Post Number: 2845
Hello my darling ballet bunnies! Welcome back to Pink-Tutu.com, your one-stop shop for all things pink, sparkly, and pirouette-tastic. It's Emma here, your favourite tutu-wearing time traveller, and January 1st, 1898, finds me swirling through the cobbled streets of London, my trusty steed, Magic Meg, trotting beside me. Meg, you know, is a true pink-tutu-loving horse; all shimmering pink with a mane and tail like spun snow, and hooves the colour of burnished gold!
It’s the turn of the century, and what a fantastically theatrical start to a new year it is! The air hums with excitement for all that’s to come, and you just know that somewhere, there’s a ballet unfolding, and a story waiting to be told.
So, saddle up my lovely dears, as we gallop back in time and I show you exactly what a pink-tutu-tastic January 1st, 1898 was all about!
Ballet Bonanza in 1898
Firstly, let’s have a chat about ballet as it stood back in 1898. You'd be hard-pressed to find a full-length classical ballet, dear friends! Back then, most of the action was happening on stage through shorter divertissements. They were a mixed bag, ranging from short scenes of ballets from past centuries to dazzling and extravagant dances created especially for the stars of the day! Imagine all that gorgeous costuming! I'm just dreaming about all those tulle-covered ballgowns, the silk costumes, and the endless shimmer of sequins.
You'd find these delightful dance divertissements gracing the grand opera houses of the world, the perfect way to entice audiences with their artistry, artistry, and stunning, awe-inspiring technical feats.
Ballet, Broadway, and Beyond
This time period also witnessed the rise of ballet in America. While there were a few dance schools, they often relied on travelling troupes to bring their audiences a taste of the wonders of ballet. But things were beginning to change! New York was quickly becoming a city that danced! And as luck would have it, we were going to witness some incredible history!
You know I love a bit of history, so, off we trotted to New York’s Metropolitan Opera House. Here, they were premiering an extraordinary performance called “Aida”. This wasn't just a ballet, but a lavish and opulent opera! I've heard rumours about its beauty, the sets, the music, it was simply beyond! They'd just introduced electricity, so you could imagine the glorious spotlight effects, creating a world of drama, music, and pure theatre. Talk about a perfect way to begin 1898!
Of course, I had to get my hands on a beautiful new piece for my collection. It turns out this very production, Aida, contained some extraordinary dancing by Madame La Belle, a celebrated star of the stage! Oh, how I love to collect historical ballet stories! I bought a lovely miniature sketch of her from the theatre- it shows her in a beautifully draped, swirling costume, her hair cascading around her like a silver cloud.
Ballet's Fashion Forward
Oh, I mustn't forget to mention the sheer delight of fashion back in 1898! Imagine, ladies, corsets that nipped in at your waist and the most exquisite silks that billowed out like a pink tutu! What is a tutu but a celebration of that beauty and drama of dance?
I spotted the most splendid millinery shop in the heart of London. It had windows filled with dazzlingly elaborate hats that were not just for keeping the sunshine out! You'd find the ladies adorned with hats bedecked in flowers, ribbons, feathers, even miniature birds, perfectly complimenting their elaborate ballgowns and shimmering silks. There is no greater dance than a walk around London’s streets dressed to the nines, isn't it so?
Pink Tutu Thoughts on the 1st of January, 1898
It was an afternoon filled with breathtaking grandeur, but amidst all the opulence, one thought stayed with me: every woman is a dancer at heart. There's a pirouette waiting to be spun in every one of us. It may not be in a grand theatre, but perhaps in a little twirl of joy as you rush for the bus or in the happy sway as you listen to your favourite song. It's about the feeling of flight, the grace in our steps, and the boundless joy of movement!
Oh, and my dears, you simply have to experience a pink tutu! Trust me, a splash of pink in your life will turn the ordinary into the extraordinary, a sprinkle of magic in a simple day. Don’t forget to visit www.pink-tutu.com to keep up to date with all our exciting events and adventures! Until next month, keep swirling, darling dears!
Emma xoxo
P.S. Stay tuned, my lovelies! I'm getting ready for my next time travel adventure – where will my trusty pink tutu and I go this time? Don’t miss out – subscribe to my blog and you won't miss a single step!
