Ballet Myths

I've decided to make a list of ballet myths I've heard, here they are.

1. Ballet is just for little girls.

Wrong! Ballet is for everyone who enjoys it, whether you are a teen, adult, male or female. I know a bunch of teens who just started ballet, and I also know boys who take ballet. There are even adult ballet classes at my studio with adult men and women who are just starting ballet.

2. In ballet, you wear frilly pink tutu's and stand on your toes.

Nope. Dancers wear leotards and tights to class, possibly with a wrap skirt or shorts. Beginning dancers stand on demi-pointe, not on their toes.

3. Ballet hurts.

Ballet shouldn't be painful. You may feel a "good pain" when stretching, but it shouldn't be unbearable painful. If you are in pain when dancing, talk to your teacher about it or see a doctor. Pointe shoes may hurt your feet when you are first breaking them in.

4. Ballet is easy.

Ballet is anything but easy! I played softball and basketball for years, I compete in academic competitions, I play piano and viola, and ballet is the hardest thing I've attempted. It takes a professional dancer 10 years or so to become a professional. Ballet classes are structured, and you will learn discipline. That doesn't mean that ballet isn't enjoyable though! Ballet is difficult, but rewarding, and a lot of fun.

5. Ballet dancers have to be really skinny/anorexic.

Well it's true that professional ballet dancers should be thin, most don't have eating disorders. Eating disorders make you weak, and if you are dancing for 8 hours a day you need all the strength you can get! Very few dancers have an eating disorder. If you want to start ballet for fun, you don't need to be stick thin. As long as you can move and are healthy enough to dance, there should be no stopping you. There are dancers in my classes who are tiny, but more are average, curvy girls. There are even a few bigger girls who dance beautifully.

6. You can start pointe as soon as you start ballet, or, A late ballet starter can't dance pointe.

This one is absolutely wrong! If you are beginning ballet as a teen or adult, you need to learn proper technique and build up strength. Another variable is bone structure. Once you are strong enough for pointe and have good enough technique, you can start pointe. This can take between 2-5 years, if you take 2-3 ninety minute classes a week. Even if you have danced ballet before, quit, and are starting again, you can't go straight to pointe. Your muscles aren't used to ballet, so you need to retrain them.

7. Ballet dancers are called ballerinas.

Actually, no, ballerinas are actually the principle dancer of a ballet company. Most professional ballet dancer aren't even ballerinas. Someone who dances ballet is simply a ballet student or ballet dancer.

8. Ballet is slow and boring.

Ballet varies greatly, from quick jumps and movements to slow ones. There are classical ballets and more modern ballets, which can be more interesting to some people. I like this one.