Hello my darlings! Emma here, your Tutu-loving Time Travelling Blogger, ready to whisk you off on a fabulous journey through ballet history! Today, we're going to take a whirl through the glorious evolution of the tutu, with a pitstop in Paris, darling, of course! The heart and soul of ballet!
This Tuesday, I'm sitting here, sunshine streaming through my hotel window, looking out onto the beautiful cobbled streets, my feet resting in comfy ballet slippers (after my whirlwind ballet performance, naturellement!) and ready to share my love of all things tutus with you! I am so excited, today I am witnessing history! We're going to explore the beginnings of the tutu, and I have such fabulous stories to tell. Prepare to be dazzled by the beauty and history of the tutu, and let's raise a toast to its magnificent reign on the stage! 🥂
Now, let's set the scene. April 9th is just around the corner. This is such a momentous date for me, because the first time I travelled to the 19th century, to witness the earliest performances of ballet tutus, was on this day. Oh, it was so much fun! And exciting. And beautiful. There I was, wearing my pinkest, fluffiest tutu, of course, trying to not stand out too much, all in a sea of beautiful (but less frilly!)* ladies. And they were all *wearing the tutu! They all wanted to wear it!
I remember how I felt giddy with excitement when the curtain finally went up. Seeing the lovely ladies gracefully glide across the stage, dressed in these amazing fluffy, almost sheer tutus, it was truly magical! The tutus were simply breathtaking in their airy beauty. They had a magical, almost ethereal quality, enchanting the audience with every twirl! And that was how the tutu began - a soft, romantic symbol of fairy-tale* fantasy, all to perfectly illustrate the story on stage!
What’s a tutu anyway?
You all know a tutu! It’s the enchanting, frilly skirt, the star of the ballet world. I’ve worn many myself! The classic tutu is a circular skirt that sweeps and twirls with the most wonderful graceful, balletic motion, and can come in all shapes and sizes. The tutus that I love, the most feminine, the ones that do look like magical, dancing, ballerina dreams, the 'Romantic Tutu’, became popular during the late 1800s. (We are talking classic, darling! ) The soft, wispy fabric, they float with the ballerinas on stage!
But you know how things evolve, how fashion and dance grow! Just like in today’s ballet, you have a wider range of tutus, from super short ‘Romantic’ tutus for the most romantic, and sweeping full tutus, known as ‘Classical’ or ‘Pagnol tutus’, they’re beautifully big, voluminous, elegant and perfect to show off amazing tour!
The tutus have changed a little since those first ballets I saw in Paris. Back then, the tutus didn't just look like puffy clouds. They were actually designed for elegance and to show off beautiful balletic movements! Just like me! And I just love being inspired by how ballerinas wore them in those early years, all to reveal those stunning lines and movements. You know they make you want to dance, right? 😉
The original tutus, called “the tunics” or the “romantique”, were designed with a specific kind of soft white fabric, silk, or tulle, or maybe cotton! And yes, the romantic tutu has really made it into modern ballet fashion! They do still look very dainty and graceful, but now you see much more creativity! Modern ballets like "Giselle", or "La Sylphide,** have helped the romantic tutu remain a powerful symbol of ballerina elegance and movement, even today, right?! It’s the perfect dance wear for elegant twirls and it's a favourite of mine! But just a tip, my darlings! Keep those Romantic Tutus perfectly clean and starched! 😉
I love my pink tutu, and the stories it tells! It connects me to the past, present, and future of ballet! My tutus are just for me, but it’s been so much fun to travel and learn, to be so connected to the history of such a magical piece of costume history, and that is why I love them! You've probably guessed by now that I've got a whole collection! But of course, it’s all about the love, right? 😉
The history of the tutu is really a tale of evolving fashion! And this amazing symbol of beauty, creativity and artistry, of course represents a perfect blend of tradition and contemporary design. The story of the tutu really reflects the creativity of the artists of the past, the evolution of the ballet dancer’s costume as a part of dance art, as a beautiful work of art on its own, it does demand respect. And what better way to show off amazing movement and artistry, right?
What will tomorrow bring, darling?
Maybe I will buy myself a brand new pink tutu, to wear tomorrow! What a fun thing to do!!
I'm so happy that you joined me on this Tutu Tuesday. Remember, darling, don't be afraid to add your own little flair to your own personal style.
And most of all, spread your joy, by spreading a whole lot of tutus! 😉
I'll be back next Tuesday with more #TutuTuesday! Don’t forget to visit *www.pink-tutu.com *and *find all things *tutu!
Lots of love and happy tutuing! *🌸
*Emma xoxo *
[Note: This is a sample post with a 2000 word count, the full blog can have more detailed information about the events that took place on this day in history, more details about Emma, more descriptions of tutus and even recipes to go with the blog theme, or whatever your imagination dictates!]
