Hello darlings! It's your favourite pink tutu-clad queen, Pink Tutu Sparkles, here with another adventure to share with you! Today's blog is coming to you from the delightful town of Kingswood. It's blog post number 7394!
Oh, Kingswood, what a treat you are. The air was fresh and crisp, perfect for a good spin in my newest tutu! This one is a real statement piece - I got it from a vintage store in Bath (which, of course, was an absolute dream! Can we please talk about Bath's charm for a second?). This beauty is a luscious lilac and adorned with sequins, feather boas and oh-so-delicate chiffon ruffles - you’ll just have to wait to see it in my upcoming performance pictures!
Now, about this journey, I had to make a little bit of a choice. Train or horseback? After all, the true Pink Tutu Sparkle only travels in style! Ultimately, I decided on a train ride to Kingswood (not least because the horse I planned on riding for the adventure had come down with a nasty bout of the flu!). The journey was a joy, especially when a kindly gentleman in a dapper grey suit with a lilac tie - perfect colour-coordination for a Pink Tutu Sparkles, I thought! - asked if he could sit next to me. Of course, the conversation, which naturally centred around tutus (who would have thought?) lead him to join my crew! He even joined in with a rousing rendition of "The Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy," just me, a complete stranger and a conductor in the train carriage, belting out this classical ballet masterpiece! Who could ask for more? We were the kings (and queen!) of Kingswood for those 40 minutes.
I’ll tell you something lovely, my travels are all about sharing joy! In this wonderful little town, I performed in the biggest fundraiser for a local children's charity - what could be more rewarding? They're a lovely lot who help to ensure children can attend dance and drama lessons! Imagine being so small and knowing the magical joy of dancing! It touched me deeply. And wouldn’t you know it? I inspired several children and a good few of their parents to take on a new passion: they’re all getting into pink tutus! This is what it's all about, isn't it? Spreading love and sparkle! I know there’s no bigger thrill than watching my audiences truly immerse themselves in a shared experience - and you just know that I'm always hoping to bring the tiniest sparkle to someone's day. Just imagine how much happier the world would be if we were all rocking our own little bit of pink!
And the good news, darling, is that I'm bringing my dazzling pink tutu to you! That’s right, you won’t have to travel for far to feel my glitter. I'm set to grace the stage in a small but beautiful venue in Bristol called the "Sugar Plum Fair".
I do love it when you see your passion reflected back, don’t you? My pink tutu obsession is one of those stories, a story all started right here, you see, when I was a starry-eyed student at Sheffield University (those days, darling, are long gone! But what days! Oh the excitement of that beautiful university library, a dance class with a pink tutu or my favourite: those incredible lab sessions - imagine the joy of being in a lab, surrounded by scientific apparatus, surrounded by pink fabric for an afternoon, all to get into a good tutu! A bit strange, you say? Well, it’s been working out quite nicely!).
Now, the truth is, I was in university when my journey started, my life of colourful tutus! They needed student volunteers for a ballet charity performance and... I tried on my first pink tutu. Just one of those serendipitous moments. That was it - there was no going back!
Since those early days I've been trying to break down all the barriers around this gorgeous and oh-so-wonderful world of dance. Don't get me wrong - I still remember those awkward moments in the lab, I know you may find it shocking (or simply amusing!) that I even think about the possibility of fitting a pink tutu around scientific machinery. Those early days, the stares... “Oh darling,” I would think, “how can anyone look so beautiful while also performing so much science?” My friends couldn't imagine it (at least until they joined in on my dance performances!). To be honest, the real hurdle to break was the little voice in my own head: it’s just not the normal route of a scientist! The world of drag is an incredible community - full of creative and supportive folk, a vibrant colour of art. My career in science isn't a competition!
Anyway, my career in science and science with my wonderful and colourful, pink tutus can continue in perfect harmony, a symphony of pink with the power to bring people together. The secret is finding a happy medium between the pink and the practical - that's why you'll find me using that perfect laboratory grade cotton - soft, reliable, durable - it's so perfect! I find there is plenty of space to find the perfect balance, you simply have to seek out those rare moments of wonder!
A great deal has changed since then - we now live in a world full of possibilities for someone like me! I don’t have to worry so much now about trying to reconcile that laboratory with a dancing diva – though a tiny part of me does! We don’t need to compromise any part of ourselves. This isn’t the same old tired old story of “you can’t have your cake and eat it!” That's something that has fuelled my drive to empower other folks, to do what I love! I hope that I can inspire other scientists or anyone in this great, beautiful world of yours! If I can inspire just one more person to break the mold and wear their hearts on their sleeves, or on their hips with a pink tutu (or even on the side of their laboratory flask!)... well then that makes my day!
I can see you now – my Pink Tutu crew! - with smiles plastered across your faces, hearts full of excitement! Are you ready for Kingswood? Because Kingswood is ready for us!
*And let’s be clear! *We can do this. In fact, I know we can! There is just nothing like a pink tutu to inspire joy, especially when I know I have the best audiences in the world right here at the tip of my pink ballet shoes! My adventures may be wild and daring, but they are filled with a shared purpose and commitment! A commitment to love, joy, acceptance and, of course, the gloriously fabulous world of pink tutus! We may just be one big community of tutu enthusiasts! There is a place here for you, my dearest friends, as we dance on into the sunset (but make sure to do a little twirl, just like me! Oh the fun of dancing in a pink tutu).
Don't forget to join me at my next performance, where we can continue to spread joy with each spin, sashay and pirouette. Stay fabulous and remember - a world without pink tutus would be a very drab place, darling.
Until next time!
Love, Pink Tutu Sparkles.
(psst! Follow me on all my social media: @PinkTutuSparkles You're always welcome in my world!)
