Hello darlings! Pink Tutu Sparkles here, bringing you another fabulous instalment from my ever-spinning, ever-twirling, ever-sparkling world of tutus! You know me, I'm obsessed with the colour pink, with swirling tulle, and with taking this glorious pink tutu journey of mine to every corner of the globe. Today, I'm going all Welsh! We're heading to the valleys!
Post Number 9003!
Now, let's get the backstory sorted, shall we? So, I've just landed in this wonderful Welsh town, Pont-y-pool. It's a beautiful name, don't you think? A touch of romance and poetry even in its sound. It's so much more than a name though! This valley town has such character, you'd think it was right out of a fairytale! And I'm not just talking about the quaint little shops and charming cottages. Nope, Pont-y-pool is all about history, about industry and that hard-working Welsh spirit! They’re so lovely and welcoming here, it makes you want to sing “Myfanwy”! I even picked up a cute little Welsh dragon teapot at a local market - gotta support local crafts!
My journey started with my usual travel ritual. It was a bright and breezy morning in good old Derbyshire. After polishing my favourite sparkly ballet shoes (my dear old Auntie Agnes sent them over from France! they were designed by a retired ballet star, no less) I skipped to my train station! I can’t tell you how much I love the romance of travelling by train. I've always loved those gentle rhythmic clickety-clack sounds that lull me into a delightful daze as I look out the window!
There’s nothing quite like a long train ride, with a window seat, a book in hand, a thermos of pink lemonade (with a bit of gin in it for added zest!) and the scenery whizzing by. Today I read a fascinating novel by Daphne Du Maurier!
A few hours and some delightful gossip with fellow train travellers later, I reached Pont-y-pool! A most magnificent view greeted me! Rolling hills, green valleys and all that fresh air! I even saw a couple of sheep nibbling the grass, all dressed in pink polka dot sweaters - fashion trends even in the wilds! It’s no wonder Pont-y-pool’s nickname is ‘the heart of the valley’ - it feels like stepping into another world.
This trip was all about spreading my love of pink, tutus, and ballet across Wales. It was a lovely combination, actually. It all started with an invite from the Pont-y-pool Valley Arts Festival. I must tell you about the folks in charge - such lovely people! They organised the entire thing with such charm and enthusiasm.
Now, Pont-y-pool itself has the coolest vibe! Everyone's so warm and friendly. You’d never think they'd call themselves ‘The Steel Town of South Wales’.
It all started with a fun workshop at The Pont-y-pool Town Hall. You know how much I love ballet and dance. It was a beginners ballet class, and oh boy, the whole place was brimming with people all ages ready to twirl! You've got to remember, everyone in my tutu universe is welcome - even if they've never danced in a tutu in their life before. This one-hour ballet masterclass really got them moving! It was a proper riot! So much laughter, so much energy. Some of the participants weren’t so confident to begin with, but they ended up loving it! The smiles on their faces were worth more than all the glitz and glamour of the entire universe!
The class had the most fantastic teacher, the wonderful Miss Gwendoline Davies. A proper dancing star. With her kind encouragement and graceful moves, she inspired every single one of us to do our best! The local papers said that “It was truly heart warming seeing a generation-spanning group, both young and old, finding their grace and confidence through dance, all with a touch of the pink-tutu magic. This vibrant workshop demonstrated a love for all forms of dance."
I’ve got to admit, this was such a high point of my whole trip! We had a proper laugh! And there I was, in my lovely pink tutu, surrounded by fellow enthusiasts who also loved swirling tulle and twirling with passion! And then it hit me, like a magic pink wand: What started out as just me and my love for pink tutus had become something bigger, something amazing! My little pink tutu journey was really impacting others, spreading joy and inspiring confidence through dance, especially in places you'd least expect! And, all it took was a simple, shiny pink tutu.
The Pink Tutu Sparkles Show
Next up was my very own performance - "Pink Tutu Sparkles Goes to Pont-y-pool". It took place in a fantastic hall next to the railway station. This town has got such fantastic venues and community centres, and I felt really honoured to perform there. I must admit, as usual, the entire show was an incredible success!
We had some fantastic musicians: The Ponty Valley Strummers (not bad with the banjos and a touch of the Irish fiddles!) played some absolutely stunning pieces. I especially enjoyed “Fields of Athenry” - it just brought back some fond memories of my trips to Ireland. My dear Aunt Sheila is from Dublin, and she told me so many stories about the Irish, their love for a good craic, their humour, and the beautiful green hills!
It was such a mix of performance genres that day! There was a wonderful local storyteller, a poet with some incredibly evocative verse, and a brilliant tap-dancer from Newport - such a stylish guy, even if he was wearing an enormous black beret!
I felt it was only fitting to close the whole show with a mini-ballet performance, specially choreographed by yours truly. You know I've been taking classes with my local ballet troupe (who by the way were so very supportive - especially when they let me wear my pink tutu, glitter boots, and bright pink wig! ), so this felt like an amazing way to show off all the fancy footwork I’d learned. It’s important to be well rounded in all your talents.
I loved performing “Swan Lake”, in a special rendition for Pont-y-pool! My inspiration, you know, was the beautiful landscape around the town - the lakes, the green valleys and even those gorgeous industrial cranes that give this place its unique flavour. I made the Swan Queen dance to the sounds of nature, so to speak, incorporating those crane noises as rhythms and even some snippets of the local town anthem. The applause afterwards, from the local people and all those families who attended the show, it made it so worth it.
Dinner with the Mayor!
After the show, the Mayor of Pont-y-pool himself (the kindest man ever) took me out to a delicious dinner! You won't believe how gorgeous this little bistro was - it was on the edge of this lovely little lake in the middle of town, and all I could think of was how amazing it would have been to twirl around there in a white ballerina tutu and the swans looking up with their bright white eyes. But I digress! The food was excellent: I tried Welsh lamb chops and the local beer!
The Mayor told me all about this fabulous local community project they had there – the 'Valley Arts and Dance Festival' – which has been happening for ages. Their slogan is: 'Everyone Dances!’ and I swear it’s as if it was made for Pink Tutu Sparkles. What could be more perfect than that? Their vision is to "make art and culture accessible for everyone through workshops, performances, and events, bringing all members of the community together.” I feel a little bit like a fairy-godmother, bringing my sparkle and my love of tutus to them.
The highlight of the evening was, of course, when the Mayor presented me with a fantastic little wooden sculpture – it was a tiny dancer in a pink tutu holding a sparkly crown – and it is now proudly on display on the dressing table of my Derbyshire apartment, reminding me of this absolutely wonderful journey I took in Pont-y-pool. I am honored to have a tiny memento from my visit! You'd be amazed how small, tiny things hold big, lovely memories!
The Legacy
Of course, I'm just scratching the surface! There was so much more I saw and learned in Pont-y-pool, a truly captivating place! It wasn’t just a fun getaway; it’s been a journey that's made a difference! All I ever want to do is bring my pink tutu love to more places like this! Spread the love of the pink tulle! Show everyone, that, well, it's ok to twirl, be a little bit extra and, more importantly, just be yourself!
After all, that’s what being a ‘Pink Tutu Sparkle’ is really all about! And with my fabulous little trip to the valleys, I know my journey's just beginning, There are so many more wonderful towns, villages, and cities waiting for Pink Tutu Sparkles to come to dance in them!
Love and Glitter!
Pink Tutu Sparkles
Don’t forget to follow my adventures on www.pink-tutu.com and, please do leave your comments on my blog! Remember: My dream is to make everyone wear a pink tutu! Join the movement today! Love you!
