Hello darlings! It's Emma here, back with another fabulous #TutuTuesday post from my travels through time. This week, we're whisking ourselves back to a delightful 19th century February, specifically February 19th, 1856! Can you imagine, darlings, tutus hadn't even hit their peak then. I just had to see what was going on!
Now, for a bit of background – you know how much I adore learning about the evolution of the tutu! It's like watching a fabulous fashion story unfold. Imagine this, darlings: in 1856, ballet tutus were nowhere near as billowing and delightful as the ones we wear today!
The ballerinas of this era were all about romantisme - think swirling, romantic, long-flowing skirts and a rather delicate tutu design. The "romantic era", darlings, was a period of change for ballet, and they still had their little layers, just shorter than what we see today. It was much more about the expression of emotions in dance, a bit ethereal, dreamy, and much less of the technical gymnastics we see now!
To travel back to 1856, I landed myself in a Parisian ballet house (the epicentre of all things tutus!), nestled in the elegant streets of Paris, surrounded by gorgeous architecture, with shops overflowing with the latest finery. You wouldn't believe the selection of fabrics – silks so smooth you could barely even touch them, beautiful velvets, and satins so shimmering that it would bring a tear to your eye! I simply had to try them on.
Just imagine darling, what a delightful experience – to witness this historical evolution of ballet first-hand, especially in Paris! I bet even if the Parisian ballerinas didn’t know about the big tutu fashion explosion coming, the magic and the stories they told with their movements... Ah, it was simply exquisite.
So, what happened on February 19th, 1856 you ask? I did manage to snag a coveted ticket to see La Fille mal gardée, or "The Unruly Daughter", a light-hearted comedy ballet at the famous Opéra Garnier . Oh, what a performance it was!
Now, picture it: the gaslight flickering, the hushed excitement of the audience as the music began to rise and swell. Then, bam, the curtain opened, and there were these beautiful ballerinas, all wearing those dainty, layered tutus. They were quite the sight, dancing their hearts out, creating the magic on stage, you know, just with a touch of romance.
They wore those tiny, dainty slippers...oh how I adore those dainty ballet slippers, so feminine and dainty. Their graceful movements, the artistry – it truly touched my soul, darling. And it wasn't just the dancing, but the costumes! They weren't the fluffy extravaganza that we know today, but it was a delicate and dreamy elegance – they felt like stories told through their gentle swaying movements, in all their ethereal glory.
Now, you know, darling, I couldn't help myself! I waltzed through the streets of Paris, like I was on stage, a swirling pink tutu of my own making, dancing in the street with joy, sparkling like a fairy tale come alive. I saw children in beautiful dresses playing in the gardens, while gentlemen and ladies elegantly strolled through the Parisian streets, all impeccably dressed, sipping hot cocoa and indulging in Parisian delights at lovely cafes, watching street performers.
It really was such a magical day, darlings! I hope you enjoyed joining me in this little historical journey. It’s amazing to see how far ballet has come, isn’t it? Don't forget, I'm a ballerina, a writer, and a passionate advocate for everything pink. It is my ultimate mission to share my love for dance, and to spread the joy of wearing tutus to the whole world, one Tutu Tuesday at a time.
Now, why don't you go have yourself a wonderful pink week, my lovely readers! And don't forget, you are fabulous. And wear pink, always wear pink! 😉💖
