Hello darlings! It's Wednesday again, which means it's time for another fabulous Pink Tutu World update from yours truly, Emma! This week, I'm bringing you a delightful little escapade right here on dear old Planet Earth. Can you believe it? Me, back on home turf! Now, don't get me wrong, I adore my interstellar jaunts and meeting the fabulous creatures in the furthest reaches of the galaxy. But sometimes, even this glamorous spacefaring ballerina needs to ground herself, don her finest pink tutu, and enjoy the simpler pleasures of life back here on Earth.
Now, this particular Earth visit, it wasn't just for tea and crumpets, my dears. Oh no! It was for a rather special occasion – a magnificent ballet performance, of course!
I landed in good old Derby, Derbyshire, (it’s been a while, hasn’t it?) and popped into the usual suspects for some last-minute shopping, because honestly, can you ever be over-prepared for a ballet performance? I was a bit concerned when I couldn’t find a single pink tutu shop but eventually decided a few purchases from Miss Selfridge would have to do. I made a right good dent in my allowance (you all know the woes of an international ballet star) and popped into my local Cleo's Café on a little side street for a much-needed (and quite delightful) afternoon tea. This little café really is one of the gems of Derby and everyone has such nice chat. They make such divine, pink, strawberry tarts! A perfect fuel for a good dose of cultural loveliness.
That evening, it was off to the theatre to watch Giselle. Oh, darlings, let me tell you, Giselle on a good day can be positively spectacular! A real show-stopper.
Now, for those of you not yet acquainted with the history of this incredible ballet, here's the lowdown:
Giselle was first performed in 1841. It’s one of those ballerinas with an absolutely heartbreaking, almost-a-tragedy love story, full of betrayal, vengeance, and ethereal fairies – the kind of story that stays with you long after the final curtain falls.
The heroine, Giselle, is a simple village girl (think long skirts and flowing hair. Such a good contrast to a big tulle tutu) who falls hopelessly in love with the charming nobleman, Albrecht. But then he breaks her heart by revealing his true identity: He's actually a prince in disguise! GASP!
A big "I-Told-You-So!" moment for the villagers because, well, how can a young man with all those fancy clothes, a nice sword, and a fine title really be in love with someone from the lower classes, right? Anyway, to make things a whole lot worse, Giselle finds out that Albrecht has promised his hand to another! Double betrayal!
That's when our tragic ballerina turns into a Wili, one of the beautiful yet vengeful fairy spirits that torment those who break their oaths. Giselle doesn’t kill him, but she’s furious! Honestly, what does that say about love when you get betrayed like that?! I think it’s pretty understandable if a girl turned into a fairy-ghost-thing!
Giselle spends the rest of her (fairy) life dragging unsuspecting guys (and other betrayers) to the bottom of lakes and drowning them - you know, the sort of what's-good-for-the-goose-is-good-for-the-gander sort of thinking!
There are so many versions of this story that I really feel it's best just to see it yourself. And let's face it, any time I’m given a reason to wear my favourite pink tutu – even better. There’s always something incredibly elegant and timeless about the story, that truly resonates, whether the stage production is in a stately London theatre, an abandoned theatre, a school gym or just about anywhere else. The best bit about a good Giselle performance, though, is the *Dance of the Wilis. Absolutely incredible!
And to top it off, Giselle has one of the most incredible finalé choreography - which is an absolute spectacle.
I saw Giselle last night at The Derby Theatre and was mesmerised! Such graceful dancing.
Oh my goodness, it reminded me how incredibly moving a well-executed classical ballet can be. You’ve got that mixture of technical ability and artistry that never fails to amaze. Ballet is always on my must-do list for any new city or planet! I don't know what it is but something about watching beautiful women gracefully leap and twirl through the air is truly enchanting.
And that brings us to my next point - why does everyone always forget about the costumes?! Now I love an elegant dress, a chic suit and maybe a stunning gown here and there, but let’s talk about the ballet tutu. The beautiful layered skirt made entirely of net or tulle is the most fabulous thing ever! I can’t even comprehend how Carlotta Grisi, (the ballerina that originated this role), managed to wear one of these with shoes as simple as ballet pumps on stage!
It must be so difficult! There are more than enough swishes for one show, but don’t even get me started on the weight of it. It's quite incredible. Not even to mention that ballet shoes would really do you a bad service in terms of foot comfort, (although they look absolutely stunning when worn, of course!).
The tutus from the original production must have been stunning, and I think it is such a strong part of this beautiful story that really should be considered when looking for a dress. You might have guessed that I always make time to see how ballet outfits have evolved in time when I’m in a new location. I do believe they are getting lighter in modern productions! (What will I wear in the next Giselle?!) But honestly, for a simple garment they are still so striking - it is such a bold look - the perfect blend of movement and glamour! I am now convinced I need to wear a tutu for any important social event I attend, just in case there's a special appearance of the dancing fairy Wilis. After all, the Pink Tutu never lets me down - It's truly the essential look, whether I'm on stage or shopping at Tesco.
But on with my intergalactic ballet adventure! So, where to next?
To be honest, I am starting to think about venturing back to my home planet of Earth a bit more regularly for the next few weeks as this has reignited my love of theatre and the performing arts - particularly as the festive season draws in - nothing beats a pantomime! Oh dear, you all know me and my Christmas adventures... And who knows! Maybe I'll be joining my friend, Lucy (who is such a beautiful dancer!) on the Derby Theatre stage, sometime soon - we do enjoy doing ballet classes in our free time and have so much fun making up impromptu performances! She's a wonderful dancer and we'd look incredible dancing together, don’t you think? I am tempted to contact Derby's Youth Dance Ensemble, as I am keen to introduce my love of dance to future ballerinas - what do you all think?
