Hello, my dearest pink tutu princesses! 🩰 It's Emma here, your favourite tutu-loving, ballet-obsessed blogger, and today I'm taking you on a journey to the charming town of Ashton-under-Lyne!
You know how much I love exploring the UK by train – the rhythm of the tracks, the chatter of fellow travellers, the chance to peek into the window of passing towns… pure magic! This trip was extra special, though, because it wasn't just any ordinary journey; it was a ballet pilgrimage! You see, dear readers, Ashton-under-Lyne is home to the fantastic Ashton-under-Lyne Dance Academy, and let me tell you, they have some incredible classes! I’m such a fan of finding gems like this around the country. And this little gem is truly tucked away - the academy is on a peaceful little street with an old-fashioned shop opposite. It reminds me a little of the streets of my home town of Derbyshire! It felt so cosy to step out of the train station, past the quaint red brick buildings, and into this magical space.
Now, as soon as I walked into the dance academy, my heart did a little pirouette! They had the most beautiful studio, all warm, honey-coloured wood with big, bright windows. You could tell just from the feeling of the space that amazing things happened there! I was about to embark on an incredible adventure – an Italian Tutu experience!
Yes, you heard right! This wasn’t just any ordinary ballet class – it was all about embracing the joy of the iconic, traditional Italian tutu! For me, the tutu is the quintessential ballet symbol – so feminine, so elegant, and so incredibly graceful! It embodies everything I love about dance: its lightness, its passion, and its pure magic. I've always dreamed of having a collection of beautiful tutus in every colour of the rainbow, but my real heart belongs to the pink ones. This academy offered a unique workshop in classical Italian style – what a dream come true!
I was completely giddy as I slipped on my sparkling pink tutu, feeling its weightless embrace. And you know what? I felt transformed! I felt like I was transported back in time, to the Golden Age of Ballet, to a time when the tutu was the ultimate symbol of grace and artistry. I was ready to leap and twirl and express myself with every fibre of my being. And that's precisely what we did! The class was exhilarating! We went through exercises from the classics – it was all about precision, flowing movement, and building a beautiful technique. There was a focus on classic barre work, centre practice, and gorgeous arabesques. I was reminded of the power of discipline, of finding the beauty in simple movement, of feeling the music deep within my bones, and just losing myself in the joy of the dance.
Our instructor, a true maestra of her craft, guided us with patience and kindness, encouraging us to explore our own individual styles and letting the magic of the Italian tutu inspire our movement. There were giggles, there were struggles, there were moments of triumph! I love the way everyone can just be themselves and it doesn't matter what age you are - if you have the desire to dance, you belong. Every one of us in the class was an aspiring princess in a pink tutu – we were all united by our passion for the dance, and for a brief moment, we truly believed we could fly!
As we worked our way through the routines, I was captivated by the vibrant energy of the space – it wasn’t just the beautiful studio, it was the energy that radiated from the other students and our teacher. The passion was contagious! We were all inspired by the magic of ballet, by the elegance of the Italian tutu, and by the community we were creating together. And as I was experiencing it all, I was filled with this overwhelming feeling of gratitude. Gratitude for the gift of ballet, for the beauty of movement, and for the incredible opportunity to explore different styles and traditions.
Even the most die-hard ballerina needs some relaxation between the rigorous workout of dancing. We gathered for tea afterwards in a nearby café called 'The Strawberry Jar', and oh, how divine it was. It had these vintage teacups and the cakes were so delicious, a perfect treat for the pink tutu princesses after all that hard work. I've already found it on my list of new 'go to' cafés in my little notebook.
My trip to Ashton-under-Lyne was more than just a dance class – it was a true experience, a chance to reconnect with the joy of the ballet and to discover something new and inspiring. Ashton-under-Lyne has a wonderful little vintage shop full of treasures that made me want to linger and spend all day rummaging. If I hadn't been heading home to write my next blog post, I’d definitely have dug a little deeper and explored this town a little longer - I just couldn't help myself from buying a vintage floral embroidered blouse and a little hand knitted, blush pink cardigan!
As the train rumbled back to my little Derbyshire home, I looked out of the window at the countryside speeding by, and my mind was buzzing with inspiration. I’m already dreaming of my next tutu adventure! My heart is filled with this newfound energy – I’ve got new ideas for ballet poses to practice, a whole new way of approaching dance, and my brain is working overtime on my new, pastel-toned outfits!
I've got a feeling that a pink tutu adventure is in store for every one of you, too. My mission, dear princesses, is to inspire you to get out there, embrace your inner ballerina, and maybe even slip into a pink tutu or two! What's holding you back? If you’re in Derbyshire, why not head to Ashton-under-Lyne and take an Italian tutu workshop for yourself – you’ll never regret it! You don’t have to live in Derbyshire - just search your town!
This life is for living, darling! So grab your pink tutus, embrace your inner ballerina, and dance your way to happiness! Until next time, my pink tutu princesses, stay twirling and sparkling! ✨💖
With love and glitter,
Emma
P.S. Don’t forget to visit my website, www.pink-tutu.com for more ballet inspiration! You can follow me on Instagram for daily pics @PinkTutuPrincess for some more behind the scenes snaps.
P.P.S You can learn so much from travelling by train - don’t just hop on the bus, I promise you’ll see the country in a different light! Let me know where you go!
P.P.P.S You just HAVE to have a vintage pink cardigan in your wardrobe!
