Hello darlings! It's Emma, back from a whirlwind weekend in London. You'd be surprised how much fun a girl can have in just 48 hours, especially when wearing a cyan tutu!
Now, before you all start wondering what's with the cyan, let me explain. It's all part of my 'Tutu Challenge'. You see, I'm on a mission to wear a different coloured tutu every day of the week, and this week's theme is "City Lights" - because even a ballerina needs to take in the urban jungle sometimes!
The train journey up to London was just delightful. The view of the English countryside as we chugged along, coupled with a cheeky hot chocolate (don't tell my ballet teacher!) was just what I needed to kick-start my city adventure. And, yes, I wore the tutu. As always!
London greeted me with open arms, literally, as a friendly busker stopped to tell me how beautiful my cyan creation was! It seems I was already off to a great start. The next stop, the glorious V&A museum, which houses an impressive ballet costume collection. You know me - I just had to snap some pics! (You'll see them in my Instagram story, darlings, but in the meantime, check out my latest "tutu-and-museum-adventures" blog post on pink-tutu.com) It's a shame the costumes weren't on display in the original pink hues, but they were spectacular regardless.
That evening, a ballet extravaganza awaited at the Royal Opera House! You just can't beat the atmosphere at a live performance. The magic was palpable, especially when a group of kids in front of me (dressed as little ballerinas, bless them) gasped at the grand pas de deux. Honestly, it just made my heart sing. I have to admit, my favourite part of the performance was the set design. They used lighting and colour so cleverly, creating some truly dazzling scenes. I just wished they had a big fluffy pink tutu for a set piece... Maybe I should give them an idea... 😉
After the show, we decided to go to a fancy new cocktail bar that had popped up near the Barbican Centre, you know the kind with plush velvet chairs and even plusher bar staff. And you know what? The barman's hair was perfectly swept back into a ballet bun. This just confirms what I've always believed: Ballet is everywhere! Not even the barmen can escape the allure of a perfect bun!
The next day was dedicated to exploring London's hidden corners and discovering new cafes with the most incredible cakes. I may have gotten slightly distracted by a park with a magnificent peacock strutting its tail feathers, but, hey, wildlife always steals my heart. They say that Derbyshire girl is still in me somewhere, but frankly, the city has also found its way into my heart.
There’s a special magic to London, especially when you're looking for it, wearing a vibrant, swirling tutu!
The highlight of the day had to be meeting up with a lovely local ballerina, Imogen, who I’d connected with through social media. Imogen runs "Tutus in the City" – a lovely community that encourages women (and anyone else, for that matter) to break free and embrace their inner ballerina, whatever age they are. She shared her passion for ballet with me and, needless to say, her tutu collection was AMAZING! We danced for hours, sharing tips and stories and just enjoying the pure joy of being a part of the ballet community. It’s amazing how ballet can connect people from all walks of life, no matter their background or experience.
Now, here’s a little nugget for you darlings. Did you know that "tutu" is French for "tulle" which is the fabric most tutus are made from? Now you know, and so can the rest of your family, or that friend who you've always secretly tried to convince to join you at a ballet class... We'll get the whole world tutu-fied one pink feather boa at a time! 😉
And finally, as always, don’t forget to check out my Instagram story! I'll post photos from my weekend in London and, if you’re interested in joining a ballet class, I'll put some of the studios I've discovered there in the highlights section of my page, under "London Ballet".
Love, Emma x
P.S. Who's with me? I'm aiming for a pink tutu flash mob at the next Royal Opera House performance! What do you think, London?
P.P.S. Remember, everyone is a ballerina inside! And tutus make everything better. So embrace your inner dancer, get out there and dance. Oh, and you know I love a good hashtag: #pinktutu #tutulife #dancelikeagirl #tutusinthecity #londonlife #balletlife
www.pink-tutu.com
