Most people don’t know the struggle of not being able to wear sandals in the summer. They don’t know about the itch to gently correct children who stand with their feet turned in, and they probably don’t know how hard it is to sit in class and not tap their feet under their desk. However, all these struggles are familiar to dancers. We don’t wear sandals because our feet are callused and torn from countless hours spent in the studio. Seeing a child turning their toes in almost causes us physical pain. When we have to sit for long periods of time, our feet are always busy doing something. Every dancer has, at some point, experienced at least one of these struggles.
1. In stores with long aisles, you just want to jeté and pirouette all the way to the end.
The urge is far too strong to resist. When you see such an open space, the little leaping and turning part of your brain goes crazy! We all get the urge, we all want to do it, but many times we decide against it. Why's that? It seems socially unacceptable to start running, racing, dancing, chasing, leaping, and bounding down the aisles.
2. Your bones and joints pop more than normal.
Why do our joints always decide that it’s the best time to make the loudest pops and cracks whenever we are in a quiet public setting? It’s occasionally your back, but it’s your hips that pop the most. The looks of shock we receive can be quite comical. We just assure folks that nothing’s wrong and that it happens regularly and then move on with our day.
3. You’ve learned to ignore all the weird looks you get when you go out before/after a performance with all your crazy makeup on.
We all know the struggle of going out with friends while wearing your stage makeup. Depending on the show, it can range from the basics to almost Halloween material. But at least you look good on stage.
4. When a song comes on that you and your friend have performed to, you both start to mark the dance using your hands and making sounds for moves you don't have room for.
We are all familiar with finger dancing. Doing echappes, changments, passé-fifth-passé-fifth, and leaps are just a few of the moves we have to substitute with our fingers when we’re in public.
5. While you're waiting in line, you are most likely doing releves and tendus to pass the time.
It is a fact of nature that dancers cannot be still for more than five minutes at a time. We are constantly in motion. Whether it be dancing around our kitchens waiting for our food to heat up in the microwave or sitting down reading a book while our feet do ron de jambes on the floor. Our non-dancer friends ask us, “Why don’t you ever sit still?” And we tell them, in the words of Tia Dalma from "Pirates of the Caribbean," "It is my nature. Would you love me if I was anything but what I am?"
6. When "The Nutcracker" music plays in stores around Christmastime you cringe, cover your ears, and run for the nearest exit.
We already have to listen to the songs on repeat in the studio as we prepare for the annual showing of "The Nutcracker." Why should we be haunted by the music outside of the studio, too? Without question, Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s composition is both magnificent and exciting. Paired with Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov’s choreography, which has been modified somewhat over the years, "The Nutcracker" has continued to capture and amaze audiences worldwide. And yet for dancers, hearing it played over a hundred times within the span of three months can be quite maddening.
7. While all your friends are jamming to Rhianna and Beyoncé, you stand off to the side doing three step turns and a more upbeat version of your most recent tendu combination.
It’s not that we don’t know how to dance; it’s exactly the opposite. We just have been trained to dance a different way. It’s hard to shove aside the years of training and drop it like it’s hot in the middle of the dance floor. So for now, we'll stick to our snaps and claps and occasional fist pumping.
8. Every rail is a ballet barre.
Railings are so convenient. When you’re out and about, and you need a good hamstring stretch, you find yourself a sturdy rail and developpe that leg up there. No shame in your game.
9. If you go somewhere straight out of class, you are guaranteed look a little crazy.
We try to avoid going out in public after a class, but sometimes it’s inevitable. We try to freshen up a little by spritzing ourselves with perfume and attempting to fix our hair. Our hair is dutifully escaping its bun, and we can’t fix it because all of our bobby pins have disappeared. If you see us in public looking a bit frazzled, just know that we’re trying.
10. When you lean down to get something, you automatically go into arabesque penché.
When we go to grab something from the bottom shelf in a store, our leg naturally shoots to a 180 degree angle. Now that works just fine when we wear leggings, joggers, or shorts. But when it happens when you’re wearing jeans, well, that’s another story entirely.
11. When you should be paying attention in class, but you’re running the choreography from last year’s performance in your mind just to see if you remember it.
Admit it—we all do it. It’s not that we don’t try to pay to attention. It’s just that remembering if the saut de chat came before the fouettes or after the fouettes is a little more prominent in our minds. The struggles of being a dancer are numerous. But that doesn’t mean we love what we do any less.
