Post #1031 - Wednesday, March 11th 2015
Hello lovelies! It's your favourite pink-tutu-clad ballerina, Emma, back from Prague! My travels took me to this beautiful city, a real jewel in the heart of Europe, and I must say, I was smitten. The cobblestone streets, the colourful houses, the iconic Charles Bridge ā it felt like I'd stepped into a fairytale! And what could be better than a fairy tale backdrop for a ballet performance?
Speaking of ballet, you know me, I couldnāt be in a European city without visiting one of their stunning ballet companies, so off I went to the National Theatre on the Vltava river, in all its glorious splendour. They have such a beautiful venue. My breath was truly taken away by its size and grand architecture, not to mention the absolutely incredible chandelier! Talk about sparkling, darling! It's no surprise that some of the most famous ballet stars of the 20th century danced right here on this stage, such as Rudolf Nureyev and Martha Graham! This place was positively buzzing with history, I even got a bit teary eyed. I have to tell you, I can never visit a historic venue like this without thinking about how the ballet costumes must have looked under those shimmering chandeliers, which tutu they might have chosen. I do love a bit of tutu history!
This time, I saw Giselle and it was utterly, utterly magical. The dancers were truly phenomenal ā every graceful gesture, every elegant pirouette, every passionate arabesque was a dream. Oh my! Giselle herself had the most stunning ethereal costume, her pink and white tulle seemed to float like a feather ā youāll see it in my Instagram photos soon, Iām sure! I even made it into a beautiful collage with photos from a trip to a local dress shop and my favourite pink tutuā¦ well I do love to be a little flamboyant with the pictures!
Oh, darling, I must tell you about Prague itself. I have to tell you, they know how to do pretty, but they do know how to do coffee, too! I indulged in so many creamy cappuccinos with swirls of latte art, every time! And I absolutely must tell you about the pastry! A sweet, dreamy pastry at the KĆ”va & Co. cafĆ© on Å porkova Street, oh it was pure joy! Imagine... layers upon layers of deliciousness with fresh whipped cream. Just the way to fuel a ballet performance, you could say.
My lovely Prague adventure, was made all the more magical by a little detour I took. I had the absolute honour and joy to join the Pink Tutu Collective Prague for a dance session in a charming little park tucked away in the heart of the city. Yes! A whole troupe of ladies and gents, all dressed in pink tutus, were dancing under the warm Czech sunshine, laughing, spinning, twirlingā¦ They even let me teach a bit. Such wonderful people, just a lovely, inclusive, happy little community, a little slice of pink ballet heaven right there in Prague! I had such a blast.
Oh! and of course, no trip is complete without a visit to a local vintage shop, darling! I just have to! The city had so many charming vintage shops, full of beautiful antique pieces, and guess what? You could practically feel the ballet history hanging in the air in one tiny shop - La Boutique Antique it's called! The beautiful fabric scraps, a vintage tutu in a faded pink hue, it just had such a story to tell... A story just waiting to be unearthed by a new generation of pink-tutu-clad ballerinas. Oh my, wouldn't that be fantastic?
My travels through the charming, romantic streets of Prague continued as I journeyed by train to Brno! Imagine it... sitting by the window of the train with my feet tucked up in a pile of pink tulle! It just seemed so natural. The landscape flew past like a dance performance... A landscape with a pastel pink sky... I feel myself transported to an ethereal ballet world. How do they even manage to achieve such beautiful effects? They are absolute wizards!
Brno! I can tell you darling, Brno is definitely the up-and-coming place to be! I think it's definitely going to be the next hot spot. Just trust me on this one! What drew me to the city was a little, very special show at the Brno City Theatre with a company called Dance Theatre Brno. You see, darling, the ballet show that was happening was " *The Lady and the Trampā * - I can't tell you how excited I was! Imagine ballet with characters based on a classic Disney cartoon. I loved every single beautiful movement. The dancers were phenomenal, every move so perfectly balanced, every jump soaring, I could not take my eyes away! I can't help it, but seeing all these magical characters come to life on stage, the choreography, the costumes, the stage setting... It really gave me the feel of being in a dream. Oh, darling, you've really got to see this show if you get the chance!
Of course, a trip wouldnāt be complete without exploring a beautiful local ballet school, now, would it? Well, dear reader, thatās what I did. The Brno Ballet School! It was so full of hope, and youthful enthusiasm, everything about the school radiated promise and such incredible energy! The dancers, both young and older, looked like tiny stars on a ballet stage ā even the instructors! My heart almost burst with such beauty. What a beautiful school for a ballerina's journey. Just the sort of place where dreams can flourish. It truly does make you wonder about the next generation, don't you think?
Before I had a chance to get too philosophical, my trip was over and I was back in the heart of Derbyshire! A quick stop-off to refuel on my favourite pastry and a little ballet class (in pink, obviously!) And I had to get ready to catch my little grey pony in the stables and give him a good cuddle, poor thing, Iād been away far too long! But the best part? Knowing I can get right back on the trail and discover another city in another beautiful tutu and be able to write all about it on my pinktutu.com blog, ready to inspire others to get involved in the beautiful, magical world of dance!
I really hope you loved reading about my latest ballet adventure. And if youāre thinking about visiting Prague (and Brno, I highly recommend it!), please let me know. Iām always happy to offer my expert advice! Until next week darling! Always keep twirling.
Yours in pink,
Emma
