Wednesday, 22nd April 2009
Ciao from sunny Milan! This week has been an absolute whirl of excitement, sequins, and yes, of course, pink tutus! It's all part of the Pink Tutu life, darling, where the dance floor is always a runway and every day feels like a performance. And wouldn't you know it, Milan is the perfect stage for this ballerina!
My week began, as it always does, with a bit of practice. The Teatro alla Scala may have been built for opera, but the way I see it, every city, every building, can be transformed into a ballet stage with just a little bit of imagination. A tram journey across Milan's bustling streets is just as exciting as a performance in front of a roaring crowd, trust me!
I squeezed in a couple of hours at the stunning Teatro Dal Verme for my ballet class this morning. The atmosphere was electric, with the scent of wood polish and the clink of shoes on the polished floor adding to the charm. I even had a chance to meet a few fellow tutu lovers from Milan's bustling dance scene – they all thought my pink tutu was fab, naturally!
My Milan Must-Do's
Speaking of the city, there’s a reason why Milan is one of my absolute favourite destinations! The energy, the style, the delicious food (and yes, I did just try the best tiramisu ever! And don't even get me started on the gelato!), but mostly, the opportunity to blend my love of dance with the extraordinary world of Milanese fashion. You just can't resist the charm of the cobbled streets and elegant boutiques filled with incredible designs, it's enough to make any fashionista swoon!
I'm lucky enough to be funding this trip with a few ballet performances – the locals here have embraced my "tutu theatre" approach to performing. I performed last night at an intimate cafe near the Duomo – it was a real mix of contemporary and classical, with some cheeky choreography sprinkled in for good measure! You know, it wouldn't be Pink Tutu without a little bit of cheeky flair!
Speaking of cheeky, I spotted the most adorable shop selling handmade pink tutu ribbons this afternoon, on Via Dante! You see, sometimes a little bit of extra fluff is just what a ballerina needs. I may have gone slightly overboard with the purchase – you know how I feel about pink – but hey, I couldn't resist!
And speaking of “extra”, it wouldn’t be a trip to Milan without indulging in some of its iconic street-style glamour. You just have to wander around the fashion districts of Via Monte Napoleone, Via della Spiga, and Corso Vittorio Emanuele for inspiration! I'm picturing a new sequined pink tutu outfit for my next performance - it's gotta be Milan inspired, right?
Tutu Tales: A Day Out With the Duomo
Milan is a real melting pot of cultural wonder and, you know, a few cheeky little surprises, but what I really love about this city is how history whispers around every corner! Today, I took a leisurely stroll down the stunning Piazza Duomo. I've got to say, even I was breathless at the sheer scale and beauty of the Milan Cathedral – what a spectacular landmark! You just know this place is buzzing with magical stories, stories about its glorious past, stories about those who've passed through its gates. I've got a feeling this place might even be the setting for my next blog post... Stay tuned, darling!
A Pink Tutu Moment
Speaking of stories, I've got one for you from this afternoon. Picture this: a sunny afternoon stroll through Milan's magnificent Botanical Gardens. A perfect symphony of colours, sounds, and, of course, plenty of lush greenery to set the scene for some magical tutu twirling! And then I hear this sweet voice, calling out from across the garden: “Excuse me, are you the pink tutu girl?” My heart melted – apparently, my online presence has made it all the way to Milan! It was a little girl, about six years old, with the most dazzling pair of sparkly pink shoes. I guess we have something in common, you see! I spent the next half an hour showing her a few of my signature moves, teaching her a simple little sequence, and telling her all about my "Pink Tutu" mission! It was truly magical. You see, it’s not about just me wearing pink tutus, it's about spreading the joy, the colour, and the sheer, unbridled enthusiasm of dancing and of being yourself – and I couldn't have found a better ambassador for this cause than that little girl!
From Milan to You: Pink Tutu Adventures
Now, I've said this before, and I’ll say it again, you don't need to be a ballerina to wear a pink tutu. It's all about embracing the spirit, the joy, the freedom that it represents. The spirit of individuality, the courage to be different, the magic of bringing a smile to someone's face. Whether it's on the streets of Milan, in a theatre, or on a train journey, wear your pink tutu with confidence and spread the message of pink tutu love!
Until next time, dear reader, I'll be back next Monday with a fresh post about the pink tutu life in Milan. I'll be showcasing some of my newest discoveries – including my newly acquired handmade pink tutu ribbon collection.
Oh, and did I mention the pink ice cream I found? This city just gets me, you know! Until then, let your inner ballerina twirl free.
With pink tutu love,
Emma
Pink Tutu Travels
Monday 17th April: I arrive in Milan, catching a train journey through the beautiful Italian countryside - a bit like my trip through the Lake District just last week. It was all fields of green with the sun sparkling in the sky - quite spectacular really. The sun really is like a spotlight for my pink tutu when I'm dancing outdoors and really shines in my hair.
I decided to get some Italian ballet shoes from a shop in Via Paolo Sarpi, a real haven of Asian and African food stores, where all the Italian ballerina’s are getting their supplies. I always think it's good to mix and match styles - after all that’s what my ballet blog is all about, and a trip to Milan wouldn't be complete without a bit of shoe shopping, wouldn't you agree? After my shopping spree, I had an early evening practice at a new studio - I've got so much dancing in Milan, I've got a list of studios, parks, squares and places with perfect stage spaces for me to dance on, all meticulously planned and pre-inspected - and yes that includes all the best pink spots for some of the photographs on my blog, so if you fancy a ballet class in a spectacular square, let me know and I'll add it to my pink tutu tour!
