Hello darling dance enthusiasts! Emma here, your friendly neighbourhood pink tutu wearing, time-travelling blogger! It's that time again, time for another jaunt through history in my sparkly pink time travelling leotard!
This month, I'm twirling back to September 9th, 1879. Itās been a long, exciting, and frankly exhausting month fundraising with street ballet performances, but hey, anything for the love of leotards and a good time! Now, grab your favourite pink tutu (or even just a bit of pink ribbon if thatās all you have) and get ready to dance back in time with me!
As we enter this bygone era, we're immediately hit with a charming air of Victorian elegance. Oh my, it's like stepping onto a beautifully drawn stage setting, with everyone dressed in those exquisite long skirts and frilly collars. And can we talk about those corsets?! They must have taken a real dedication to squeeze into!
The Leotard Landscape
It's amazing to see how the fashion scene has evolved. While 1879 isn't known as a big turning point in the world of dancewear, itās fascinating to see where leotards fit into the picture. Imagine ā those wonderful ballet dancers were wearing tights underneath long, flowy skirts. A far cry from our sleek, stylish leotards of today, don't you think?
The 1870s were also the years that the American actress, Lillian Russell, made it trendy for performers to adopt the leotard in a slightly looser form than dancers might have used it, worn as a sort of "unitard". Now thatās a little more practical, donāt you think? But my goodness, just think of all those layers of fabric beneath! No wonder Victorian ballet seemed a bit more āposedā and āgracefulā than modern ballet with all that extra tulle and crinoline in the way!
A Visit to the London Ballet Theatre
Today's jaunt brings me to the London Ballet Theatre! Well, technically, the venue was just opening that year ā I mean, in this year, you wouldnāt find it listed under that title! This would have been known as the Covent Garden Theatre! The theatre was about to start holding regular opera and ballet seasons for the first time. Oh, imagine the buzz! Now this sounds like something we can have a little bit of fun with! I can just picture the incredible costumes ā itās enough to send any lover of leotard history into a tailspin! This theatreās history really is as sparkly as my time-travelling leotard!
And, what a month for dance!
On September 9th 1879, the Opera houseās repertoire included the opera Aida by Giuseppe Verdi which debuted in 1871. Although, on this particular night, they werenāt running any ballet, so I spent the night indulging my sweet tooth at the Theatre's elegant restaurant! It's fascinating how music and dance have always intertwined. Aida with its themes of passion, drama, and spectacle is the very stuff ballet is made of, although, of course, itās a different performance altogether ā thatās why Iām so glad to get the chance to enjoy the musical element too.
Now, as the night begins to draw to a close, I'm reflecting on all the joy and creativity I've soaked up in this charming time period. As you read this, Iām just making my way home through the Victorian streets, ready to head straight to the market to browse through the haberdashery stores for ideas for my next vintage-inspired leotard! Maybe it will even inspire a whole new street dance routineā¦
And before I sign off, darling readers, remember the magic of ballet. The stories we tell through graceful movements and dazzling costumes, the joy we share through shared passionā¦ it all comes back to our love of leotards! So, go out there, twirl with abandon, and spread the pink tutu love! See you next month, darlings, for another exciting pink-tutu-themed historical adventure!
Until next time, Emma
www.pink-tutu.com
