Hello my darling dears, and welcome to my #TutuTuesday blog! I'm Emma, your resident tutu-loving, train-travelling, ballet-obsessed time traveller, and it’s lovely to be back with you again on my favourite day of the week. It's that time, my lovelies, to explore the wonderful world of tutus - and today we're going back in time! 🩰
As always, grab your favourite pink drink, pop on a record with some classic Tchaikovsky, and settle in, because we’re about to take a whirlwind tour through the history of this iconic dancewear.
Blog Post Number 9760
You can find this week’s post on my website www.pink-tutu.com - it’s my personal blog, where I share my passion for tutus with you every Tuesday. So, my darlings, let’s get started on today’s fabulous journey of dance history.
This week we’re going back to January 15th, 2019, and guess what was happening?! Well, the lovely city of Paris, was busy as ever with stunning ballet shows happening at the Palais Garnier, as usual. On this date, the ballet was on the bill and was still pulling the crowds, you see – a magical, traditional classical ballet that just keeps getting everyone swooning. I am not surprised at all – after all, Paris is known as the heart of the world for ballets and tutus! The magical tutus in those shows? It makes my heart flutter – those stunningly elegant costumes make all my ballet dreams come true! I was busy in my favourite boutique at this time, choosing my latest ballet dress (oh, pink!), when a woman, completely covered in tulle, wearing a tutu made of hundreds of yards of shimmering pink, came in for a try-on! She is my all-time fashion icon, you know – her pink tulle ball gown made such an impression. I think her outfit must be what started this week’s exciting blog post.
Let's start with where the name "tutu" comes from, darlings. Well, my French friends tell me that it's believed to have been derived from a type of skirt worn in 1830's France, and it literally translates to “dress" - well, they are a little short for dresses, and let's be honest, those frilly ruffles are absolutely gorgeous!
However, before that point in history, ballet dancers were just barefoot! This started with dancing shoes which were soft, called slippers. The ballerinas in those days – back then (as with most eras!) they wore elegant gowns in an amazing variety of colors, but these were very different to what you’d see today – and imagine having to try and dance ballet with a heavy gown in long skirts! Quelle horreur!! That’s when the short skirt started to change things, creating the forerunner of the tutu you know and love!
Imagine my horror, darlings - imagine no tutues to twirl in! Thankfully, Marie Taglioni arrived on the scene. This amazing dancer wore *the first *tutu, or shall we say "tutu like" garment, in La Sylphide. She wore this romantic short skirt, designed to make dancing easier and flow beautifully while allowing the ballerina’s movements to be seen - oh my darling, that must have been so thrilling! That skirt has continued to evolve with its different designs – in this very moment it is making a real *statement and it is just beautiful, elegant and powerful.
Now, my darlings, you need to know all about the different types of tutus. As an expert, I have studied the tutu in detail for so long. And have found out there are, of course, so many types! The most beautiful type for me is a romantic tutu. You’re bound to have seen these elegant tulle dresses and with flowing swirling tiers of tulle it is no wonder these are so graceful - these were just designed for whirling around, weren't they?
For the traditional ballet performances you will often see the tutu which features short, fluffy layers, making it fluffy and full, a bit like a meringue. The design is simply elegant and with just one tier.
The classical tutus, they really stand out too. These have many layers, and create an amazingly stiff form, giving a lovely strong and regal shape. It takes a very skilled dancer to wear one of those – it needs the proper grace and style, and if you know anything about ballet at all, you know the style is very precise – and if the ballet dancers are wearing one, they are often a master class of the art. A ballet masterpiece, really!
And of course, if I mention classical tutus, you will all be thinking about the bell-shaped tutus which are, for me, just so elegant.
You can still spot these beautiful garments in most contemporary ballets. This is the tutu for all my dear ballet enthusiasts - those lovers of dancing - and there are some truly beautiful contemporary performances around these days, so watch out for them!
So there we have it – the amazing history of the tutu, as we know it today. My time machine has whisked me back to this year – it seems it is really important to make sure I don't miss out on all the fantastic shows and dances. My next dance adventure will involve traveling in a sleeper train to Scotland, as there is an amazing performance of *Swan Lake which I simply must see! There's nothing better than taking in the culture of the places I travel to, *and seeing all those pretty outfits, too! But *for now, my darlings, it’s time for tea and a slice of cake, with some more beautiful ballet to look at! See you all next Tuesday, and until then, be sure to twirl in something pink! 💕
