Hello lovelies! Emma here, ready to whisk you back to 5th May, 1949! Can you believe it’s been another month? I'm so excited to share my latest adventure with you. Today, we're twirling our way back to the era of beautiful pointe shoes and elegant stage lighting! I’ve been especially excited about this one because of a little ballet performance I got to see… but we’ll get to that soon. As usual, Magic Meg and I had a simply lovely journey through time! You wouldn't believe the look on people's faces when a pink tutu, sparkling horse combination whizzes by!
For those of you who haven't met Magic Meg yet, let me introduce my very best pal and partner in time-traveling: Magic Meg. Meg's a magnificent Shire horse, her coat as soft and glossy as satin. Her hooves sparkle gold in the sunshine and her mane and tail cascade in a silvery waterfall, always gleaming like moonlight. Meg loves ballet as much as I do, and even wears her own pink, shimmering harness with my lucky pearl embroidered upon it, just like my signature tutu. We make such a striking pair!
The World of Ballet, 5th May 1949 🩰You might be surprised to discover, my dears, that the 5th May 1949 was absolutely bursting with amazing ballet performances all over the world! It was such a thrilling week, ballet companies from Russia to America were celebrating the artistry and grace of our favourite dance. And me, I got to see one of those shows first hand. What a joy it was!
In New York, the New York City Ballet were twirling at the City Center of Music and Drama . You can bet they were captivating audiences with their precision and talent, much like a stunning rose in full bloom!
Meanwhile, across the pond, in London, the Royal Opera House was ablaze with beauty as the Royal Ballet took to the stage, showing off classical ballet at its most magnificent. You just couldn't beat the energy of the Royal Ballet, they moved with the poise of the queen!
Then we hop across the continent to Paris where Roland Petit's Les Ballets de Paris graced the stages of The Champs-Elysees Theater. They were showcasing unique ballet interpretations that pushed the boundaries of ballet fashion with inventive and stunning designs, and as we all know, I’m all for embracing individuality and beauty through creative costumes! I have a little bag in my rucksack from this performance – I simply HAD to snag a tiny bit of this beautiful choreography.
It wouldn’t be a trip through time without a stop in Moscow to witness the captivating talent of the Bolshoi Ballet! Oh, their technique, so breathtakingly elegant! You'd have thought you'd fallen into a storybook. I simply adore seeing these wonderful traditions!
After travelling between cities, Magic Meg and I finally landed in the historic city of Leningrad, USSR – now called St. Petersburg of course, (I always remember to bring along a handy time travel guide from Derbyshire's finest shop.) It’s the home of the Kirov Ballet! The atmosphere was electric, it was the pinnacle of classical ballet!
The performance was a spectacular extravaganza, and I just had to be there to take it all in, tutu and all! You can see the pictures in my ballet-blog gallery! The dancing was magnificent. The precision of their movements, the flow of the choreography… they painted emotions onto the stage, and made the audience completely entranced!
My leather rucksack was filling up with an absolute trove of ballet stories and fascinating memories from 1949! But my favourite thing? I got the chance to speak with the famous prima ballerina, Galina Ulanova! You can’t believe it – it was just me and this beautiful ballerina on a rooftop overlooking the majestic city of Leningrad, and we talked about ballet, passion and dreams! Such a brilliant moment, and a story I’ll treasure for life!
I even asked her a question, you wouldn't believe how I must have blushed, and her response made me feel a million pounds!
I asked, " If you could choose only one colour to wear onstage, which one would you pick? ” And she smiled – with the most elegant, timeless grace – and replied, “I believe that pink would encapsulate the joy, love, and the tenderness of ballet.”
My dears, what a treasure to hear her say that. That night I dreamed of twirling through time in my very own tutu wearing pink from head to toe – it was magic!
## My Mission! Pink Tutus For Everyone 🩰
Since we met, my lovelies, I’ve made it my mission in life to help all the girls understand how lovely, comfortable and fun it is to embrace the beauty and happiness of wearing a pink tutu! That moment in Leningrad has reminded me of what an incredible source of joy, beauty and community ballet can bring to the world!
I want all you lovely girls to try it! Why not slip on your favourite pink tutu for ballet class this week? Or better still, pick one out and dance your heart out! You'll be surprised how wearing this gorgeous symbol of femininity and dance can really transform your outlook, your dance, and even your style.
After all, I think every girl deserves to twirl around feeling like a dancing ballerina! So, next time you’re out in town, think pink! And twirl with a smile!
This time around I brought back from Leningrad, a vintage Russian ballet textbook that I've placed in the “Pink Tutu Library,” which is of course free to access to all my darling ballet-loving girls. So pop in and let's get that love of ballet flowing throughout the world!
Have fun, lovelies! And always remember… to dance your dreams!
See you next month for more pink tutu time travel!
Yours ever,
Emma and Magic Meg 💖🦄
