Have you seen the plaque at 14 Connaught Square is dedicated to Marie Taglioni, a famous French ballet dancer?

Marie was famous for her strength, gracefulness and weightless technique. She was the first ballerina to dance “en pointe,” meaning ‘on the tips of her toes’, for an entire performance. Today, pointe work has become an integral part of ballet training. Marie is also known for the ‘arabesque’. She established new standards of technique that every professional dancer now aims to reach. These standards have stood the test of time because most children taking ballet lessons today work their way up to pointe after many years of dancing in ballet shoes.

When Marie moved to Connaught Village she continued to inspire people through dance and offered social dance lessons to children and society ladies. She had no shortage of pupils, many of whom came from some of the wealthiest families in London. One of her pupils was Princess May of Teck, future Queen Mary. It is said that Queen Mary boasted that she was taught how to courtesy by Madame Taglioni for the rest of her life.

The village is in Hyde Park Estate’s luxury retail quarter and one of London’s hidden gems, making it an exclusive area. You can get a taste of some of the history around the area by the blue plaques on various residences, signifying that notable individuals once made those places their homes.

The village Marie Taglioni used to call home is full of a mixture of independent boutiques, award-winning restaurants, sophisticated galleries and leading interior designers. There are plenty of lovely local bakeries such as Assal Patisserie, as well as world cuisines including Le Chef Masgouf and Kurobuta. Exclusive boutiques include Lucy Choi, The Place London for Men and for Women, Eliza Jane Howell and Ritva Westenius, British bridal gown designer to the stars, and many more.

Connaught Village has a number of events happening throughout the year, from wine and cheese tastings to exclusive shopping evenings, find out more here.