Hello my darling dears, and welcome back to my little corner of the internet! I’m Emma, and today we’re whisking back in time – as per usual – to January 1st, 2061!
This month, I've had a real head-spinner of a time, flitting around different points in history. My trusty companion, Magic Meg, a shimmering pink shire horse with golden hooves, was champing at the bit to start our journey. She's quite a star herself – I often dress her in a matching pink halter and sparkly headpiece, she’s just divine!
As I always do, my rucksack was full to bursting, ready to absorb every sparkly snippet of ballet history I could find. This month’s treasure trove is crammed full of costume sketches, ticket stubs, and even a few scribbled notes from an early choreographer (who’d have thought there’d be actual paper still kicking about in the past?!).
Right, let’s get to the juicy bits, shall we? This year, my adventure was centred around the very roots of ballet – oh the magic!
Italy: A Blast From the Past
Our first stop was Italy in the early 1500s. Did you know, dearies, that the seed of ballet as we know it was sown right here? Forget fancy costumes, in those days ballet was an intricate, lavish spectacle involving elaborate courts and masked performers – a true theatrical marvel! Imagine! And, oh the colours! My mind was blown by the opulence of the period. They had an abundance of rich fabrics and precious jewels for these magnificent productions. Honestly, it made me wonder if even we, in this day and age, could possibly capture the glamour and sheer spectacle!
France: A Waltz Into Ballet's Beginnings
From the grandeur of Italy, Magic Meg galloped us onwards to the birthplace of ballet – France. My dear, the first time I saw King Louis XIV perform a ballet – now that was a showstopper! Can you believe this incredible man, a king, loved the art of ballet? This is what sparked a whirlwind of ballets, one more extravagant than the last, all vying for the royal court's approval. We waltzed our way into Paris, witnessing the evolution of this stunning art form from its very beginnings. I almost forgot where I was and found myself swept up in the grace and beauty of the movement! I couldn’t help but scribble some sketches of the early ballets for my fashion collection, these truly were the beginning of fashion and ballet combining in exquisite beauty!
London: Stepping into the Theatrical Heart of Ballet
Our final stop took us to the heart of London, specifically the London Coliseum. It was exhilarating to see the first ballet performances given here. I loved seeing how these dancers worked hard to make ballet accessible for all. In their early years, ballet was an exclusive pastime, a dazzling privilege for the wealthy, but it was at the Coliseum where ballet was democratized and welcomed into the mainstream! Seeing dancers perform on the stage of the Coliseum, sharing their talents with a wide audience was pure joy. We're truly blessed, you and I, to be able to attend ballet in our little villages across Derbyshire, without having to be part of the “upper crust.”
The Future of Ballet and Pink Tutues!
Okay, enough with history for now. What's on this month in the world of ballet? Let’s see... There are stunning ballet shows on in the local Derbyshire theaters and of course the renowned Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow will have their exquisite winter season program! I plan on heading down to London for a spectacular ballet in a theatre which I discovered whilst time travelling. It's on my to-do list this year to get myself down there with Magic Meg, so we can all admire the most spectacular production ever, but shhh it's top secret!
Oh, and speaking of fashion… I just had the most incredible pink tutu made for my collection, complete with delicate snowflakes and sparkling diamantes!
I can already imagine all my readers dressed in these pink delights, so if you're heading to a ballet this month, don't forget to slip into a pink tutu for me.
Well, until next time dearies!
See you in a month’s time – and may your pink tutu dreams come true!
P.S: Don't forget, you can catch up on all my ballet adventures and my musings on everything pink at my website, www.pink-tutu.com – my favourite blog to date is number 4801 – see if you agree, darlings!
