Hello, my lovely pink-tutu peeps! Itâs Emma here, ready to whisk you away to another fab day in my sparkly world! This is blog post number 8920, and like always, itâs chock-full of tutu-tastic adventures!
So, today's destination is a little bit further afield, taking us to Stretford, nestled in the heart of Greater Manchester. You might be thinking, Stretford? Emma, surely youâve lost your dance shoes⌠But hold on, darlings, it's actually a pretty fantastic spot! My love affair with Stretford started years ago, back in the good old days when I used to ride my faithful horse, Buttercup, along the Manchester Ship Canal towpath, with the stunning view of Old Trafford in the background. Itâs where my heart started to yearn for adventure.
This time, however, I was embarking on a new adventure, one that didnât involve four hooves and a bridle â although, a horse-drawn carriage wouldn't be unwelcome, Iâll be honest! Todayâs travel was via train, which gave me ample time to admire the scenery â the rolling green hills of Derbyshire as we glided out of my home town, the twinkling Christmas lights in every shop window we passed, and all the colourful commuters in their everyday outfits. Yes, there were none with tutus â at least, not that I could see from the train window, which was such a crying shame!
My destination? The stunning Palace Theatre! Yes, that iconic building! Itâs just down the road from Stretford's Old Trafford football ground, and, wouldn't you know it, the ballet show Iâm off to see today has a football theme! The âBall-et in Manchester" programme combines the artistry of ballet with the thrill of the beautiful game, all presented on the iconic stage.
You might think ballet and football? Two worlds that clash, right? But my lovelies, you are completely wrong! Both are pure entertainment at their best, filled with power, beauty, athleticism, and a whole load of emotion. In the "Ball-et in Manchester" program, ballerinas dance the iconic moves from world-famous footballers. The performance promised "The pirouette-to-penalty corner combo", a "swirling waltzes of World Cup celebrations", and "an aerial sequence inspired by the Manchester bee!" - talk about a truly breathtaking program.
But the journey there, I had to wear my most special pink tutu. The kind that makes people do a double take â a big, frilly, and dazzling creation. I think I must have brightened the day of everyone on that packed platform and in that carriage with me!
It's all part of my mission to get the whole world rocking out in tutus â I even took a little impromptu "tutu-taster session" on the train platform, offering some strangers a little twirl and twizzle experience! I even managed to convince the train guard to give it a go - you should have seen his face, absolute delight! His stiff, buttoned-up train guard posture changed completely â I can almost guarantee, after that little experience, heâs going to be ditching his cap and trousers and swapping them for a pink tutu and a pair of ballet shoes next time Iâm on that platform!
Then, it was onto Stretford itself, and the place was buzzing! The festive market was alive with music, light, and happy shoppers â all feeling the holiday spirit, and as they went by, I twirled and twirled. My sparkly tutu reflected all the gorgeous market lights and brought out that festive feeling from within.
There was so much happening in Stretford; street artists were drawing amazing characters, buskers were creating lovely tunes, and people were laughing and talking excitedly! And all this while I was on a mission â yes, I'm on a quest, you know! My quest to recruit Stretford to the pink tutu army!
But my task proved more difficult than I anticipated! Some of those Stretford shoppers simply would not believe a ballerina could love a football match and that ballet and football could be so perfectly paired!
"Oh no love, don't tell me you're off to the footy", said an older woman, " I only come down here for a nice day of shopping!"
And another guy looked me up and down before saying, "Well that's one way to liven up the game!".
So, a lesson was learnt! It is not always easy to be an ambassador for my "EveryOne in a Pink Tutuâ campaign! However, a kind gentleman, who had seen me twirling my way through the Christmas Market stalls, approached me, âWell I just love the way you embrace every new experience, it is simply wonderful!â he said to me. âMy granddaughter has been dancing since she was five. You know she is getting quite advanced at ballet and it seems her love for it has rubbed off on me as I think the art of ballet is beautifulâ
âSo you do understand the missionâ, I replied with a smile âthe message of inclusivity and self expression.â
âMy dearest lady, yes. Absolutelyâ, he replied.
He then gave me a large bunch of the loveliest red roses, "Please wear these to your performance."
