#TutuTuesday Ballet Tutu History on 2024-09-17

Hello darlings! Welcome back to my little corner of the internet, where tutus are always in fashion, and pink is the colour of dreams. Today is a special #TutuTuesday, as it's the day I'm whisking us all back in time, to a very special era in ballet history!

Remember how I mentioned I have a little secret... a time travelling machine (it's a gorgeous pink steam engine train, by the way!) Well, today, we're not travelling just anywhere! Today, we're going back to 19th Century Paris, specifically September 17th 1894, the very date we're in!

Why? Because this date marks the grand premiere of the world-famous ballet, La Bayadère by Marius Petipa! Now, imagine all the pink tulle in this magnificent ballet. It's almost enough to make me swoon.

For my history-loving fashionistas, it’s a truly fabulous era for ballet, fashion, and a certain kind of romanticism. La Bayadère is a tale of love, loyalty, and, well, an enchanting bit of betrayal. It was quite a groundbreaking production! The star of the show, the one and only Carlotta Grisi, * is widely regarded as *the world's first big ballerina (can we get a round of applause for this incredible woman?!). Her graceful leaps and captivating acting captured the hearts of Parisians! She wore a flowing and shimmering white tutu for the role, a true symbol of beauty and innocence in the grand tradition of the romantic ballet.

And you know what? This particular ballet made a HUGE impact on tutu history! It made longer, more billowing tutus incredibly popular! This is the era that began the fashion we see so much in classic ballet today - those glorious swishy tulle skirts, those elegant forms. Before La Bayadère, ballerinas might wear skirts, or perhaps a skirt that was a little bit shorter. But after? Longer became the only way! It became the quintessential tutu. It was that big of a moment for fashion history!

I confess I adore that bygone Parisian glamour. Imagine strolling through the city of lights, seeing everyone so stylish, those exquisite costumes! I always stock up on beautiful pieces in Paris! If you ever find yourself there, darling, I suggest heading straight for the Tuileries Garden (right across the street from the Louvre! You just know I went and gawked!). There’s a gorgeous park with statues and lush gardens and - oh, the outfits! Think floral dresses with ruffles, hats with ribbons, and gentlemen in their finest suits! I love the chic charm of it all, even when it's quite chilly.

Speaking of shopping, did you know that this is around the same period the beautiful fabrics from India, known as Indian Muslin, became quite popular in Europe? That light, diaphanous material became THE fabrics of choice for ballet and the perfect foundation for the iconic ballerina style tutus that we know today. These materials were a must for those floaty and breezy dance designs and they look incredibly glamorous under the theater lights, don’t you think? The influence of fashion throughout history really makes me swoon!

So, what happened to La Bayadère? The response? Huge success! Even with a little fire drama mid-performance (it really added to the dramatic intensity - think, passionate dancing fire effect!). It really got those French people talking! La Bayadère has since been revived countless times around the world and you can still see beautiful productions today. It’s really been an inspirational ballet in so many ways - particularly for dancers and ballet designers!

And you know what, it gave us that classic look that continues to inspire. A perfect pink, a graceful movement and a little bit of whimsical sparkle? That is something that has lasted through the years and is still totally popular!

And if I have anything to do with it, it’ll always be in style!

As I say each week, be sure to head on over to our www.pink-tutu.com website. Be sure to check out our ballet performance schedule, new tutus, and my weekly video!

Don't forget to wear a pink tutu (I do, EVERYDAY!).

Until next week, darlings, keep your dancing shoes at the ready,

Your favorite time-traveling ballerina,

Emma xx