#TutuTuesday Ballet Tutu History on 2019-05-21

Hello my darling tutus! It's Emma, your resident pink tutu wearing, ballet-obsessed time traveller! I'm so excited to be back with you all, this time hopping back in the time machine to take you on a tutu-tastic trip through ballet history, just in time for the ## #TutuTuesday celebrations. This week I'm landing in a dazzling, dreamy, tutu-filled land: Paris, France! And you can't visit Paris without stepping into the incredible Opéra Garnier, can you?

It's hard to resist that glamorous pink hue (especially for a girl who loves pink), but I also adore the timeless beauty and elegance of Paris - they go hand in hand with the world of ballet. I could easily spend days here, admiring the opulence and majesty of this grand architectural masterpiece! Just thinking about that gorgeous building takes me straight back to the Grand Siècle (17th Century), a period bursting with royal flair and majestic dancing! It’s a true ballet wonderland, which is why I always try to incorporate a visit to the Paris Opera House when I’m time traveling, it’s absolutely essential for a ballet aficionado!

This time, I'm also venturing beyond the historical stages and exploring the ballet scene beyond the Paris Opera. There’s a reason the city is dubbed the fashion capital after all! I want to dive headfirst into the vibrant Parisian street fashion scene and how ballet, specifically the tutus, influence fashion, and just how much Parisian designers are using those iconic forms to influence their creations. And, I must mention that gorgeous vintage fashion stores you find dotted around Paris; every trip is full of vintage treasures!

Let's dive into the past, shall we?

It seems like an obvious question, but just how did we arrive at that glorious, twirlable form, that beautiful shape we call the tutu? The ballet world, as we know it, wasn’t always a sea of tulle. Those classic tutus have evolved throughout the years – I mean, who can imagine Marie Camargo, the iconic ballerina, dancing with a voluminous dress dragging around her stage? I, for one, wouldn't be able to pull off such a graceful dance! It’s incredible to consider that in the past, tutus didn't even have a dedicated name – that didn't come along until 1841! And just to make things interesting, "Tutu" isn't even French! It seems the first person to coin this term for those delightful layers of tulle was Eugène L'Étoile, a popular 19th-century French ballet dancer. It’s a funny coincidence, and a charming story I like to tell – just think, these words just seem destined for the graceful shapes and movements of the ballet stage.

We all know the classic tutu story. Imagine Maria Taglioni gliding onto the stage in that iconic 'La Sylphide' (1832), she's simply exquisite – she’s not even wearing pointe shoes, that was just arriving then! Maria's groundbreaking movement with her ‘La Sylphide’ is where the world first saw a shorter, lightweight tutu. That little tutu transformed the whole ballet stage; the short form, a new approach to the dance! Maria Taglioni had the world hooked! But let’s not forget, short is a relative concept – for a ballerina at the time it meant a dramatic change from the floor-length skirts worn just years earlier! But this little creation of hers was revolutionary, it just flew onto the stage, perfectly reflecting a spirit of lightness and beauty. The dance itself just flowed - It’s still one of the most breathtaking dance pieces for me – pure ethereal perfection. And, you know, even then the ‘La Sylphide’ was so unconventional for its time, a huge change, it was really quite shocking!

Now, when we think of ballet history, I imagine most people's minds turn straight to 'The Romantic Era'* of ballet. That's my favourite time period to travel to, especially the period 1830-1870. It's when these wonderful short tutu variations first exploded onto the ballet stage and then went global, really influencing every future ballet. Ballet itself became more ethereal, mystical. Just imagine, dancers gliding on air. They moved faster than anyone had seen before. They floated around, practically leaping off the ground in leaps of pure joy. This is how the Romantic tutu captured everyone's imagination! It became an extension of the dancing, the dancer's body. They could perform more expressively – I love all that freedom, it was all about letting your passion and energy soar and it truly had an amazing impact on ballet history. It is simply amazing.

