Hello darlings! It's Emma here, back from another fabulous intergalactic adventure! Oh my goodness, this week has been simply divine! I mean, you know me, I'm always up for a cosmic twirl, and this time it's all about Earthly ballet! I'm sure you've guessed that pink is still my favourite colour - I practically wear a pink tutu every day (it just feels right!), so when I landed on this beautiful planet, I simply HAD to find out what it's all about, here, on Earth, with these dancey humans!
And let me tell you, dear readers, there's no shortage of pink! This week's planet-hopping adventure brought me to Derby, where it all started - you could say, where my tutu-wearing dreams began! My roots, if you will! My family's from Derbyshire, in England, and let me tell you, those British chaps know how to make a good cuppa! It's such a lovely thing, being able to see the sights where I grew up and feeling the earth beneath my pink ballet shoes. You know, I still find it rather amazing how Earth folk, despite all their technology, can have such simple pleasures. But, enough of my rambling⌠onto the ballet!
Tutus, Tut-Tuts and More Tutus
For starters, these humans are MAD about ballet! Imagine, dear readers, having hundreds of years of tradition behind a certain style of dance, and even using special clothes and even their own special terminology â it's absolutely divine! In Earth terms, they've got âBalletâ and they've got âBallet Schoolsâ and âBallet companiesâ and these things are called âSchools of thoughtâ - I donât think that phrase is too widely used on other planets, I don't know, I could be wrong - and that made me wonder: how many tutus could there be in this whole Earth, even just in Derby alone? I just have to find out, don't I! And if I can convince them all to be pink... Oh! The wonder of it all!
The history of ballet and its association with tutus - oh, how it all weaves together. And do you know what's brilliant about it all? Earth folk, theyâre absolutely brilliant at telling stories using their dancing bodies, which makes the outfits and, you guessed it, the tutus, even more special! A dancer might look graceful in a flowing, long white skirt one day, and then in the next performance theyâre in a brightly coloured, short tutu with lots of layers and fancy decoration, looking incredibly elegant as they float through the air⌠Oh, and those jumps, dear readers! Letâs not forget about those spectacular leaps and pirouettes!
Youâll understand how Earth people see ballet as being incredibly feminine when I say there's a whole bunch of tutus â and let me tell you, not all of them are pink! They come in many colours. A whole host of beautiful materials from silk and lace to cotton and taffeta⌠and they've been through changes too - different shapes, different lengths. Sometimes a ballet might involve only one type of costume, sometimes a combination â just wait âtil you see a show with hundreds of people on stage, dancing in synchronicity and wearing their amazing costumes â itâs quite magical! I tell you what - tutus truly are a universal language â so, it's no wonder that Earth folk would have created the 'Ballet Tutu Museum'.
A Cultural Explosion
When I arrived in Derby on this glorious spring day, it was simply buzzing! A âtutuâ â youâd almost swear it! - because of all the arts activities and it just happened that the Derby Theatre was having its âBallet Showcase Weekâ. This meant performances from so many talented, Earth dancers - so graceful and expressive! Oh! I'm almost out of words! Imagine, so many incredible dances from different ballet companies, each showcasing their best work and traditions â what a wonderful thing!
One of the shows was a âfull length balletâ called âSwan Lakeâ. Can you imagine â an entire piece about a young princess! This is very close to my heart! My dear readers, weâre not in Kansas, but with ballet, anything goes â the princess even turns into a bird, and the show finishes with an incredible swan dance! Honestly, it felt like something out of a dream!
A couple of days later, there was a lovely âstudent ballet performanceâ â all the younger students at the Derby ballet school were performing and oh! What lovely movements â each one full of elegance and strength â a future filled with possibility for these wonderful performers â it makes my heart sing. You can find these younger Earth ballerinas and young ballet schools all across the planet. It really shows just how many dancers there are and what a passion this dance holds for so many people.
Letâs Talk about the Tutu
I took some photos of the dancers - look out for them in the 'Photo' section, darlings - in the auditorium at the Derby Theatre and wow â there are so many different tutus â what colour did you like best, darlings? A soft, white satin tutu? Or, perhaps a deep blue with a beautiful peacock design! Oh, there was even a fabulous âpinkâ tutu, which made my inner fashionista beam. There's no denying it, darling - on planet Earth, it seems like pink, it's the universal colour for a dancerâs heart â not to mention it matches my fabulous boots and handbag! Oh! I must remember to find the âperfect pink ballet shoes' during my stay! Maybe, one for every occasion! A good wardrobe has to have a place for everything â even my pink ballet boots!
I also stopped by some Earth ballet shops. Just try to imagine a shop where the only items on sale are pink ballet shoes and beautiful costumes. The displays were to die for! Imagine my absolute excitement - I was surrounded by everything tutu - just look at my photo gallery, dear readers! - oh my goodness! What a collection of beauty! The tutus, the outfits, the materials - silk and chiffon, oh! My head was spinning - and what colours! And every one of them a little different. No two were exactly the same! Every dance and story needs the perfect look! How Earthly ballerinas can chose one, I have no idea!
Ballet Street Performance!
But hold your tutus! Because the biggest surprise came right at the end of my stay - at Derby bus station! And this time, it wasnât even at a ballet theatre! Iâm not joking! One of the cityâs local dance troupes, had organised their very own street show â with pink tutu dancers, performing right in the heart of Derby. The place was packed, filled with Earth folk clapping along, and children even joined in the performance. That was a total treat - what an exciting performance right there in the bus station!
Well, you can't take the ballet dancer out of the girl - I love the theatricality of it all, it really is just a divine combination - and it turns out that the âDerby bus station showâ had taken some of the steps and moves from a popular earth show called âCatsâ. What an original creation and what fantastic costumes. Iâll be including the details of this show in the blog, darling â be sure to look out for them.
From Pink Tutu to Intergalactic Traveller
You can just tell how much fun these Earth folk have making up dance steps and music. The creativity here is just outstanding! This entire trip was an unforgettable journey of creative inspiration â not to mention an opportunity to meet wonderful new people, from dancers to local families who offered to give me a lift around Derby, so incredibly kind â this planet, darling â thereâs just something so incredibly magical about this place. Thereâs still so much to discover on Planet Earth and my dear readers - it wonât be my last visit - so, if you have any recommendations â for amazing things, special shops, incredible dancers - you name it - leave your comment and I'll try to add them to my planet hopping wish-list, darlings! And if you do â do check out this week's photo gallery, so, much to see and read! Donât forget to wear a pink tutu and remember: âSpread your pink, and twirl your way!â Until next week, my dear readers! It's time for another space adventure!
