Ok. So many people out there in the world think that ballet is easy. They are very wrong. Here's why: #1: Pointe shoes. You are literally standing on the tip of your toes. That is painful. Plus, if you think YOUR shoes are expensive, pointe shoes can cost over $150. And you have to get new ones every 4-6 months at an amateur level (aka me). Professionals go through at least 4 pairs a month. so, that would be around $600 a month, and $7,200 a year. #2: It takes a lot of time out of your schedule. I have three classes a week for 1:45. Most professionals have to dance up to 10 hours a day, 5-6 days per week. And during performance season, I once had a week where I had both ballet rehearsals and performances, and rehearsals and performances for school groups. #3: Ballet involves a lot of strength. It takes a LOT of muscle strength, and some professional athletes have to take ballet for that reason. Also, a ton of balance is necessary. Stand up and try to stand in tree pose but on tiptoe. That's what dancers do. Also, arm strength. During classes, sometimes we have long combinations with our arms in second position (extended out to the side) for all of it. #4: This might just be a minor inconvenience, but COSTUMES. I'm pretty sure that the #1 rule of ballet costumes is that they can't be comfy. They are scratchy, boiling, tight, or ugly, or multiple, or all of the above. There used to be a boy in my class who had to wear this costume that looked good, but my friend told me that he had said that he couldn't drink water while wearing it because it was too tight. #5: Some of my friends take an hour to get ready for school in the morning. One of my school friends used to be in my ballet class, and she's a perfectionist, so she basically gets home from school at around 3:30-3:45, gets ready for ballet in a rush, putting on TIGHTS, the worst experience ever, her leotard, then spends the rest of that time making her hair look perfect, then has to leave her house around 4:00-4:15. For me, I change into my ballet clothes, then brush out my CURLY hair (aka torture myself), then try to make my hair not have any bumps on the top of my head , then make a ponytail, then twist it into a bun, and then it still looks terrible because there are poofs of hair on the top of my head, and I show up to class looking stupid. 3 times a week.
So yeah. That's my rant about ballet.
