Every little girl at some point in her childhood dreams of becoming a ballerina one day, or at least I did. There's something so magical about seeing ballet dancers twirling delicately around on stage, looking more like dolls than humans. From the moment I set my eyes on my first Nutcracker Ballet performance, I was absolutely obsessed. What I didn't know at the time but would later find out, was how much hard work and dedication is required to become skilled in dance. Whether you were a dancer in the past or are still currently pursing ballet, this list will ring true for you.
1. You are constantly conscious of your own posture, as well as everyone else's around you. Especially everyone else's. Nothing can make you cringe faster than seeing someone walking around with their shoulders slumped forward and their hips pushed backward. All those years of having your dance instructor yell at you to "Tuck your butt in!" have permanently imprinted this habit into your brain, and you will forever judge everyone around you for it.
2. You're a master at doing your hair in a bun. It doesn't matter where you are, what occasion, or what supplies you have to work with, you can always execute the perfect ballet bun without looking like you tried too hard.
3. You have a pair of tights for every occasion imaginable. You want convertible? Black? Seamed? Pink? We've probably got them all, and then some.
4. You naturally stand with your feet turned out. If you are casually standing, chances are you are already in first or fifth position, and of course, your feet are turned out, because why wouldn't they be!
5. Classical music is your favorite work-out jam. Nothing can get you pumped up for a work out like a little Chopin or Mozart. Okay, maybe not. But, you still enjoy a healthy dose of classical every so often to remind you of the good ol' days when you used to suffer through warm-ups of developpes, releves, and battements.
6. You have accepted the fact that your toes will never be cute, or pretty. Years of wrapping your toes in tape and rubber koozies before shoving them into your pointe shoes for rehearsal have done nothing to prevent them from looking like an old mans. No number of pedicures can reverse this, so you choose to accept them as they are; calluses and all.
7. You still manage to hold onto those impressive calf muscles. One undeniable plus of being a ballet dancer is the killer calf muscles. All your friends want to know your secret, but what they don't know is that they are the direct result of hundreds and hundreds of releves. So. Many. Releve's.
8. You can really appreciate a good pair of pointe shoes. Some girls spend hundreds on designer hand-bags, but you spent your extra cash on top of the line pointe shoes. Russian Pointe, Capezio, Mirella, the list goes on and on. You could fork over a Benjamin for a new pair without so much as blinking an eye.
9. You are skilled in the application of fake eyelashes. Stage make-up is a must on performance day, and you can never forget the falsies! After many years of trial and error, you have mastered this invaluable life skill.
10. The back of your closet is stuffed with old costumes. You are just too attached to give them away, but they also are impossible to wear for an occasion other than Halloween. Usually, they end up back at your mom's house, and she is too sentimental to get rid of them either.
