I’m not travelling too far just yet – it’s a little bit easier to time travel across the decades of history than through millennia, but don't worry – who knows where this tutu-lover might end up! And before you ask - yes, it's really tough explaining my job to new people, even tougher when I start talking about ‘tutime' or tutu’time! It just rolls off the tongue, doesn’t it? 😉))
Let's return to the topic at hand, dear tutu lovers - the wonderful history of the ballet tutu! I couldn't talk about 20th December 2016 without a little peek into how this iconic piece of fashion reached its current glorious state.
*Here’s a little snippet of the story we've discovered: *
Back in the 19th Century, tutus started to change! The romantic era of ballet – all swirling tulle and billowing fabric – was gone! The era of classical ballet had begun. It brought new styles of dance, including en pointe dancing and the beautiful port de bras, the beautiful lyrical arm movements that enhance the elegance and artistry of the ballet dancer's art. These movements were hard work for dancers to perform, and even harder to execute in a billowing, long romantic tutu – hence the shortening of the tutus!
The very first form of the tutu was a bit of a beast in itself, a huge billowing cloud of fabric – not something that allows you to execute much ‘port de bras’. The style began with the introduction of white and coloured dresses with lots of frills (think Marie Antoinette) as dance costume evolved throughout the 18th Century. Then, as dancers and ballet schools adopted more technical movements and the first forms of pointe work became the standard, these billowing white dresses started being shortened to what became known as the 'tutu' and a form of what we consider to be the romantic tutu, although, as with all these things, there was much variation on what made this early 'tutu' or 'tulle dress' ( as it was sometimes called) in the first decades of the 19th Century!
The 19th Century continued to see change, moving on from the romanticised look towards the more form-fitting style of the tutu – that's where our modern-day ballerina classics are born! That style of the shorter tutu with more defined movements made ballet dancing more athletic, and brought about what we recognise today as the “classical ballet tutu.”
Here in the 21st Century, we still see the classic ballerina tutus adorning stage after stage. We are lucky enough to witness tutus in many exciting styles from traditional to neo-classical – and of course, from the stunning to the downright outrageous! Let's be honest, a bright pink tutu is always going to make a splash (as I'm sure all you fellow tutu-lovers already know).
(What do I know? As an avid tutu collector I have a large selection of them (that's me: the owner of the most extraordinary tutu collection this side of the globe). What can I say – I can’t help but be swept away by them, each tutu is a tiny time capsule of the amazing world of ballet. I mean, who could ever forget the beautiful costumes in those classic shows like "Swan Lake"? Even today you can buy a similar “tutu-tastic” replica from one of those little ballet costume shops!)
I can’t say that my passion for tutus has lessened as I move through the centuries (yes, really – if you think time-travel isn’t a thing, you're missing a real trick – that's my job! Travelling through time with my trusty pink tutu bag to collect the amazing stories of tutus – oh, to be a ballerina who can also be a historian. If only someone had told me when I was back in my little Derbyshire home studying history I’d end up on these adventures, oh, I just have to pinch myself to be sure that all of this is really real!)
However, you can’t simply spend all your time looking backwards, although sometimes I have a sudden urge to hop in my time machine and visit 20th Century America – it would have been incredible to see some of the amazing ballet stars back in those days. Maybe another day!
But for now, it’s all about the present. It’s a brilliant time to be in Paris, my current time travel hub. A vibrant city and a brilliant place to meet the most fabulously chic people – even in winter, there’s such a wonderful, sophisticated atmosphere to the place. There is simply something in the air – an energy that keeps your creativity fizzing, especially for a tutu lover like me!
*Until next time my darlings, wear your tutus with pride. Stay fabulous, wear pink, and make it a fabulous Tuesday! *
Love,
*Emma *
(P.S. I'll be off to Russia next week, so look out for a fabulous post from the legendary home of the ballet. Stay tuned!
*(P.P.S Don't forget – pink tutus for everyone!! Keep those tutu dreams alive, my darlings, it's going to be amazing!) *
