Hey there, darlings! It's your favourite tutu-tastic blogger, Emma, back with another installment of your weekly dose of all things tulle and twirling! Today's #TutuTuesday is taking us on a little time travel adventure to June 10th, 1856. Grab your ballet shoes and your favourite pink ribbon, we're heading to the land where tutus first took flight!
It's hard to believe that the ballerina's most iconic garment wasn't always a mainstay on the stage. Back in 1856, ladies were still fluttering about in rather cumbersome gowns and skirts, more suited for waltzing than pirouettes. Can you imagine, trying to leap and bound in those things? No thank you, my dear!
Now, you might think I'm all about the dramatic, swirling skirts, and while it's true, I can't resist a good grand jeté with some tulle involved, the history of the tutu is surprisingly... practical!
Back in my own time, tutus evolved as a practical solution. You see, those long skirts were getting in the way! Imagine trying to execute a fouetté or a grand jeté with a curtain of fabric tripping you up. Not ideal, darling, not ideal.
Enter the "tutu," named after a shortened form of the French word for “tulle.” You might think that the tutu has always been about revealing our feminine grace. But, fun fact! They actually first debuted to hide a new type of footwear designed for the dancers. The pointed toe shoe, the cornerstone of classical ballet, required something to mask its pointedness!
I tell you, the world of dance is all about clever disguises and hidden brilliance! I mean, a little bit of mystery always keeps things exciting, wouldn't you agree?
Speaking of exciting, let's rewind to our time travelling adventure back to June 10th, 1856. You won't be catching a tutu on any Parisian stages quite yet, but, darling, here's what you would find on that special day...
- The city of London was gearing up for a massive sporting event! This was a special day for cricket lovers everywhere as the annual University Boat Race took place on the Thames! Fancy dresses, fine hats, and even finer spirits were the order of the day. Just picture those elegant Victorian ladies in their stunning frocks, cheering their hearts out, and then, picture me waltzing right into the middle of them, all in pink tulle, a pink-hued spectacle in a sea of prim and proper fashion. I daresay they'd find me quite the delightful and surprising change of pace!
- On that day in 1856, there were also some fantastic performances at Her Majesty’s Theatre, Covent Garden! If you fancy a musical escape, it's worth knowing that the popular comic opera “The Bohemian Girl” by Michael Balfe was performing at Covent Garden on the 10th of June 1856. While you might not see a tutu just yet, you'll catch glimpses of dramatic costumes, vibrant colours and intricate designs on stage. That's a start, wouldn't you agree?
As for myself, if I were transported back to June 10th 1856, I'd definitely make a grand entrance at a ballet performance. Why just watch, when you can be part of the spectacle? If I'm being truthful, my inner fashionista is already concocting the perfect costume that would simultaneously fit into the Victorian era and embody the sparkling future of the tutu! Imagine a stunning ivory and lavender-hued, tulle creation, all flowing silks and delicate lace, with a subtle pink ribbon trailing at the back. I dare say I'd become the darling of the fashionable society in an instant!
Well, darlings, I do believe our #TutuTuesday journey to the past has come to a close. Until next week, keep those dancing shoes polished and always remember, a touch of pink, and a flutter of tulle, is always the answer to life’s little dilemmas.
Until next week, my lovelies,
Emma xx