You see, tutus went from simple elegance in the late 18th century with layers of soft tulle, and, the long skirts only slightly shorter – imagine an evening gown for dancing! That changed throughout the Romantic Era with the dramatic shifts to those gorgeous lighter tutus in all of their beautiful variations. But then came the Modern and the Post-Modern and then things just totally changed, right? We still have these iconic short variations, the 'Romantic' tutus with layers and layers of tulle. But what happened next really blew my mind, just when I thought tutu shapes were done! The post-Romantic period had its own dramatic twist with the arrival of a new kind of tutu! * You ready for this? The *‘Paganini' Tutu (1938), and what a game-changer it is. This was the first appearance of that tutu you know now: The iconic ‘Classical Tutu’ - and it has changed everything! It is one of the most recognizable elements in ballet, with that amazing and *perfectly sculpted circular cone shape, and always with that little petit skirt at the bottom! We also now have ‘Powder Puff' variations of this design and layered-skirts – we owe it all to that 'Paganini' Tutu! The ‘Classical tutu’ became an iconic silhouette. I always pack one in my travel case, just in case!

My favourite bit? Ballet designers started using every shade under the sun. Now that wasn't common in earlier styles, tutus usually were mostly a soft white - and yes there are still so many beautifully designed variations! But when I go on those time travels I can see those changes happening! You can always feel the period’s fashion and mood in every design! Ballet tutus have come a long way from that earlier soft white!

I love how the 'Romantic Era' changed the shape of ballet forever, how we saw a dramatic shift to this incredibly ethereal lightness, like flying through the air!. That same time period in Parisian ballet gave us all sorts of new stories, like the Romantic Swan' of *'Swan Lake' with white tutus, and of course the beautiful, delicate ‘Sleeping Beauty’ and the gorgeous ‘Bluebird' ’ tutus. These are some of my favourite dance pieces *ever, even those dark characters have such character!

I’m totally drawn to this combination of romance, lightness, and elegant artistry! It’s truly remarkable what we can do when we combine our imaginations with the magic of dancing. And then in those ‘Neo-Classical Ballet’ creations we start to see totally new styles, with longer tutu lengths that sometimes mimic more contemporary clothing, and a lot of ballet street influences, really a fresh perspective, which so often recalls ballet fashion and influences the fashion world! You might want to try to capture some of that energy and style when shopping!

What fascinates me is the history of these iconic shapes. A beautiful tutu story starts with one dancer and the designer and can make or break a new creation. Those shapes have really told so many different stories! And they have made a mark on all those beautiful costume collections in all those incredible ballets that grace the world’s ballet stages - those are some truly priceless creations - just take a look at the British Ballet Library’s incredible collection in London! You really should! I always do! And just as costume design can impact a ballet production, you can see that there’s been such a tremendous impact from ballet to the broader fashion world, all these elegant and graceful looks, these lines and designs. Ballet influences, trends, designs and colours all blend seamlessly together. Ballet shapes are everywhere! *Can you imagine how many iconic designers take their *inspiration from these amazing costumes, that ‘haute couture’ we have all grown to adore?

But that's just one side of the story, the amazing costumes! But when we think about the dancers - let's not forget about the ballerinas themselves. How important they are, for how they wear their tutus, the elegant poses, the graceful steps – all these forms and movements - I always find myself so totally immersed in the power of the ballet experience, the performance itself. It’s like the tutu is a part of their identity. The design speaks directly to the performer’s creativity, her personality. She has the power to tell a story just through her posture and dance. That's just part of my journey!

That's how I got into this profession, as a Tutu History Blogger, as I call it. You might say it was fate, my first love - my obsession! And, now everyone is catching on. More and more people are embracing this fabulous ballet world and its exquisite fashion – just think what we can accomplish together, a whole community wearing tutus! I just love seeing a ‘Tutu Monday’ – I always take photographs, just love getting into the moment. It’s a fashion statement like no other - but when we put a pink tutu on... watch out world! It's going to be amazing!

I think I've spoken enough for now. You know me, I always have too much to say! This week's ## #TutuTuesday is all about Celebrating Ballet! We're talking tutu designs, that iconic silhouette, the stories, the amazing creations and how they can impact fashion all around the world. How wonderful that we can appreciate the history of such a remarkable piece of art. It’s totally captivating! I always enjoy learning new things! Let’s remember where the tutu originated from! Let’s celebrate all those beautiful tutu moments! But don’t forget about those magical ballet experiences. It’s time to get into the art, the design and the stories... What’s your favorite tutu story? Comment below!

Well my lovelies, don't forget to visit me next week. Same time, same place! I'll be heading back into time once again to talk about all the ## #TutuTuesday ballet happenings of another magical era - there's always more to explore in ballet, always another new discovery!

Emma xx