Dancers are a unique breed. We don't live the normal 9-to-5; in fact, if we start at 9 and end at 5, that's a great day. Since we spend so much of our lives in the studio and are constantly surrounded by other dancers, we have developed some interesting traits that are unique to our lifestyle.
Aches and Pains
Our bodies always hurt. Every day we wake up with a new knot in a muscle or a new pain when we walk. Some days are worse than others, but you can always count on something hurting.
Extreme Tolerance for Ibuprofen
Because something always hurts, Advil is our best friend. The question "how many ibuprofen can I take in a day?" is one often asked in the dance world. It truly is a miracle drug. Pain reliever plus anti-inflammatory? Count me in!
Public Speaking? Yeah, No
We may be expressive people, but not with words. We are trained from the time we're little to be silent in class, so when teachers ask us questions, we have a minor freak outs. Ask us to speak in front of large groups of people... yeah, we'll pass.
Excellent at Multi-Tasking
How to do a pirouette: feet in fourth, don't roll in, turn out from your hips, shoulders relaxed, pelvis under, deep plié, quick passé, quick spot, don't stick your butt out when you come down, don't drop your heel down... got it? We have to think of a million things at once while we dance - technique, performance, artistry, character - and luckily we can apply that mindset to other activities.
Constantly Misunderstood
We can't stand those people who say "Dance is my life! I take jazz twice a week!'' Yeah, no. We spend 12 hours days in the studio, sometimes even more, depending on your rehearsal schedule. So please, spare me the stories of your love of Dance Moms and studio drama.
Love/Hate Relationship with Food
Food. We need it to dance at our best, but we can't eat too much of it, because those tights leave nothing to the imagination. We love to eat, especially during show weeks, but we're also very conscious of the things we put in our bodies.
Chronically Poor
Dance ain't cheap! Pointe shoes can run up to over $100. If you're buying your own costume, that's also a nice chunk of change. Not to mention buying tickets to see shows from the local dance scene or touring companies. All those expenses add up, and suddenly the balance of your checking account is a lot smaller than you remember.
Constant Case of the Fidgets
We are movement artists. Sitting still is not our forte. We love to be moving. We talk with our voices and our hands. Having to be stationary and sit still in a desk for an academic class is basically our worst nightmare.
Constant Calf Compliments
Since we point our feet basically all day long, our lower bodies are our best features. And people frequently feel compelled to compliment us on that.
Excellent Posture
Since we've spent so much of our lives dancing, we pretty much constantly stand with good posture. But don't worry, the only thing stuck up about us is our spines.
Joint Popping in Public
If it's below our ears, we can pop it. And sometimes we do that out in public around non dancers. We're sorry. It just feels so good when you finally get your hips to pop!
Chronically Ugly Feet
What's a pedicure? Pointe shoes aren't really conducive to having pretty toes. With bunions, corns, bruised toenails, and miscellaneous blisters and scar, our feet passed the point of no return a long time ago.
We may have a lot of bizarre things that happen in our lives because of dance, but don't think for a second that it's not worth it. We love what we do, which is why we sacrifice our bodies and sometimes our sanity for this art form. Plié, chassé, jeté, all day.
