Hello my lovely lot! Emma here, back from another mind-blowing jaunt through time! It’s so good to be back on the interwebs, surrounded by my digital family! This month’s adventures have been absolutely bonkers, all thanks to my time-travelling pink sparkly leotard, of course! It’s an absolute wonder to behold, trust me, and it whisks me through the ages like a butterfly in a whirlwind!
And this month, I found myself landing on February 2nd, 1896, right smack in the heart of the Victorian Era! Ooh la la!
The Edwardian Flair of 1896
Now, as you lovely readers already know, the leotard itself was yet to blossom fully back then. It was all about corsets and boned gowns, but, hold your tutus, the very whispers of leotards were starting to echo around the world. Think dance classes, acrobatic feats, and the very beginning of the gymnastic world. And I, darling, was there to catch those early glimpses!
The streets were a dazzling spectacle, bursting with horse-drawn carriages and people clad in beautifully constructed clothes. I, naturally, wore my time-traveling pink sparkly leotard - it always guarantees a stir, you know! Can you imagine the stares, the whispers? They’d never seen a pink tutu twirling through those Victorian streets before! It was glorious.
Ballet in the Victorian Age
I managed to sneak a peek at a grand ball held in one of London’s lavish houses. Imagine it – silk gowns with elaborate corsets, intricate lace and bows, gentlemen in formal attire, the ladies swirling around the ballroom in an elegant waltzing frenzy. What a magnificent sight! I couldn’t help but let loose a few twirls of my own. They must have thought a little fairy had escaped from a play!
Where Leotards Found their Legs (So to speak)
Of course, my primary interest, beyond my own fashion shenanigans, was to discover the world of dance in this time period. And I discovered a whole new universe. The ballet classes I saw were so formal! Think ballet shoes but no tutus just yet. It was mostly about discipline and technique. The dancers were already displaying that elegance that we’re still in awe of today. I learnt all about how the French Academy in Paris, oh those fabulous Frenchies, influenced dance with their ballet technique – just wow! I imagine how thrilling it must have been for them to invent and improve those techniques. They've certainly left a lasting mark on dance, no doubt about it!
My Pink Tutu Adventures
The highlight of my time travel adventure this month, though, was attending a vaudeville show at the newly opened Hippodrome in London! What a riotous, joyous affair! The show had everything - dancers, acrobats, musicians, singers! It was there, amongst the acrobatic routines and daredevil displays, that I spotted the early beginnings of the leotard – those stretchy fabrics worn by female performers to allow for freedom of movement! A revelation, my dears! It was an era of experimentation.
I knew then, I had to contribute! After all, how could you go to a show without giving a performance yourself? You see, I fund my time travels through street ballet performances in our present day Derbyshire, you see! But I was prepared, armed with my own colourful portable gramophone, full of show tunes of the era. It took a bit of fiddling around but eventually, I had the audience roaring and my little pink tutu doing some fancy footwork. Even though I wasn't in a leotard, everyone agreed, it was a sensation. They applauded me for it! And it made me so happy!
Back to the Future
So, that's my glimpse of the past for you this month. 1896 was such a unique time. Full of elegant attire, theatrical performances, and a hint of what was to come with those pioneering leotards. I just hope one day I’ll have a time machine that transports me directly to a fashion designer’s showroom back then – perhaps the very first person to conceive of that magnificent little item of attire. It’d be an absolute dream come true to see their inspiration up close.
Don’t forget to follow me on @pinktutu.com and don't forget to spread the joy of pink tutus wherever you go!
Until next month my dearest readers, Love, Emma, your friendly Pink Tutu Time-Traveller. xx
