Everything that concerns the ballet universe is shrouded in myths. Is it true that ballerinas and dancers only feed on salad and still water? Do they really stop having children so as not to disrupt their careers, especially women? And lastly, how much do these people weigh?
O awesome.club reveals some of the mysteries about the world of ballet below and is sure that you will be surprised by this information. Check out!
1. First steps in ballet
Most children start practicing ballet between the ages of 4 and 8 years. But there are those who start even before that. A 3-year-old girl can start taking prep classes. Starting early, future dancers become familiar with the art, learn to master their own bodies and move to the rhythm of the music.
Pointe shoe classes can only be attended by children over 11 years old. During the first year of these classes, rehearsals are held 3-4 times a week. And that requires endurance and discipline. Ballerinas should focus a lot on the art of acting, as they need to convey the character’s characteristics only through body movements.
2. Physical fitness requirements
One of the main “technical characteristics” of a ballerina is the rotation of the foot, which can even be improved, provided there is an anatomical predisposition.
Most ballerinas are between 1.62 m and 1.77 m tall. The perfect weight is around 38.5 to 59 pounds, depending on bone and muscle mass. It is the ideal combination of the idea of fragility with impressive strength and resistance.
For ballerinas it is important to have long legs and this is not a myth at all. The “leg length index” is obtained by dividing the sitting height by the total height, all this multiplied by 100. The result should be between 49% and 52%.
3. Diet
The dancers’ diet has several restrictions. To stay in shape, they have to give up several products that are common to most people. For example, Russian ballerina Svetlana Zajárova, who weighs 50 kilos and is 1.72m tall, never consumes salt. Your breakfast is porridge prepared with water.
The dancer’s first meal of the day is something like this.
But ballet professionals can eat crepes as long as they don’t contain sugar, cream or condensed milk.
On the list of prohibited products for ballerina Maya Plisetskaya were items such as coffee, bread, meat, dairy products, eggs and sugar. But then what did she eat? Fruits, vegetables, fish and cereals. On the other hand, some ballerinas avoid bananas and tomatoes.
Sometimes not even having so many restrictions is enough. For example, ballerinas The Swan Lake maintain a strict diet 7 days before premieres in order to show elegant and slender silhouettes.
But can ballerinas go off the diet? Of course yes. “Just look at how we celebrate birthdays behind the scenes. It’s always an incredible show. It has sandwiches, salted nuts, smoked sausages, ham, cheeses, sweets, breads and pies. In addition, we drink wine and champagne”, says a dancer from the Bolshoi Theater, since it is one of the most desired by professionals in this area around the world.
“When I’m asked if I use some kind of professional trick to keep my weight off, I can’t think of anything specific or really secret… I’ve never been on very strict diets that totally exclude certain products. When you realize you need to lose weight, you simply eat less. I only change the size of my plate, not its contents.”
4. Behind-the-scenes work days
The dancers’ legs suffer from the tiring rehearsals. A working day lasts 7 hours, with no break to eat. The workload depends on the professional’s position: corps de ballet, stage director, principal dancers. It is a fact that women work more intensively than men, since the women’s wing is an obligatory part of practically every ballet. And they can still work overtime, reaching 9 hours of work a day or more. Some dancers claim that when they go for a manicure, they ask that the calluses not be removed, as the rough skin protects the foot from friction in pointe shoes.
Rehearsals and performances almost always result in injuries. Ballerinas often suffer from eating disorders and reduced bone density and often suffer fractures of the first rib as a result of stress. To keep the body in good working order, dancers usually undergo massages. They can be of different types, depending on the objective. For example, on the day of the presentation, it is recommended to do a toning massage. After rehearsals and performances, a relaxing one is better. Massage relaxes muscles and fights swelling. The most common methods for quick recovery involve going outside, soaking in sea salt water and essential oils, plus a good night’s sleep, of course. At least once a week you need to sleep very well.
During rehearsals, without the costumes or flashy makeup, the choreography is totally different. But to interpret their character, dancers resort to accessories and decorations in the look. Most of the time, ballerinas wear their hair in a bun. The wires suffer a lot and become brittle due to the frequent use of bobby pins, elastic bands and tight hairstyles. Excessive layers of makeup affect the health and appearance of the skin. Therefore, in everyday life, ballerinas usually let their face “rest”, using minimal cosmetics. Most do their own makeup for the performances. Generally, they do not receive clear instructions or recommendations: each dancer thinks about how to give her face an oriental or swan look, for example. But the makeup shouldn’t get too creative.
Dancers’ workdays are marked by lack of sleep, fatigue and hard work. Behind the scenes, work is carried out as important as that of whoever is in front of the public: preparation of costumes, hairstyles and make-up.
With some parts of the costume, it is very difficult to dance. The professional training program includes a course in “makeup for the stage”. The dancers use special false eyelashes, 3 centimeters long, in addition to highlighting the cheekbones and applying a matte lipstick. Classic stage makeup takes about 30 minutes, but for some roles, that time can be over 1 hour. The most important thing in the makeup of a ballerina is to highlight the lines of the face in a striking way. Dark lines are usually larger than the size of the eye and the foundation needs to be dense enough to cover signs of tiredness on professionals.
5. Maternity
“Being a mother and a dancer at the same time is not easy. Of course I can leave my son with someone and go to rehearsal or Pilates class, which is really necessary for me to stay in shape. But I can’t imagine doing that. I just can’t… during the first few years of a child’s life, career is no longer the most important thing for you. But I came back really fast: I started rehearsing when my son was 2 months old, and when he was 4 months old, I was already on stage.”
“Let’s be honest: both in the past and today, few classical ballerinas have children, as there is a risk that they will never return to the stage. But I made my choice, and I’m happy to have our daughter, Anya.”
Iana Salenko, first ballerina at the Berlin Opera Theater, does not see her children as obstacles to her career. She is about to be a mother for the second time.
“The female body during pregnancy fascinates me”, posted the dancer on her Instagram profile.
6. The hypnotic world of ballet
However, dancers are unanimous in saying that the sacrifices are worth it. When they take the stage, they dance with passion, moving the audience around the world, spreading all the beautiful power of art. Ballet is beautiful, elegant, classic and sophisticated. Ballet dancing is having the chance to receive a standing ovation and admire the eyes of an enchanted audience. No one can remain indifferent to this type of artistic expression.
And you, do you like ballet? What space does dance have in your life?
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