Hey lovelies!
It's your girl, Emma, back from the land of rolling green hills and bleating sheep to bring you the latest on my tutu-filled adventures! Today's mission? A jaunt down to Hounslow in my trusty pink tutu, of course! Pink is the colour of dreams, and dreams of pirouettes and pas de deux are what I live for. This whole blog thing is pretty dreamy, too, so you lot have my dream come true to thank for your daily dose of tutu inspiration!
Now, how did I get to Hounslow, you ask? Not in a grand carriage pulled by four magnificent white stallions, sadly! I took the train, because as all my fellow dancers know, travel is part of the fun of this whole ballet thing! That's the beauty of this world, don't you think? Always a new studio, a new city, a new stage... all in a perfectly-fitting pink tutu, of course.
This particular day, I was on my way to a workshop with the hounslow ballet society. It's not exactly the Royal Opera House, but honestly? Every stage is a magical platform for expressing yourself, right? Plus, let's be real, every city, no matter how big or small, holds a little magic, a little ballet story waiting to unfold. My aim in life? To get everyone, even the most reserved, stiff-upper-lip, Londoner to slip on a pink tutu and tap their toes! Because trust me, once you get past that first "Oh, come on" look, you'll see there's nothing more exhilarating, liberating and, well, fun!
After a lovely journey and a good old-fashioned fish and chips for lunch (you can't visit Hounslow without one of those!) I headed straight to the studio. It wasn't fancy. In fact, it had this charming old-school charm that always makes me happy. The floorboards creaked and the scent of sweat and beeswax was as familiar and welcoming as a favourite childhood toy. We warmed up to the strains of some Tchaikovsky (I always feel like the swan lake swan, graceful and powerful! I love the swans) then worked on some lovely new choreography - nothing too advanced, which always helps. There's nothing worse than feeling lost in a sea of jumps and turns, eh? Besides, getting your basic movements nailed down properly is essential to progress - a lesson I learned the hard way when I first started ballet! The teacher, an absolutely delightful lady called Mrs. Jenkins, was an old-timer. I loved her! She gave us such inspiring energy - she genuinely wanted each and every one of us to feel empowered and beautiful!
After our workshop, a couple of us girls headed to a charming cafe down the street, sipping chai and dissecting the day’s session, discussing leaps, spins, and the delicate art of spotting, which can really get me into a tizzy if I don’t pay attention. Talking to fellow dancers and soaking in their unique stories - the shared love for the graceful art that binds us. It always reminds me of the wonderful community within ballet and the amazing bond that we share. It really is a family! I do love that, the feeling of shared purpose.
My tutu-loving spirit always needs to take a wander to admire nature! And after our delicious chat over chai lattes, I did a little detour to a small wildlife sanctuary nestled just outside Hounslow. So many cute little birds! Seriously, have you ever seen a bird in its natural habitat? They're basically miniature, feathered ballerinas, effortlessly leaping from branch to branch! They might not wear tutus (although that's a seriously great idea!) but there’s an undeniable grace and beauty to them. And a reminder of the magic that surrounds us all the time if only we slow down and look!
Hounslow was a lovely adventure, even if it did involve travelling by train, a far cry from galloping on horseback across Derbyshire, which is where I'm based, back in my lovely countryside home. I don’t think I'll be heading down that way again anytime soon but who knows what amazing adventures are awaiting my pink tutu in the future! Until then, stay fabulous, stay pink, and keep dreaming of graceful steps and magical tutus!
Love, Emma
www.pink-tutu.com
