The Oxford Dictionary defines Ballet as: An artistic dance form performed to music using precise and highly formalized set steps and gestures. Classical ballet, which originated in Renaissance Italy and established its present form during the 19th century, is characterized by light, graceful, fluid movements and the use of pointe shoes.
Ballet is not just an art. It’s a passion, and to some degree, a lifestyle for many. When submerging oneself into the ballet world, there are many traits from this world that surface in our everyday lives. Even though I have distanced myself from the dance world, I still exhibit those quirky qualities that define me as a dancer. They can be described as…
1. You may have a slight addiction to Advil and coffee.
Thank you for this dynamic duo. Every dancer walks into technique class with a coffee in hand and a bottle of Advil in their bag. A day without these two is like creating your own death sentence in the ballet world.
2. You pop your hip joints in public and don’t even care.
It’s totally a dancer thing… and sometimes we forget where we are when we pop our hips. But despite the awkwardness, there is nothing more satisfying than hearing the sound of your hip joints pop after a long day of dancing.
3. You stand in awkwardly enlarged fourth or second positions whenever you go about your day.
Ever since the beginning of ballet training, dancers are lectured about the importance of turn out. Eventually, turn out will show up in everything, from the way you walk, to the way you stand.
4. You find it odd if you don’t hear "The Nutcracker" music in September.
As soon as the first leaf of autumn hits the ground, a majority of ballet studios and companies across the world have already started planting sugar plums into their dancers’ heads. "The Nutcracker" is not just a show for dancers; it’s a whole season… and not hearing the harp solo at the beginning of “Waltz of the Flowers” in September is one of the weirdest experiences a dancer can have.
5. The words “stretch class” can immediately brighten your day.
This is the equivalent to having an academic class “outside.” It occurs on those days when you have zero motivation due to fatigue. When a stretch class happens, the dancers essentially just lie on the floor, breathe, and stretch. It does wonders!
6. You are fully aware of the terms "biscuit feet" versus "banana feet."
A non-dancer might raise his or her eyebrow when hearing these terms. As dancers, this is how we classify people's feet. Biscuits are bad… very bad. Banana feet are great!
7. You never wear flip-flops during the summer because your toes are just not worthy to be seen in public.
You know what they say… beauty is pain. And this beautiful art form causes a lot of pain, and I mean a lot, especially for our poor toes. Whether they are blue and black, or they lack a nail here and there, the toes of a dancer are a sore sight for the eyes.
8. You have impeccable discipline.
Ballet class, especially, is built on discipline. A slight lack of respect to your teacher can immediately end your career.
9. Your summers are dedicated to your craft.
Ah summer… three months of pure sunshine and relaxation. Dancers spend their summers perfecting their technique at training intensives. Five weeks of solid dancing: You’re tired, you’re in physical pain by the end, but you have greatly improved your training and made some incredible friends.
10. You will always have a mutual friend with another dancer.
It’s a small world after all, and the dance world is even smaller. Thanks to the limited number of training programs and conservatories, it’s easy to find a mutual friend, no matter where you are.
11. When December rolls around, you realize that you spend more time in the theatre than your actual home.
For most, the first thing people think of after the mentioning of December is typically the holiday season. For dancers, we think of "Nutcracker" season. Early mornings and late evenings capture the experience. We consume everything from Starbucks peppermint mochas to candy canes in between "snow scene" and "the land of sweets." We have no sense of time since we are locked in the basement of the theatre for 12+ hours. It’s long, it’s tiring, but it’s a whole lot of festive fun!
12. You know what it means to have a passion.
Everyone has a passion, but dancers especially know what it means to be passionate about an art form. We give up so much for this art: Friday night football games are traded for Friday night rehearsals, relaxing summer vacations are spent training at intensives, and a normal high school experience doesn’t exist in this world. It may seem tiring and hopeless at some points, but there is no better way feeling than hearing the audience applaud as you take your bow after a successful performance. Then it's time to find the Advil and coffee because you have to do it all again tomorrow. And it's completely worth it!