I love trying out the local food here - as a Derbyshire girl, my favourite Italian dish is pesto (so good for a quick protein boost!) but my goodness, have I fallen in love with Milanese food! A whole selection of tasty little nibbles and some gorgeous wines – a real treat for the palate, especially after a dance performance! The Italians seem to have a love affair with food! And you know me, I just have to try it all.
Tuesday 18th April: Today was all about dancing on the streets and trams - I think every mode of transport is a stage! The beauty of Milan's trams is they’re just like travelling stages. In fact, it wouldn't be out of place for the tram drivers to have an unexpected tap dancing routine, so when the trams do brake, there are little surprise moments of tap and jazz!
You’d be amazed by the range of characters and street dancers here. There’s everything from breakdancing to tango, and of course, plenty of elegant ballet steps from me. Sometimes a few moves are enough for someone to catch a glance and it’s enough to spread some of the pink tutu love, it’s so amazing to feel like I’m spreading my message across Milan – tutu by tutu.
Oh, and a word of advice from someone who travels the world in a tutu! The locals here really love pink tutus, but if you’re a newbie in the tutu world and want to wear pink, then always check with locals about what’s socially acceptable, because wearing pink, as any dancer will tell you, is an art form!
And that's about it from today's diary - the rest of my time has been spent in a glorious whirl of sunshine, gelato, and finding the best pink ribbon shops! What more could a ballerina ask for!
Wednesday 19th April: Today started off in the most adorable way! This little boy (I’m thinking about a blog post about children’s tutus - any pink tutu girls, let me know!) saw me strutting in my pink tutu as I walked past the local primary school - the place just happened to be where one of my ballet performance studios is - and stopped to watch, his jaw literally dropped! As if to say: "Woah, you're rocking that pink tutu! ” The boy and I did a little pink tutu routine right there in the street. He was super cool, the kids loved it and then the head teacher gave me a thumbs up - brilliant.
I was invited by a Milanese fashion house to watch a fabulous private ballet performance - think sequins and glamour, a show worthy of a princess – with beautiful swirling costumes and magnificent costumes - this had all the elements of my tutu dreams. I also found this beautiful store selling shoes, the kind with glittery bows that would just about be enough for any ballet ballerina, but there was this shop and its amazing selection of silver dancing shoes with dazzling sequined detailing, like the ones Cinderella dances in - my goodness! The Italian craftsmanship is something special, but the shoe collection was not cheap!
The shop’s proprietor saw me and asked what kind of ballerina I was, I told him "A Pink Tutu ballerina!". "How could you wear a pink tutu, it’s for little girls!” I asked him, "Where’s the law? And besides," I said “all tutus are pink to me” he started to laugh – it’s quite fun how it starts to go viral.
Thursday 20th April
I headed to the Teatro alla Scala, which was a spectacular building, almost overwhelming for my eyes with so much exquisite architecture! You could just picture some of the legendary operatic performances - the stage design and backdrop were something special! There’s a reason they call it "La Scala”
You could just picture all those great Italian singers warming up their voices! Now that I’ve been to the Scala, my wish list just has to include a pink tutu performance on this very stage - one day.
The night was all about exploring the city’s culture and taking my ballet inspirations to the heart of Milan. My favorite haunt of the evening - was the Palazzo Reale – Milan’s most iconic palace! It’s a place that embraces style, culture, art, and fashion all at once. You could almost say that its architecture speaks volumes about Italian creativity – the interiors are a total contrast to the minimalist beauty of modern Milan – I spent the evening sipping coffee on a balcony and taking in the vibe!
Friday 21st April
Today was the day to visit some more fabulous Milanese landmarks - it’s been about enjoying a slow paced, easy life, in Milan – and to truly feel what this amazing city offers. And to soak up a sense of glamour, Milan certainly has something that draws me to it – its the perfect stage for a pink tutu, don’t you think?
You may know I don’t often have time to stop and smell the flowers. So I decided that after this fabulous lunch at an amazing Italian restaurant (it really does make a change from English fish and chips!) – and after another session in a beautiful local dance studio - I’d pop down to the Giardini Pubblici. Just across from the cathedral, the public gardens have an interesting vibe - and you really wouldn’t think it, with Milan’s vibrant nightlife, that there’d be such an oasis - they make it into a really special setting – especially in springtime – when there’s such an abundance of greenery and blossoms in the park, making for a fantastic ballet backdrop - so much inspiration here for the Pink Tutu Life.
Saturday 22nd April:
And today is going to be a real day for pink tutu indulgence! I think the pink tutu theme will be a hot topic this weekend and there are lots of little opportunities in Milan. The city just seems to radiate its unique style and glamour – it’s really inspired a lot of my pink tutu styling and fashion ideas – especially those Italian brands – what’s not to love about fashion, culture and the best places for coffee in Milan, this city really does have it all – the perfect escape from Derbyshire.
I'll be getting up early to catch some practice and I have a gig at the Cafe dei Fiori this evening.
Ciao Bella and to all the pink tutu followers!
