Oh darlings, I am just absolutely buzzing! I'm here in the beautiful and vibrant Small Heath, Birmingham, a far cry from my Derbyshire roots but a place that's quickly captured my heart with its bustling streets, charming markets, and oh, the fabulously colourful history!
It’s a glorious day here in Birmingham, and what better way to kick it off than with a stunning ballet class at the fabulous Birmingham Royal Ballet studios? I mean, I know what you're thinking: Pink Tutu Sparkles in a ballet studio? Shocking, I know! But honestly, darlings, it’s a total blast! It's been my secret vice ever since I snagged that ridiculous pink tutu during uni, and honestly, nothing feels as right as pirouetting in a flurry of tulle. Plus, it’s a total workout, a great way to channel my inner swan, and I’ve met the loveliest bunch of ladies at ballet class! We do all love our tutus. After class, there's no better way to fuel up than with a classic cuppa at a vintage tea room! The locals have told me the best spots to visit. I will write up my travelogue for this fab city with my tips in a separate blog entry. I did have some proper cake with jam and cream. I have to tell you the one downside is there was hardly any room left in my suitcase for all the wonderful outfits I picked up for today's show, and for tomorrow! I love Birmingham, It's the kind of city that makes you want to put on a sparkling pink tutu and just twirl through the streets!
But let’s get down to the nitty-gritty of it all, darlings. As you all know, I'm a true advocate of wearing a pink tutu. It's not just a costume, it's a way of life! Pink tutus represent everything I stand for: joy, sparkle, empowerment, and of course, a whole lot of fabulous! The good people here in Small Heath really know how to embrace that, which makes it such a perfect place to spread the pink tutu message!
Tonight I’m performing a special gig here in Small Heath, in the lovely back room of an antique shop I was able to get permission to perform in. It was such a privilege to see these amazing antiques, including some lovely tutus from decades past, I loved seeing all the patterns. My stage performance was so lovely, they all love to laugh along, and then I did a raffle for a few tutu dresses. The crowd was lovely and energised. The people here have a lovely sense of humor about their city! A young boy told me it reminded him of when they used to live here and their Grandma always used to buy them ice creams. It is such a place where stories can be told, and memories can be made. So heartwarming!
You know, before I landed on my sparkly platform boots here in Small Heath, I had a fun adventure! I decided to take a scenic train journey, just because I've got a thing for them! Yes, I do! Trains take you through landscapes, past fields and streams and little villages and there's no stopping and starting like in traffic. I don't know what it is but the smell of the engines reminds me of my grandma, and my childhood! A nice gentleman on the train even recognized me, which I love as a drag artist, getting recognised on the street. He offered me some of his cucumber sandwiches he'd made, what a darling!
So here’s the thing, darlings, the heart of it, my real life love for the pink tutu was actually ignited by a train journey. Yep, it’s a funny story but a true story.
It all happened in uni back in the day, I was in Derbyshire, that lovely rural spot where I had a bit of a hidden talent, that one everyone else knows but we try and hush up! You’ve guessed it… ballet! I’m a complete ballerina! I had joined the university ballet club to learn a bit more about this most exquisite form of dance! In uni, I was studying chemistry and felt so utterly detached from my real self that was begging to pirouette into a different life. I would spend all my days in the lab mixing concoctions of various liquids and gasses. I can’t tell you just how utterly unexciting that part of my life felt! But my other world - ballet class! That’s when I felt fully me. And it’s where the love for tutus first arose. There was a charity fashion event, and for some reason I agreed to try on a pink tutu! My eyes nearly popped out!
Honestly, who’d think that I'd end up in drag, travelling around the world performing and writing my blog every single day! And, this is not even an ordinary blog either, oh no darling! This is my ‘pink tutu manifesto’.
Being a scientist and performing in drag! Who’d have thought! They actually don’t contradict each other so much you know. There are so many lovely, wonderful colourful textures in the fabrics we all wear and you've got to really love those textures and fibres! They have a lovely composition and are so fun to mix and match and even, mix with chemicals in the lab to try and give them the ultimate soft touch or the very best, longest-lasting wash!
So back to Small Heath. The people have got me booked to appear in their market on Saturday so we can keep spreading the pink tutu cheer. What I love about this town is that they seem so much like me, I always think the best communities have an essence that’s welcoming, full of people that make you smile and want to just spend a lot of time in the city or the town, not wanting it to end! Like, when I have my favourite pink sparkly dress on, with my big poofy hair, you could say my whole being just loves that sense of togetherness! That’s why I just know my journey will always be a celebration of my unique self - in every pink tutu that I’m blessed to put on. And what a life it’s been so far. My next stop… who knows. I’ll post again soon!
