Hello, darlings! It's your favourite pink tutu-clad ballerina, Emma, here, back from another stellar adventure, fresh off the spaceship and ready to share all the latest from my intergalactic travels. I know you all love my posts so much, and I can't thank you enough for tuning in every Wednesday to www.pink-tutu.com, my little corner of the internet dedicated to all things fabulous and, of course, pink!
Today, however, we're leaving the shimmering lights of the Milky Way behind for a while. Why? Because I'm back on good old Planet Earth, feeling the gentle breeze through my tulle as I sit down to share the adventures of the past week! It's Wednesday the 16th of March 2011, and what a whirlwind of events it's been.
This week I actually had a performance at a local school hall! It's funny because while I'm used to dancing for whole planets full of audiences, doing something small, with a little audience, felt so quaint. But of course, it was magical as always. I danced "La Sylphide", the story of a woodland spirit so beautiful and elegant, who danced and loved, just like us. You should have seen my pink tulle, darling, just flowing with the rhythm, it was divine. And the kids loved it! Every time I saw them in their seats, they all seemed to have their own little pink tutus on in their imaginations! You see, spreading the joy of pink is what I'm all about!
After the performance, I thought I'd have a little walk around Derbyshire. There's a new ballet shop called "Swansong" in Bakewell, and I simply had to see it. The selection was wonderful - a shop bursting with all sorts of incredible shoes, tutus, and costumes. Of course, I couldn't resist trying on a few pink beauties! The shop assistant was lovely - we had a wonderful time comparing stories of the best ballet shows, her favourite being Swan Lake. I thought she looked perfectly lovely in her grey and white "Swan Lake" inspired ballet top - she had the grace and poise of a true Swan! I bought a magnificent pink sequinned belt from them - so decadent!
Speaking of Swan Lake, it reminds me of another incredible ballet production I saw just last week! The local dance school in town, The Dancing Stars Academy, is renowned for its exquisite choreography and talent. It was a truly magical experience watching those incredibly talented students dance with so much grace and emotion. There was so much heart and passion in each performance! It brought me back to the joy I felt when I was a child, first discovering ballet in our little local dance studio in Derby, a place I still hold close to my heart. And I could tell everyone in the audience was feeling the magic!
Now, after an invigorating performance, and a shop stop, you all know that means it's time for… shopping! Oh, yes, I couldn't have been happier to stroll down to the shops, the real shops on this quaint Earth, in my very own sparkly pink tutu, and my custom-designed space shoes. I picked up a couple of gorgeous outfits that I thought you might be interested in, all perfectly pink, of course, with a sprinkle of sparkles here and there for good measure. I picked out a pastel pink floral printed sundress with a little ruffled detail at the bottom that's perfect for a spring picnic, or a delightful afternoon tea. Then, because who doesn't need an extra splash of pink on a chilly Earth evening, I also nabbed a long cardigan in a glorious shade of fuchsia. Just the thought of it makes me swoon! It's the little things in life, darling, the small details that make you feel beautiful and bring a smile to your face, and trust me, this cardigan is certainly a beautiful thing.
Before I let you go, let's talk about fashion! And yes, you guessed it, I'm going to talk about ballet, but more specifically - tutu history! I mean, what could be more fabulous?
Believe it or not, tutus are much older than we might think. It’s believed that early iterations, made of long strips of white linen, first appeared in France during the 1600s, but it wasn’t until the mid-1800s, in the beautiful land of ballet, Russia, that the tutu really took its current form. During that period, ballet moved from the simple elegance of earlier days into a dramatic art, one that demonstrated breathtaking strength and beauty. To help create these breathtaking moves, and show off the beautiful bodies of these dancers, Marie Taglioni's father, the ballet choreographer and dancer, Charles Taglioni, took on the creation of shorter, multilayered skirts for ballet that could show the amazing work of the legs during these dynamic, beautiful movements. It’s said that his first version for his daughter’s solo ballet, "La Sylphide", was created out of white tulle, a material we associate so much with this beloved type of dress today. And that, darling, is why I find tutus so exciting.
Well, it's time to end another post! The Earth has been exciting this week, filled with dancing and shopping! Don't forget to follow me on my Instagram for a daily dose of pink and tutus! Stay pink, darling, until next week! I'm going to visit that fabulous little dance studio in the UK I told you about in my last blog post! It was the most adorable thing. They made me this stunning pink satin dance shoes! I even posted a little photo on Instagram!
Lots of love, Emma xx
