I did ballet for years growing up. The money is spent on clothing, accessories, dresses, shoes, exams, and classes! But I loved it. It was my freedom. We had exams, tests, and massive annual performances.
People see ballerinas and think two things:01, So pretty and perfect lifestyle n02 Looks so easy and fun! WRONG! Or Most people’s ballet reference point is Natalie Portman in The Black Swan.
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It is a super hard industry to get into, your lifestyle, health, diet, social life, you are basically balancing on a wire.
Here are some crazy facts you didn’t know about these ballerinas that will make you look at them in such a passionate way that if you have a goal you will do anything you can to get it! Despite the fact that they are both therapeutic and meditative to look at!
The corps is the lowest rung on the ladder, and they work hard. These young dancers can dance seven performances a week, in five different ballets, sometimes changing costumes at intermission to dance two roles in a night.
- Being A Ballerina Is So Expensive That Some Can’t Afford To Do It
- Every time a dancer jumps on pointe, three times, her body weight is carried on the tip of her big toe.
- Pointe Work Leaves Feet Swollen, Bruised And Bloody
- Twelve-hour days are the weekday norm – Back-to-back rehearsals, physical therapy, fittings etc. Police officers in Romania were sent to take ballet classes to help them manage traffic more gracefully and easily.
- Ballerinas Don’t Participate In Life Like Everybody Else Does
- It isn’t just child dancers who have to make sacrifices. Many professional ballerinas comment that ballet isn’t a job—it’s a lifestyle. The way you eat, socialize and spend your free time are all influenced by ballet when you’re a pro. That lifestyle can come with sacrifices beyond missing out on family birthday parties or binging on pizza on Saturday nights.
Irina Kolesnikova, one of the world’s most famous prima ballerinas, was infamously slammed by critics after she performed at St Albert Hall with the St Petersburg Ballet Theatre company in 2007.
The reviews said that she didn’t play the Swan Princess Odette as well as she normally did. Later, Kolesnikova admitted that at the time, she had just gone for a pregnancy scan and discovered that she had miscarried her first child. “It was a difficult time for me and my husband,” the ballerina revealed. “Sadness and tears.”
- Weight Is So Important In The Ballet World That Some Dancers Develop Eating Disorders
- The pay is pretty good. Corps members earn roughly $1,100 to $2,100 a week, depending on seniority, and contracts last one year.
- Every Single Detail In A Performance Matters And Ballerinas Can Ruin Everything In A Split Second
- Most dancers work tirelessly for 32 weeks in the on-season, doing around 80 performances, working six days a week, with Monday being the only day off. Dancers have described this time as “grueling” thanks to the hard work and hours they have to do.
- It’s a physically demanding, sometimes dangerous, profession. The performers often visit an in-house physical therapist for adjustments and manipulations between classes and performances.
- The Expectations And Criticism That Ballerinas Face Daily Would Crack Most People
- A male dancer lifts over 1-1/2 tons of ballerinas during performances.
- Ballerinas Are Supposed To Have Small, Frequent Meals, But Some Have Far Less Than A Normal Portion.
In conclusion, the journey of a ballerina is far from basic; it’s a path marked by immense dedication, sacrifice, and resilience. Beyond the grace and beauty on stage lies a world of relentless training, physical strain, and unwavering commitment. While the challenges may be brutal, the passion and determination of ballerinas shine through, inspiring us all with their artistry and discipline
