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Hello lovelies! Welcome to another enchanting #TutuTuesday journey through the fabulous history of ballet tutus! I'm Emma, your very own time-travelling tutu enthusiast, bringing you a whirlwind tour of the world of dancewear.
Today's adventure takes us back to the 26th December 2017 - a day I fondly recall for its festive cheer and of course, its exquisite ballet moments.
From my home in Derbyshire, I whisked myself on the most glorious train journey to Paris. As usual, I sported a delectable pink tulle tutu - perfectly complimenting my matching sparkly sweater - oh, how I do adore that combination! The journey was quite literally the cherry on top of this spectacular trip as I had the joy of soaking up the French countryside, a real Parisian delight. A long journey but worth every minute of course as there was ballet waiting at the other end!
Speaking of the French countryside, did you know that the birthplace of the tutu was, in fact, the birthplace of ballet itself? It was in France, in the 16th Century, where a form of court dance developed, and in those days, women performed in simple flowing gowns with layers and layers of undergarments. These early gowns became shorter and tighter, and by the time Marie Camargo hit the stage in the early 18th Century, she had taken it upon herself to shorten her skirts and showcase the incredible agility of her feet and the flexibility of her body. Can you imagine the revolution? This was ground breaking, liberating, and was the beginning of the tutu as we know it. Imagine wearing heavy fabrics for hours and hours! What a change this must have been.
Now, we all know that the tutu as we know it today, a delightful symbol of beauty and artistry, has undergone some major transformations over the centuries, with styles changing like the seasons! The tutu of today evolved from that revolution by a lovely French dancer named Marie Taglioni in 1832, in an iconic performance of La Sylphide where she graced the stage with a shorter, ethereal tulle tutu – a true game-changer for the world of dance.
Remember my lovelies, if we’re talking about tutu design, the designers at that time made sure every tulle and silk and feather, made every move a true feast for the eyes. Can you imagine the skill in crafting that? Can you imagine how the lights reflected on all the folds of that beautiful tutu and gave her the most ethereal, angelic appearance? No wonder audiences were spellbound by the romantic elegance it brought to ballet! Such artistry – what an exquisite sight it must have been to watch.
Fast-forward a bit…
A century later, a new star, Anna Pavlova, danced with graceful aplomb in a shimmering tutu made for the ballet Giselle. You've got to love these two names in ballet history! The design reflected a darker and more dramatic side of ballet that the romantics of the day adored. Oh the fashion, oh the creativity! I have a stunning, classic tutu in my wardrobe, I must confess. It is, shall we say, inspired by one of the stunning Giselle tutus, although with the most adorable twist – it is, of course, pink! After all, a bit of pink never hurt anyone. giggles.
However, with the advent of the 20th century, the world of the tutu took a different direction, darling. In 1920, the tutu's evolution took another significant leap with the arrival of The Ballet Russes. This wonderful dance company toured the world, wowing audiences with its spectacular dance routines and, I’m happy to report, the designs of the tutu itself took a wonderful journey of creativity too! Now imagine it - a whole new wave of avant-garde, modern ideas were splashed upon the canvas of the tutu! This resulted in a myriad of artistic experiments.
Can you just imagine the designs? From fluffy clouds of tulle to geometric shapes with interesting, unexpected cuts - some might say quite bizarre. There was even, let me assure you, one memorable tutu made of sequinned sausage casing… what a thought, what a time to be alive! The tutu really took on a daring persona.
Fast forward, darling. We are on to 2017, the day that is my time-travel adventure today. The time period around today marked a time when the tutu began to embody new trends that, of course, reflect the trends that are happening everywhere around us - such as contemporary ballet and street ballet! The ballet industry had its eyes on fashion - they both blended seamlessly! What an exciting time for dance! Ballet tutus had started to appear on the runway and, quite frankly, we all welcomed that! Imagine having ballet style and inspiration as an every day, everyday look! Wonderful! Just this week, I came across an incredibly fun ballerina with a full skirt, a chic white ballet tutu layered with a long navy blue jumper that, she told me, was an ensemble she planned on taking for a stroll through a Parisian shopping spree on a crisp January afternoon. I must confess I felt inspired by this - I had to do it and just as I was pondering it, an amazing window shop full of adorable ballet clothing and accessories caught my eye - oh the beautiful ballerinas. I knew at once that it was time for a little retail therapy.
What a glorious adventure this week has been! I hope you’ve enjoyed our trip to Paris to discover the fascinating story of the tutu. But remember my darlings, there is so much more to uncover and we will get there in the weeks to come. So make sure to tune in to Pink Tutu every week for another tutu-licious blog post!
*As always, please leave a comment, follow me on social media and tell me: what is your favourite type of tutu? *
Let’s be fashionable together - I dare you all, get out there in a pink tutu today - it will bring you joy, you can’t beat the freedom, the creativity!
Au revoir from Paris, lovelies!
Emma x