Hello, my darling tutu lovers! It's Emma here, your resident pink tutu enthusiast and time-travelling ballerina, bringing you another #TutuTuesday installment of the Ballet Tutu History blog! This week, we're pirouetting back to February 15th, 1859. Now, picture this: the year of the first real tutu! The era of those grand, romantic ballets that make your heart soar.
Fancy stepping into my time machine with me for a quick jaunt to the grand boulevards of Paris, my favourite city? Weāre going to hop onto a charming little carriage pulled by a handsome, chestnut gelding, so put on your most beautiful Parisian dress ā imagine something lovely with layers of lace and frills, like those lovely drawings we see in fashion magazines. It's time for some 19th-century Parisian flair, darling!
Before we even think of ballet, I absolutely have to share my Parisian finds with you! Can you believe I snagged a pair of beautiful pink kid gloves? And these stunning white lace boots? Honestly, these shops in Paris are full of delightful trinkets. It feels so much more civilized than our Derbyshire markets, wouldn't you say?
Alright, letās put our thoughts of elegant gloves and beautiful boots aside, for now, and talk tutu! Now, if you were to attend the Paris Opera on February 15th, 1859, you would witness the incredible "La Fille du RĆ©giment" by the iconic Gaetano Donizetti. You see, back in 1830, Carlotta Grisi, one of the most fabulous dancers of the day, wanted to feel truly free as she performed. The corset (oh dear, so uncomfortable!) made her movement stiff, and so her tailor devised something new! A daring little skirt made of layers upon layers of tulle. Imagine! Only a single layer of silk, and layers upon layers of tulle. This is where our beautiful tutus have their origins, darling.
They called this garment le tutu, a French word for tulle. In fact, some say it wasn't actually named "tutu" until Marie Taglioni took to the stage wearing one of Carlottaās lovely, billowing tulle creations in the 1830s! Iām so glad those beautiful, bold, fearless women like Carlotta and Marie paved the way for us dancers to twirl and soar across the stage in these glorious creations.
I love how each layer of tulle feels like a soft cloud, each fold making your movements like a flower swaying in the wind. I believe, truly believe, that the tutu's elegance gives a ballerina her wings. Every movement feels so much more powerful! I even took some inspiration from these beauties and stitched my own pink tulle tutu. Don't worry, I'll share a peek on Instagram this week, and of course, you'll get the pattern, once itās finished. Weāre all about sharing inspiration here, and I canāt wait for you to try it!
I think those early tutus are almost too airy and light for modern ballerinas like me, though, with all that whirling and jumping, sometimes more structure is needed, so they've definitely evolved with the demands of dancing. You know how much I love our current designs with the structured waist, like the classical ballet tutu we use now, darling, with those layers and layers of beautiful tulle, and a stiffened, fitted bodice ā the plat*e tutu. The plate tutu is perfect for high kicks and beautiful, high leaps. But we wouldn't have such elegant modern tutus if not for the courage of those trailblazing Parisian dancers in the 1830s, now, would we?
But letās not just stay with the Paris Opera, thereās another place that holds such fond memories for meā¦ The Royal Opera House in Covent Garden! It was in 1859 that the grandest stage in the world officially opened its doors to the world of opera. Talk about an incredible feat of engineering! And even better, the Royal Opera House wasnāt just an opera house, it held ballets, darling! You can imagine me, all dolled up in my pink tutu, watching those beautiful performances with such wonder.
Imagine it: the theatre packed full of the crĆØme de la crĆØme of London's social scene, a glass of sparkling champagne in your hand, all dressed up in fine gowns, gentlemen in elegant top hats ā itās all a wonderful, romantic dream. It makes me so nostalgic.
You see, for me, visiting such theatres and observing history from my perspective is much more exciting than boring old textbooks!
And there is much to learn! For instance, did you know that ballet tutus are often more about creating illusion than reality? For example, when those graceful ballerinas lift their legs, the layers of tulle create a line of movement that makes them look lighter than air! In fact, a good ballet tutu must be light enough to let the body flow, yet thick enough to āholdā its shape as it twirls, jumps, and stretches! Oh, the art of design! And such incredible skill!
Well, I think my pink tutuās got a little time travel fatigue (yes, my tutus get a bit tired sometimes too!), so weāll have to wrap up our #TutuTuesday for now. Make sure to check back next week for more tutu tales!
As ever, keep it beautiful, stay twirling, and may your pink tutu wear bring you joy and grace! Until next time!
Warmly,
Emma. xx
