Usually, birthdays aren’t my favourite. Particularly as you get older, they tend to be more and more like a regular day, accompanied by a slight tinge of disappointment that reminds you it wasn’t always this way. I turn 25 in a few days, and was approaching it in the same, somewhat detached manner I feel works best in more recent times. But two wonderful people – my friends Lisy and Eva organised a truly magical night out that put all the sparkle back in the occasion.

On May 16th, Lisy and Ev took me to the Glenmore Hotel, overlooking the shimmering Harbour Bridge and Opera House. We had delicious food, and delicious drinks, took in the sights and laughed ourselves to tears. Afterwards, not telling me where we were going, they took me to the other side of the harbour where they began edging their way toward the Opera House. We were going to the ballet, they revealed.

And what a ballet it was. The Dream, based on Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, was absolutely stunning, thrilling and inspiring. I sat there in complete awe, convinced that not only should I write a book about ballerinas, but should also take up ballet again myself. To experience it with Lisy and Ev made it that much more special. These two beautiful friends had organised this entire night around what I loved. I can’t thank them enough for a truly magical evening.

dream_ballet2 2

dream_ballet3 2

dream_ballet