Oh darling! How was your weekend? Mine was simply fabulous! Iāve been travelling, of course, as you all know I love to explore and what better way to do that than by train?
I took the charming steam train down to Taunton in Somerset. Such a lovely town, you know. You've probably seen pictures of it, as Taunton is really famous for its castle and, funnily enough, its rugby club, which isn't really my thing, to be honest, though I do like a bit of rugby. I love going to see it live with Dad but I donāt actually follow it like he does. And I must confess that my interest in the castle is mainly historical.
However, the real reason for my visit to Taunton? A gorgeous ballet performance at the Brewhouse Theatre, my lovelies! It was a treat, an absolute joy, a whirlwind of swirling tutus and elegant steps! You know Iām such a fan of watching dancers, both professional and amateur. It really doesnāt matter, for me, who's on stage - a gorgeous star of the Royal Ballet or a little girl in her first ballet exam - it's the passion and joy they bring to the dance that really matters.
But first, there had to be some sightseeing, and as I always say, darling, every adventure requires the perfect outfit!
My new lavender tutu, a real bargain from the market in Derby last week (a real find, I swear it wasnāt Ā£10!), was the star of the show, so to speak. It was just the thing to complete my perfect summer ensemble of a pale pink linen shirt, ivory linen trousers with some beautiful hand-painted floral detail, and a matching pink floral sunhat with a little vintage rosebud brooch for that extra bit of sparkle! And I, of course, wore my favourite pair of lavender ankle boots.
The sun was shining when I got off the train in Taunton, and I just had to get a picture, and not just any old photo, darling! It had to be in a place with beautiful wildlife! Now, what says beautiful wildlife more than a little bird-watching at Tauntonās beautiful botanical gardens?! (Which was my first stop!)
The birds are just fascinating and such perfect dancers in the trees, fluttering around, always full of life, don't you think? You can learn a lot about dance from observing them. If you can take in their joy of movement and their beautiful free spirit, and translate it onto the stage - then you've got your magic.
There I met this charming couple with their three lovely little daughters and we all stood and watched a rather noisy family of blackbirds in the heart of the garden. Oh darling! It was utterly enchanting! A little bit of vintage inspiration for my upcoming āWildlife & Danceā blog post? Absolutely!
Of course, I then visited the famous castle which was simply breathtaking - especially its gardens. You should see them! The most spectacular roses, the colours were just like an artist's palette!
There I met two beautiful horses with shining coats and so elegant that I simply couldnāt help myself but spend a moment chatting to their riders, a pair of delightful ladies on holiday from Hampshire who were also visiting the castle. (And let me tell you, those horses had the most amazing movement, such grace. I swear, if I were ever able to own a horse, it would have to be a dappled grey.)
You can tell the riders loved their horses, just like I love dancing! I said to them, "You two are a perfect combination, both of you. Iād love to ride with you!" I think they might be coming to my āHorses and Danceā blog post this week.
The whole castle reminded me of one of my favourite films: āKnights of the Round Tableā with Ava Gardner in her iconic emerald dress - pure fantasy and fairytale. A little bit like ballet really, wouldnāt you agree? And of course, like all my posts, it had to end with some more dancing, so on to the Brewhouse I went, for the performance.
The show itself? Simply wonderful. A lovely classical performance of a mixture of ballet classics, from the "Nutcracker" and "Swan Lake", which was quite frankly, perfection. All that graceful swirling and elegance of the ballerinas was simply captivating. The audience was totally enraptured - it was like the perfect ending to a perfect day.
The show did give me a few thoughts, you know.
So often ballet seems just for the posh - Iām certainly not saying itās not fabulous! It absolutely is! But it does seem that lots of people are intimidated. Maybe they feel they have to have some special training or something like that? It does feel, sometimes, a little bit "elitist", if Iām being honest.
But, you know, this show got me thinking. All those wonderful moves, those elegant leaps, those beautifully executed steps ... ballet is accessible to everyone. It doesnāt matter where you come from, whether you have fancy shoes and sparkly tights or a basic outfit you've put together at the last minute, the enjoyment is the same.
All it takes is the right place and some great music.
My mission, you see, is to make everyone feel like they can dance, swirl, leap and pose, and everyone, everyone, darling, should be wearing a pink tutu while doing it! Because letās face it, tutus make everything feel just a little bit more special, wouldnāt you agree? And they are an absolute delight! (Even the āpinkā ones! )
Thatās what it means to be a ballerina, don't you think? You have to dare to be yourself, wear that pink tutu (or a purple one in this case! - a new tutu canāt always be pink darling!) and really own your love of dance! After all, dance is about making you happy!
And Iām not sure it's really a matter of āclassā as much as it is about that joy of dancing, which I believe really comes through when people of all ages and from all walks of life simply move to music! Donāt you agree, darlings?
Until tomorrow, lovelies, I'm off to make some homemade lemonade with fresh mint ( itās summer in Derbyshire you know!), and to do some extra tutu planning!
Have a wonderful day!
P.S. Iām having a fabulous giveaway! (Donāt forget to subscribe and leave a comment.) It's my new favorite purple tutu to the lucky winner who answers this question: āWhere is Taunton and what makes it a place that is perfect for a little dancing?ā
