Hello my darling dancers, it's Emma here, bringing you sunshine from the seaside! I'm in Hove today, which is basically the closest you can get to Brighton without actually being in Brighton. Brighton is practically a pilgrimage site for any self-respecting tutu-wearer, so you can imagine my excitement!
Now, before we dive into all the twirling, I need to confess a slight sartorial mishap. My darling pink tutu - my "Just Peachy" as I call her - seems to have gotten a bit... stiff. You see, packing for this trip involved a bit of a squeeze, and unfortunately, poor "Just Peachy" didn't quite manage to shake off the journey wrinkles. Still, I'm not one to be deterred, and besides, I'm sure there's a touch of charming eccentricity about a slightly-more-structured tutu. 😉
So, with my stiff, yet surprisingly sprightly "Just Peachy" and a giddy heart, I set off for Hove station. Did I mention I absolutely adore trains? There's something so romantic about hurtling through the countryside, especially when you're clad in your best pink tutu. I imagined all the little squirrels and rabbits by the tracks cheering me on with tiny pom-poms and fluffy bunny ears. Don't you love a good ballet fantasy?
Arriving at Hove station, I couldn't help but smile at the Victorian architecture. There's just something inherently graceful about buildings that old. It was almost as if the grand facade was a prelude to the graceful dancing I knew awaited me.
My first stop was a little ballet studio I found on Instagram - "Dance by the Sea". Can you believe it? Dancing right by the ocean? It was everything I'd dreamt of - a beautiful space with huge windows overlooking the beach and the smell of salty air wafting through the room.
After an exhilarating hour of pliés, jetés, and grand battements, I treated myself to a pot of pink tea and a delicious, gluten-free vegan cake (it's good to be good to your body, even after a stiff-tutu workout). The seagulls, perched on the nearby railing, watched with a certain air of disdain, but I was having none of it. I was a ballet ballerina, queen of the seafront, and they knew it!
For the evening, I'd booked a table at the most charming little French restaurant. (Spoiler alert - it was filled with pink flowers!) After a delicious meal of escargots (oh my, what a challenge!), salmon (it melted in my mouth like a sugar plum!), and a very very pink strawberry sorbet, I was feeling truly content. I love French food; it's so elegant and delightful. And in that moment, I had this thought: it would be truly wonderful if the world's entire population dined on escargots and pink sorbet... with a side of ballet. Just think, world peace achieved through pink tutus and a bit of graceful elegance!
Of course, that would require me to start a global movement. Well, perhaps not quite yet, but maybe just a small movement.
The next morning, I was ready for the real highlight of my Hove adventure - the seaside theatre performance. You might think I'm a little obsessed, but this is the event I had been looking forward to. It was an open-air performance, with the stage right by the sea. The air was filled with the sound of waves crashing and the salty tang in my hair, adding a sense of wildness to the performance. They were doing 'Giselle', a classic with some absolutely phenomenal dancers. The dancers, with their costumes flowing and their expressions filled with so much passion, really transported the audience to another world. It was truly magical.
The entire performance, and all the experiences leading up to it, had a profound impact on me. Ballet, truly is a way of life. It's about more than just pirouettes and pliés, it's about graceful movement, passion, artistry, and connection with yourself and the world. It's about embracing your own inner ballerina and showing off your "Just Peachy" tutu to the world, even when it's a little stiff.
After a final stroll along the seafront, I left Hove, feeling rejuvenated and utterly inspired. My trip had given me even more of that magical, balletic spark I crave. And you know what? As I sat back on the train, I couldn't help but wish that everyone on board would suddenly get up, throw off their boring clothes, and start dancing with me in our pink tutus.
Now that, wouldn't be a bad way to spread the ballet love, eh? 😉
See you all soon, dancers! Don't forget to wear your pink tutus! And remember: even a slightly stiff tutu is a happy tutu!
Yours in dance, Emma xx