That did warm the heart of this ballerina! The love and understanding meant more than all the football merchandise in the world, especially that âWorld Cup winnersâ scarf on sale in the shop that, as I wandered passed, my little fingers just wanted to touch⌠but, well, I wasn't brave enough to reach out, not on that particular day, for I felt, somehow, it would detract from the message I was trying to communicate! After all, in the world of the tutu, we are above such frivolities as club colours or trophies, we strive to bring love and harmony to all!
I thanked the lovely man, and promised to wear my pink tutu with even more pride.
Onward to the Palace Theatre.
But you see, darlings, it wasn't all just about football and ballet - no, that would have been far too boring for the tutu-tastic me. Stretford's wildlife was just begging to be experienced, so after a detour to feed some fluffy pigeons, I took my tutu and pink scarf off and perched by the river with my journal, taking notes and watching some captivating, curious, water voles scamper about and a glorious heron perched majestically on the river bank. They too made the journey worth it! I have to admit it was such an elegant dance by the river's edge, which, as I gazed upon it, it left me completely enthralled.
And then the magnificent theatre beckoned! My favourite kind of excitement was building as I stepped inside â you could smell the thrill and energy â and hear the hush of anticipation for a magical evening of performance to unfold! It's an almost electric energy! It's truly magical to see all these people so engrossed in something creative and inspiring â it reminds me what itâs all about â sharing a love of beautiful and impactful art!
âBall-et in Manchesterâ turned out to be the most exciting spectacle ever - a brilliant spectacle of breathtaking artistry. All the world of football was right there on the stage! There were moves like âthe Rooneyâ, "the Messi twirl," and a fabulous "Beckham's volley!" all exquisitely interpreted by talented dancers.
The program took us on an incredible emotional rollercoaster. The dancers performed with amazing grace and strength.
I watched the dance of Manchester United in the 2019 FA Cup, with itâs âRed Devilsâ dancers in their signature reds on the stage, a truly memorable moment for this big United fan! The "swirling waltzes of World Cup celebrations" - simply beautiful - the entire stadium, every person there - the dancers, the players, the audience - they were all one, all dancing together!
The music was so uplifting, so moving - you could almost feel it course through you.
âBall-et in Manchesterâ was everything a ballet aficionado could wish for!
But here's the most special bit, you lovely people, the entire auditorium loved the balletâs footballer fusion! Everyone was applauding, even when I pointed to the pink tutu, to encourage people to try the "EveryOne in a Pink Tutu" challenge. Perhaps not everyone got it, but it got people smiling and waving, it always does, because itâs a fun and inspiring experience â after all, my pink tutu journey has become much more than just wearing the tutu - it's a journey of inspiring other people.
The next stop was dinner in Stretford!
Of course, being a ballerina and lover of the extraordinary, I wasn't just going to have an ordinary dinner, I needed to find a place with âthat little something specialâ!
Well, how could I possibly leave Stretford without paying a visit to the iconic Stretford Pub! A big, spacious, welcoming establishment with lovely food!
But dinner was only half the excitement - because while the staff were serving up hearty grub (including some lovely cauliflower cheese for this little vegetarian!), I gave a little tutu-whirling performance, and for a short while, the whole pub became a big pink, sparkly party! I really put a little âtutu-liciousâ flavour into their otherwise standard evening - just the kind of exciting unexpected encounter that everyone should experience once in their life! The laughter was contagious and the cheers so loud!
And you know what, darlings, my quest is already proving to be a success!
One little Stretford girl actually came up to me during my tutu twirl, shyly said, "You've got so much pink on! You look great!". And then, looking at me with such hope and sparkle in her eyes, asked, âWill you be my ballet teacherâ?
"Oh darling, you just have to follow your dreams", I replied, âThere is a little part of me that knows this little lady will change the world, maybe even turn all the footballers into ballet dancers - with a little help, of course."
This felt like the culmination of everything I do - making a difference, getting people to wear pink tutus, to embrace all forms of creativity, inspiring them to move their bodies and enjoy the art of ballet.
The journey to Stretford, a little unknown gem, it was simply magical, from a tutu-tastic train ride, to the delightful people, the âBall-et in Manchester" spectacle to the heartwarming moment with a new young ballet enthusiast. I had my pink tutu adventure in Stretford.
Tomorrow, we are going on an exciting train journey, I wonât reveal the destination, but I will tell you this, I will be wearing a new tutu and weâll have fun with this new adventure too, I'm sure. So join me as I document my adventures with tutus and ballet.
Until tomorrow.
Bye for now.
Love and Pink Tutu Power. Emma x
