Hello darling tutus!
This week I'm frolicking in Prague, and you just wouldn't believe how enchanting this city is! It's like stepping straight into a fairy tale, but with cobblestones and more history than you can shake a pointe shoe at.
Pink-tutuing around the City of a Hundred Spires
Right now, I'm sitting in a little café in Old Town Square, a beautiful open space where the buildings are just a feast for the eyes. I’ve already seen the astronomical clock chiming (it was mesmerising!) and have been admiring all the charming shops selling trinkets and traditional Czech crafts.
Of course, my favourite thing to do is twirl through the streets in my pink tutu! It’s such a joy to be in this fairytale city and feel like I'm starring in my very own ballet! The locals all seem delighted to see a girl in pink flitting about, they even stop to smile and take pictures! The cobblestones do present a little challenge though, one almost ended up tripping me over in my quest for a good twirl.
I've already made a visit to the National Theatre, an impressive edifice on the banks of the Vltava River. I absolutely had to take a peek at the incredible architecture and imagine myself twirling upon that grand stage! You know I’ve booked tickets to a ballet show while I’m here, a production of Swan Lake that is playing this very night! Isn’t that delightful?!
Pink Parisian Inspiration
Yesterday, I discovered a little gem of a boutique, nestled away in one of the city's charming side streets. A vintage haven of frills and bows! Imagine my delight! It's packed full of treasures from the 1920s - the most beautiful pink velvet flapper dresses, gorgeous brooches, delicate lace shawls, and some truly stunning antique ballet shoes. I even found the most amazing beaded necklace, it would look perfect for a black swan pas de deux, or even for wearing at the Royal Opera House in London – which of course, is one of my ultimate ambitions for 2011!
You won’t be surprised to hear that I went a bit bonkers in that boutique, and came away with enough fabric and sequins to make a new tutu and a pair of pretty evening gloves for my trip to the opera this evening.
I even bought a couple of new pink tutus! I am quite convinced the Prague ladies here have a real soft spot for all things pink! In my search for the perfect tutu to compliment my newly bought velvet flapper dress, I managed to snag a pair of gorgeous pink patent ballet flats with bow-shaped straps. These are going to look sensational on stage – I just know it! I've been itching for a pink footwear update, and I simply couldn't resist!
Tutu Trails in Prague
I was fascinated to discover the connection between the city of Prague and the famous Russian ballet dancer, Vaslav Nijinsky. He trained at the Imperial Ballet School in St Petersburg, then travelled across Europe with his illustrious ballet company. This charismatic and visionary dancer eventually performed here in the early 1900s and, you'll be delighted to know, he also visited Derbyshire on one of his tours! It truly blows my mind to think of him dancing in the very same area of the world that I grew up in. There's just so much rich history attached to ballet everywhere you go!
This evening I'm going to see Swan Lake at the National Theatre! The ballet is a true classic, it's the very ballet I learned as a little girl. My grandmother would take me to all the local ballet shows around Derbyshire, I still have my childhood pink tutu tucked away in my attic. The ballet shoes might not be as beautiful, but they still fit perfectly!
I've already seen the National Theatre, and the sheer grandeur of it makes me even more excited for the performance tonight! The architecture is just breath-taking, and the building has such a special place in the city's heart. It is almost enough to make you swoon! And imagine how divine a ballerina would look twirling under its stunning glass ceiling, especially in a pink tutu!
Oh my darling tutus, this is getting me very excited! It's already an incredible experience! I'm making notes in my pink tutu diary (my personal favourite shade, a vibrant “Candy floss”) for future tutus. There's always a new design, a new fabric, and a new twist! There really is an art to tutu fashion! The perfect tutu has to express you!
And remember: the only thing more beautiful than a ballerina in a tutu, is everyone in a pink tutu.
Keep your tutus sparkling, darlings!
Love,
Emma
P.S. Don’t forget to check out my blog at www.pink-tutu.com each week, I’m back on Wednesday for the next instalment of Pink Tutu Travels, don't forget, subscribe and give my post a thumbs up too, your love means everything to me!
Love love love,
Emma
