Hey everyone,
It’s Emma, your resident tutu enthusiast, here, ready to paint the world a bit more pink. Today's journey finds me nestled in the charming town of Westhoughton, nestled in the heart of Lancashire, and my trusty pink tutu is, as always, in tow. 😉
This morning, as I boarded the train (I am such a sucker for the romance of train journeys! – all the whizzing through the countryside and catching glimpses of quaint stations with their flower-filled platforms!) my heart was a little bit fluttery. You see, Westhoughton is a bit special. I have a little secret for you: this place is steeped in the history of ballet – don’t tell anyone! There is a beautiful old dance school, nestled amongst cobblestone streets and quaint tea shops – that, I can tell you for sure, has witnessed some incredible dancers taking their first steps.
Now, as I’ve gotten older and found my style, I have always thought it would be fun to blend ballet and travel. It has been amazing to see my followers really enjoying this concept. But this journey in particular, was especially exciting – Westhoughton is, if you know your history of dance, the birth place of…well, that's my secret and I’m sticking to it. For now at least. 😉
For the time being, let’s just say I'm on a mission to infuse Westhoughton with a healthy dose of pink tutu magic!
After arriving in the station, I decided to take a walk to find that aforementioned old dance school. As I twirled through the streets, I couldn't resist popping into the shops, all with their cute, little, windows full of delicate, feminine items.
Westhoughton is, frankly, a haven for anyone who, like me, adores all things pretty. (I couldn’t resist purchasing an incredible antique teapot from a quaint little antique store – the china was impossibly thin and had tiny flowers all over it!)
While the streets of Westhoughton had a quiet, genteel charm to them, I knew my day wasn’t going to be full of dainty tea and biscuits – I wanted to get right down to some serious ballet-ing!
Back to the Ballet: Bringing the Magic
My journey took me to a little studio in Westhoughton. You know me, I love those little studios hidden away down tucked away cobbled alleyways – the sort of studio you’d be lucky to discover by accident!
Walking into this studio was pure magic! A sign above the entrance read simply “The Dancery” with a pink flamingo, its little pink neck stretched gracefully into the air!
The first thing I noticed was the light – the studio was filled with soft, filtered light pouring in through the huge, window. The old studio is definitely worn – you could feel the magic in the scuffed wood floor, the mirrors scratched by years of tireless work. This was no soulless studio space - it whispered stories of dancing feet and countless rehearsals!
Now, you know that for me the most exciting part of a journey is finding a class to try! Thankfully, this little studio hosted an open class, perfect for a beginner like me!
Now, it was a small class with maybe half a dozen people – all were definitely experts! (Though thankfully one of them did tell me later that she had also started in a very similar studio to mine at the back end of a little village, not so far from where I was born! It's a small world! 😉) It was all in the best way a challenge! With those sharp minds I absorbed what I could.
The class started, a bit surprisingly I thought, with a series of warm up exercises – I know what you are thinking – but I was in awe of the technique of the other students - the way their limbs flowed, their core held strong as they stretched. Every muscle had such an inherent strength and power! There was, even with their seemingly effortless movements, a certain amount of poise and grace in the way they moved. It’s like seeing the very essence of ballet itself laid bare.
Even with a slightly sweaty and slightly (or maybe rather, very!) stiff feeling that came from doing all those plies and extensions – I definitely felt stronger afterwards and the sense of euphoria from moving my body that way – well, nothing quite compares!
I managed to stick around afterwards for a little chat – in a moment of total fangirl madness I even confessed I was a tutu-clad, travelling, blogger! I know, so random. But to my shock everyone was totally interested. The teacher even took time to share a story of his journey to become a dance teacher - he told me about the little studio down a back street in Liverpool he taught in when he was young – it sounded very similar to this little gem in Westhoughton!
Now that we’re at the end of the post, and the pink sunsets on Westhoughton – it’s really made me think about that little hidden studio in Liverpool, I am going to find it – it’s definitely my next adventure. I am already adding the city to my blog’s list of “pink places” – (and yes, this is also something that I want to start sharing with all you wonderful people.)
Anyways, thank you for joining me for another post! Make sure to pop over to the website – and as always, until next time… let’s keep twirling!
Emma xx