However, you might spot me doing some fundraising - because travelling in space and looking amazing is a serious business. I think I'll get my trusty crew in for a little show. The most popular dance is, as usual, "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star". Such an adorable little show - It usually pulls in a right crowd and everyone really enjoys it - Especially the kids! They just love to join in the singing!
Now, for those of you interested, I'm hosting a Pink Tutu Party at my lovely local bar, The Kings Head in Derbyshire. It will be an exclusive affair, limited spots, so be sure to keep an eye on my social media and website (that's www.pink-tutu.com) for updates, because I might be doing a special ballet-themed performance. You'll have to wait to find out, darlings!
I will of course post some pictures - hopefully a few behind-the-scenes ones too! Don’t worry I’m not just there for the champagne – well I might have a cheeky little glass (it is, after all, a Pink Tutu Party) – I also intend to see if my beloved ballet dress needs a little bit of attention after all the dust it has picked up from intergalactic travels, or even a quick wash if you can believe it - it does get very mucky. My goodness I travel with a lot of luggage! I am really getting rather used to it but it must be a logistical nightmare for my crew!
I know I've told you before, but this is your reminder that you don't need to be in an elegant opera house or even on a space ship to truly appreciate ballet. Put on a little Pink Tutu, find yourself a playlist of your favourite classical tunes - it could be even something extra fun – even that one you listened to at school - you don’t even need an expert playlist! Spin, leap, and twirl right in the comfort of your own home, with the most glamourous pink tutu in the whole galaxy.
That’s it from me today! Now I really must make a dash, darling - a quick fashion update for the next blog and another fundraising gig on Planet Jupiter - the big space dance event - don't be surprised if you see a few images pop up on your feed if I’ve had a chance to upload to my favourite social media apps before I head off.
See you next Wednesday, lovelies! Keep dancing and stay gorgeous, and remember, darling, it's always time for a pink tutu.
Yours truly,
Emma xoxo
What I'm wearing:
- My signature Pink Tutu (naturally)
- My favourite ballet shoes – A classic design from Repetto. They go with everything - (the only place you can’t really wear a tutu is the gym but I might try that one day…)
- Some pearl jewellery because why not?! I have also recently discovered how easy it is to create an entire costume design out of pearl necklaces and a great big tutu – what a look! It's all about finding a good balance, especially when working with pearl necklaces because - they can go from so beautiful to a bit too much, really quickly - you must know your style to make it work. I will definitely let you know how I do - I’m actually working on my next Pink Tutu design!
- My classic red clutch (You already know the rules!)
Pink Tutu World Weekly Round-Up
Well darling, my trip back to Earth is always an interesting one - but it wasn’t my only visit in recent times! It always goes back to what the pink tutu wants for the day, you know? But if I'm being honest with you, I spent a good chunk of my time in the air. I was really quite impressed with the number of galaxies I’ve visited and new shows I’ve seen recently! The dancing in the Vega Constellation is so much fun!
Last month alone I managed a whirlwind tour through:
- Centauri B, a bright star – Oh, my goodness – it was incredible. Just the other week I found a real little dancing queen! Now don’t think she looked anything like you’d expect, my love. This particular star-dancer was very, very green and a little wobbly, which makes sense as they haven’t developed any technology - all her costumes were completely organic. What a vision, though! My mission - get them a pink tutu, of course!
- Proxima Centauri, it’s not far at all and a fabulous choice if you need a change of scenery.
- Canis Major, now you all know how much I love to dance - so it’s no surprise that my dance partners, from the * Sirius* system (the Dog Star - Isn't it the perfect name?), and I, had such an amazing time on the Canis Major tour. There’s always so much good food in the canis systems. Really lovely creatures but it's amazing to me that, after so many years of traveling around, that so many alien systems still have some similar ways of doing things. They have such beautiful dancing that I had to do a quick "Cosmic Ballet" class and some solo work for my audience of the big boys in blue. They always make such great audiences and are so good at remembering the routine that I teach.
- Procyon, a planet I've recently rediscovered for the seventh time in a row - It seems the place where every pink-tutu-clad ballerinas has to start out.
It’s all very hard work, darling - travelling around the universe – the pressure is immense, so, naturally, I am so proud to announce that the Pink Tutu World Universe Ballet Company has recently acquired a few new members, so, as always, there’s more to-do on my itinerary. Oh, darling I am going to be so busy and need every single moment in every day to catch up on my ballet choreographing - there’s so much that’s on my list - you know I need to give every cosmic dancer the attention and time they need to prepare a sparkling performance. I'm incredibly happy for everyone. And as soon as possible, we will be putting on the first cosmic dance extravaganza in Hydra, my dears. It's going to be absolutely spectacular! There’s going to be plenty of room for my ballet crew to go from planet to planet to planet - How very exciting. The universe is certainly our stage - as my beloved mentor once said - Always go where your tutu wants to take you.
It's so fulfilling. Seeing new planets and seeing my Pink Tutu Crew doing what they do best! It brings me such joy! What else could you want in your busy schedule, my dears?! Now I just need to decide what's on the agenda for the rest of the month. My To-Do list is a rather long one, that much I know, darling - but as I keep telling myself and my crew Always aim high, keep the dream going, and don't forget to enjoy the journey - always wear the pink tutu and stay fabulous.
Love,
Emma
