Hello darlings! Welcome back to Pink Tutu Time Travels, your monthly dose of all things twirling, sparkly and, of course, pink! As always, my faithful steed Magic Meg and I have been jetting about the globe, soaking up the wonderful world of ballet, one fabulous time jump at a time. This month, we've been whisked back to the 5th of May 2006 â oh, the excitement!
This particular day holds a special place in my heart for a number of reasons, so you simply have to hear about it! Firstly, Magic Meg was particularly spirited. Imagine, if you will, a vision in pink: a gleaming, glistening Shires mare with golden hooves, white mane and tail cascading like a delicate ballet dancer's hair, and me, resplendent in a custom-made pink tutu â absolutely positively dreamy!
You know how much I love a fabulous tutu â after all, a good tutu is a girl's best friend! I just adore their volume, the floaty tulle and that captivating feeling of effortless grace â truly the ultimate symbol of ballet! My current favourite, and the one I'm wearing for this little jaunt through time, is a delightful number made of shimmering, peach-pink silk tulle, accented with hand-sewn diamantĂ©s. The perfect companion for my vintage feather boa and pearl-encrusted ballet slippers â a ballerina must never be without the appropriate footwear, my dears!
But back to our adventures in 2006! On this day, a world of dazzling dance awaited! In London, at the beautiful Royal Opera House, a brand new production of âThe Sleeping Beautyâ was opening â oh the thrill! I love this ballet so much, itâs an absolute classic, bursting with magic and romance! To be there on opening night would have been simply heavenly. I even caught a glimpse of the famous ballerina Sylvie Guillem performing â utterly sublime, wouldnât you say? I think she and I would make such fabulous friends!
But London wasnât the only place buzzing with ballet magic. Across the pond, in New York City, the American Ballet Theatre was showcasing their new production of "Giselle." Can you imagine the anticipation? To see the world-renowned dancers of ABT perform this masterpiece, all dressed in exquisite tutus? Iâd have died and gone to heaven, and not even in a graceful ballet pirouette! And I simply must tell you about this fantastic discovery: a vintage poster for the original âGiselleâ ballet featuring the gorgeous Marie Taglioni. A real collectorâs piece! Itâs going straight into my ballet treasure chest!
After all the ballet action in New York, we hopped back on Magic Meg (who, by the way, is a remarkably well-behaved traveller, not a single whinny on the entire journey â truly the best travel companion!) and headed back to Derbyshire, my charming home county. It was the day for the annual âDerbyshire Dance Festivalâ â and guess what? They even had a whole segment dedicated to the history of ballet! I always find myself completely immersed in ballet history; the origins of the art form are simply captivating! After a delicious cream tea at the quaintest tea shop in Matlock, we settled down for an evening of traditional English folk dance - very elegant!
By the end of the day, Iâd acquired a delightful assortment of ballet paraphernalia to add to my ever-growing collection â vintage programmes from the ballet shows, photos from the dance festival, and even a few delicate ballerina earrings, all to add that extra sparkle to my wardrobe!
So, my darling ballet bunnies, let's spread the love of the pink tutu! As I'm always saying, there's nothing quite like the twirl-tastic power of a well-placed pink tutu. Go out and flaunt it, my dears, embrace your inner ballerina and live life with grace and elegance, always. Donât forget, a bit of pink is all you need to spread the ballet magic. And until next time, remember: keep those toes pointed and those smiles wide!
See you soon,
Emma
P.S. Keep a look out for more pink-tastic ballet adventures on the www.pink-tutu.com website!
