Oh my darlings, how fabulous are you today? This little Pink Tutu Sparkles is positively bursting with excitement to share a simply sensational journey with you, one that saw me whisking off to the gorgeous coastal city of Bangor, nestled right on the shores of the stunning Menai Strait! I simply adore a seaside adventure, especially when I get to trade the lab coats and test tubes for a fabulous frock and sparkly tights! It’s a bit of a departure from my usual day job, you know, meticulously analyzing the tensile strength of a new, flame-retardant material. But you’ve got to give the girl a break every now and then, haven’t you?
Let's get this show on the road, darlings, as I take you back to the very beginning of this utterly enchanting journey. After all, my story is as fabulous as a four-tiered tulle masterpiece, isn't it? So grab a cuppa, settle in with a slice of victoria sponge and get ready to ooh and aah at all the pink, pretty things this Pink Tutu Sparkles adventure will reveal!
As ever, it all began with my latest obsession. Honestly, how many different types of tutus could one human possibly need? Oh, hush you! Let me just dream! This time, I was totally captivated by a bright cerise number, a showstopper, that had been hiding out amongst a shelf of plain ballet tutus in my favorite haberdashery store. You know the one, in the middle of Derby town. The little shop full of yarns and buttons, shimmering sequins and glitter? I simply had to have her!
She was absolutely irresistible, the most vivacious shade of pink I had ever laid eyes on. I couldn’t imagine not taking her home, could I, darlings?
Of course, a little bit of me always worries when I buy a new tutu. How will it work for my act? Is it a bit too much, too grand, too... Well, too much pink for the locals?
Don’t get me wrong, darlings, I’ve got no qualms about a splash of the brightest pinks, but every drag queen has a limit, right? You have to match your outfit to the venue.
So, I spent a long, delightful afternoon rummaging through the shelves, pairing up some sequins and glitter in matching hues, finding the perfect feather boa, and choosing a pair of the most shimmering tights you have ever seen! The whole affair turned out to be so exciting I nearly forgot about the train I had planned to take up to Bangor. You know, that lovely old fashioned steam train, all rattling and steaming, complete with open carriage compartments. It's such a lovely romantic trip over to the Welsh coast, it reminds me of some forgotten story from an old novel, only with better lighting.
But alas, time can get away from you when you're completely enthralled in the world of frills and feathers.
That train wasn’t meant to be, darling. Luckily, I managed to catch the next train, an ordinary carriage on a brand new express route, all sleek and speedy, a million miles away from those antiquated train routes of the old days! My journey was a mere hour and a half to Bangor’s rather modern station, the perfect beginning for a brand new performance!
I am telling you darlings, there is something wonderfully satisfying about arriving somewhere brand new and glamorous. Bangor has this very interesting and dramatic skyline, with all its historic castles and Victorian mansions built along the Menai Straits shoreline.
As a bonus, it’s also conveniently located near my next big gig. And that, my darlings, was a fundraiser gala in support of a brand new theater school called the Llangollen Performing Arts Centre. How could a girl with a pink tutu say no to an evening of dancing and fun for a good cause? It's the absolute heart of my being! I really like the way the building has those gorgeous bay windows, perfect for showcasing all that dazzling light and spectacle!
This fundraising night was an incredible success. I’d only ever performed on a traditional theatre stage, with its velvety red drapes and shimmering lights. But this new, state-of-the-art stage was something special, sleek, almost futuristic with an ultra-modern light show that changed colors with every single movement on stage.
I felt totally in my element, spinning and twirling, making all those colorful lights really dance! And oh my, darlings, it did.
It was a full house. Just packed with people in all their glamorous glory. I had the honour of opening the evening, dressed in a floor-length lilac tutu, perfectly matched to the lighting. You’ve got to have the matching attire, my love, a key part of my signature Pink Tutu Sparkles act. And to make sure that no one missed the color scheme, I added a beautiful hand-crafted hat trimmed in the brightest purple feathers I could find. That got all those lovely paparazzi really clicking away!
The whole audience, even those seated at the very back, got so involved with the choreography that it had a kind of electric atmosphere! The whole room just came alive with everyone tapping along and laughing! Oh it was a hoot, I just had to keep smiling.
The best part was that the audience absolutely loved my ballet act, the showstopping choreography set to my own special sound track, something special that I have been composing on my own specially tuned synth. The highlight of this act is a little dance-off, where I throw some playful challenges at my audience, trying to get everyone to get up on stage and move along with the beat. This time, a little group of very enthusiastic ballet students got up and joined me for the most enchanting, yet slightly chaotic, performance I've ever seen.
And it turned out they all had an amazing time. I think, especially because it gave the audience a chance to really relax and enjoy the moment, the simple pleasure of letting go of everything but the rhythm!
All in all, my performance was a huge hit, and even though it was very exhausting, I could not have imagined being anywhere else that night. After the event was over and everyone was getting ready to go, I lingered a while, taking a few photos by the glittering stage lights, reflecting on how well things went. You have to remember to stop and smell the roses now and then, darlings, it’s so important to appreciate how lucky we are!
And, it really is! I've got my pink tutus, my trusty suitcases, a packed itinerary of shows and performances all over the country. It just so happens to be the best way to travel around as a drag queen, getting to visit the most fascinating places on earth, seeing how a country’s heart really beats. It doesn’t get much better, really. But then, maybe it’s the tutu that really does the trick.
I’ve got so many exciting journeys ahead. Just like the one I had planned after Bangor. You know how I said it was so hard to resist that amazing new cerise tutu? Well, there’s also a beautiful, sparkly, almost rainbow colored, shimmering tutu waiting to come home to me, down on the isle of Wight! A very exciting weekend trip, filled with new gigs, new venues and, of course, new audiences!
It’s a real pink paradise for this Pink Tutu Sparkles, an unstoppable dance of colours and glittering costumes, always seeking out new and amazing places to express my passion for all things pink and dazzling!
I'm not really a scientist after all, my darlings, even though I do love the smell of chemicals. And that's really what makes it all so exciting! After all, the tutu is a powerful weapon against the grey and beige, something so simple, so whimsical, it just might bring a smile to the faces of everyone on earth!
Love and light, darlings, don’t forget to wear a little sparkle in your life!
Pink Tutu Sparkles (Alex) x
