However, the skirt that became known specifically as the romantic tutu made its first appearance in 1832 at the Paris Opera, where Marie Taglioni wore a gauzy white skirt cut to reveal her ankles, designed by Eugene Lami in "La Sylphide". From the late 19th century onwards, the tutu was steadily shortened, for ease of movement and to show off the dancer's legs. Romantic tutus were effective in portraying the ethereal creatures that exist in many ballet repertoires, but as ballet became more modernized, the flouncy but stiff tutus would be replaced by softer more relaxed skirts. The traditional tutu is a symbol of historical dance and its past.