Oh darlings! How are you? I hope youâre all feeling fabulous and ready for a pinkly fabulous dose of ballet brilliance!
Today, I'm buzzing with excitement because, my lovelies, I'm in Barking, Essex! Now, I know what you're thinking: âBarking? Isn't that a bit, wellâŠ?â Let's just say Iâm defying the stereotypes with my pink tutu and fabulous flair, and showing you that beauty can be found in the most unexpected places.
My adventure started bright and early this morning. As always, a pink tutu is a must-have for a fabulous journey! And as Iâm trying to get everyone in Britain dancing, I decided to travel in style, leaping onto the 9:30am train from Derby to Barking â such a lovely scenic ride through the Derbyshire countryside. I actually got chatting to a charming gentleman who used to work at the Royal Opera House, London. Apparently he went to a class with Darcey Bussell â can you imagine!? He also promised to send me photos of the local barking dogs, he had some utterly fabulous ones, but don't worry, heâs no connection to any canine colleagues, he simply collects photos of all kinds!
Now, I'm in Barking, and what do you think I did? Yes, I swung on over to the fabulous Barking & Dagenham Borough Council to get a glimpse of the fantastic community spirit. The people are lovely, the atmosphere buzzing, and they even have an amazing public space called The Town Square where a huge range of exciting events and festivals happen all the time, all surrounded by trees. I did have to watch out for the dog walkers. I thought I would try and tempt the locals into joining me for some ballet - "do come along," I chirped to one owner, as I took a curtsy. "This would be so good for the hips and back! No, thank you, madam, but you'll enjoy the dance this week, so good luck." What a sweet old soul, with a super happy spaniel. They're making it their mission to ensure a really welcoming atmosphere for the community. Just how I like it, with a little extra sparkle thrown in!
Speaking of sparkle, have you checked out the gorgeous new exhibition they have on, "Barking Mad! Art for all" at The Art House I mean, come on, they even had a pink-tutu clad lady painted right there â itâs almost as if they knew I was coming.
Barking actually boasts a rich history of theatre and arts (the Town Hall opened in 1895 and is on a beautiful square and, get this, they're hosting a huge art festival right now.) With its lively atmosphere and its buzzing community spirit, I could see this being a ballet haven. Just imagine⊠a ballet school popping up next to The Broadway, and I could be teaching, oh, I donât know, maybe some âA Midsummer Night's Dreamâ scenes, for example (or better still, an adaptation of Shakespeareâs âTwelfth Nightâ, because then it could be my birthday!) and everyoneâs out on the square learning to pliĂ© under the bright London sunshine with their pink tutus â how dreamy is that?!
Of course, I could also be sharing some fun ballet exercises â I did get a very enthusiastic response from one lovely family I bumped into in the park. They looked up from their picnic and thought I had some interesting moves, and they were delighted to take on my challenge to try some ballet on the go, so we practised some Ă©chappĂ©s and arabesques.
If you're feeling the same vibe I am about ballet and pink, come join me on a fabulous adventure at www.pink-tutu.com .
See, I canât believe that itâs 7.30 pm already. The sunset is just starting and everything looks magical, but I need to grab a slice of that gorgeous looking strawberry and cream cake they have on offer at The Town Hall cafe, it really has tempted me â and they are very welcoming here, especially in this fantastic community centre.
There you go! That's Barking for you: vibrant, friendly, and with just a dash of pink tutu magic! Don't just take my word for it, darlings! Come on down and explore it for yourselves, it's full of lovely places. Iâll keep you posted on all my adventures as I travel across the UK.
You all have a fabulous weekend and donât forget to put on your pink tutus! I'm off to try some of those delicious scones! Talk to you all tomorrow.
Love,
Emma.
xxx
