The Truth About Ballerinas

If you have ever seen a ballerina dance, you know that they somehow make extremely difficult steps and leaps look effortless. With their beautifully crafted costumes, and perfectly planned and rehearsed choreography, the real work and tiring schedule of a ballerina goes unseen. Many dancers aspire to make a career in ballet, but what does it really take to commit your life to dance?

To begin with, dancers typically spend about seven hours a day in the studio, taking dance lessons and attending rehearsals. This exhausting and demanding schedule usually involves training six days a week. Being on your feet and physically exerting yourself for so much time can be extremely straining on the body. Ballerinas must take the time to stretch their muscles and visit physiotherapists regularly. Dancers are extremely cautious when it comes to injuries, as one wrong move could end their career.

The diet of a professional dancer is very strict. Most dancers eat three meals a day consisting of vegetables, high-protein foods (lean meats, nuts, fish), and more. Many dancers choose to go vegan, and dancers have to be in top physical condition year round. Eating disorders are 10 times more common in ballet dancers than other dancers as the standards for ballerinas to have the “perfect body” are high. Dancers are scrutinized during auditions, and if they aren’t in perfect shape, they will probably be cut.

Most professional ballerinas start training seriously around the age of seven but can start before or after this age. At 17 or 18, dancers start to audition for companies. A ballet company is an organization that hires dancers and offers classes and a chance to dance in a show. Auditions are held annually for prospective dancers looking for a career in ballet and are very competitive. Hundreds of dancers audition and only the most talented get in. The lucky few who get into a post-secondary program at a ballet company complete a year or two of rigorous training and daily classes before they have the chance to audition for the corps de ballet. The corps de ballet is a group of dancers who perform together during performances and are the lowest level of dancers in a company. The goal of most ballet dancers is to become a principal dancer at a company, the highest honour. Principal dancers get the main roles and solos in performances and are the most respected dancers in the company.

Xiao Nan Yu is a top principal dancer at the National Ballet of Canada in Toronto, and has been a principal dancer for 19 years. Yu trained everyday of the week as a child for long hours. She (like most children who dedicate their lives to ballet) missed out on ordinary activities such as sleepovers, birthday parties, and eating junk food. After years of training as a child all over China, Yu moved to Canada to audition for ballet companies. At the young age of 18, she left her home in to pursue her dream of becoming a principal dancer. Yu is an example of an extremely successful ballerina, and her work and dedication to ballet has led to a long career as a dancer. Some of her performances have been in  the Nutcracker, Romeo and Juliet, Swan Lake, Sleeping Beauty, The Winter’s Tale, and more. Xiao Nan Yu is retiring this year at the age of 42.

So after reading this article, what do you think? Would you consider a career in dance? Ballet is a profession that is rewarding and, although most ballerinas don’t go to university, many have successful careers in dance. It really depends on what you're passionate about. If you know what you love to do even though it's not a typical career choice, take a risk and try it. Being a dancer is a lifestyle. Behind the satin slippers and sleek buns, being a ballerina takes an astonishing amount of dedication and strength.