9.19.2008

Ballet - It's not for sissies

My body, oh, it aches. The first week wasn't so bad but this time, I feel like I am dying. I think it is the shoes.

I was just in bare feet last week since I didn't have time to go to the ballet store. But Friday, while everyone else was off buying food and filling up on gas, I ran over to the local dance store and picked up my outfit. Obviously, I have my priorities in order.

What I learned this week is that with bare feet you have a whole foots worth of space to balance with but in the fancy-schmancy ballet shoes you only have a few inches of leather. (You know it is fancy when you have to spend $20 for a few inches of fabric and you still have to finish sewing them yourself!) This forces your muscles to work a lot harder to keep you upright. Every part of me hurt last night, except maybe my eyeballs. (But now those hurt too because I keep thinking of some poor dog that no longer has it's eyeballs as they are in a box at my feet.)

The rest of my ballet outfit consists of slightly more fabric, but not a lot. Yes, it is more than a swimsuit but it really doesn't feel like it when you are standing in a room of mirrors. It's not the body image thing, I pretty much like my body. There are obviously areas I like better than others but overall, my body and I are cool. And it isn't like anyone else cares there, the class is mostly girls, of all shapes and sizes, just there to have fun. And the two boys, well, let's just say I am pretty sure they aren't there to meet any ladies.

But Monday was the first day that most of us came in something other than shorts and a t-shirt and you could feel the uncomfortable vibe from pretty much everyone but the instructor. I think it probably boils down to the fact that we are adults and we are in public wearing tights and a leotard. It doesn't matter that everyone else is too, it is embarrassing! (It's also embarrassing when you realize you have to go to HEB afterwards because you are in desperate need of bananas and sour cream.) But it is also tons of fun too so if you have the chance to take a ballet class, I say do it! Just be forewarned, it's not for sissies.

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