you are such a stereotype ... it's not feminist and it's just performing femininity for chasers ...


In Go Get Your Armour  and Attire for none typical dancers  I talk a little bit about what i tend to wear in ballet class, and how it is  what  is seen by many as stereotypically 'exam wear' and plays to a stereotype of what a female  dancer 'should' wear.

My  attire this evening for  the two classes (beginning Pointe, followed by 'open' ballet class) with Lady Bay Ballet I took could arguably be said to be very stereotypical

I started class in pink satin pointe shoes , 'pink' tights, leg warmers, a leotard, mesh overdress and a wrap cardi... and yes, my hair was up in a bun...  the wrap cardi  didn't make it to the end of class  and  i'm not  yet confident doing  pirouettes on demi  in my pointe shoes (never mind actually en pointe)  so the pointes were changed for  soft  ballet shoes  part  way through the centre in open class ( and I was rewarded  with a clean 1 and a half turn pirouette each way ...  so my fluked double  in the autumn  is being chased down.)

Could I have taken class in thick leggings,  baggy  t -shirt and hoody?  of course I could but  would  Katie have been able to  see my lines, and correct my posture  and balance as easily? perhaps not ...

Would I have been able to move  as well - possibly ...

But would i have felt like a 'proper ballerina'? probably not... and part of being a dancer is being able to act your role...  So, sorry  those who knock me and my  attire for class  ...  I'm going to stay  being  Miss  prim and proper bun-head  because it makes me feel good and helps me dance  as  well as i can ... 

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