I'm naturally deeply self conscious. I am not pretty, which is probably a good thing because I would just spend all day looking at myself in the mirror if I was. The point is that adults taking ballet classes are super self conscious because they feel old and lumpy and uncoordinated and much less graceful than the image of balletic perfection in their heads.
Which is the only explanation I can come up with for the fact that most people refuse to wear a leotard without at least a skirt or shorts to cover up with. And a sweater, sometimes. It is WAY too freakin' hot in the studio for me to deal with all those extra layers so I am often the only person in class (there were 13 students tonight!) who is wearing the standard ballet "uniform" of pink tights and shoes, black leo, and nothing else. Aw man. I love clothes. I love dress up. I love having hobbies with accessories and shoes and special things to wear. It's fun! Come on ladies! Step up to it!
Face it, even when we feel extra junky about our body the simple fact is that no one is paying any attention to you because they are focused on what they are doing. Like, no matter how many times tonight I wanted to see what the lady in the deshanked pointe shoes was doing in releve sous-sus, I was too busy getting myself up there to check on anyone else!
I am always self-conscious even before starting ballet. However, I like to wear standard uniform like you. It Is very funny that I feel very comfortable when everybody else are in proper uniforms in one of my weekly classes which happens to be an open class with lots of pre-professionals. As you said, nobody does care what everyone is wearing. But, when I am in another class where everybody wears yoga pants or jogging pants, I feel uncomfortable even I wear leggings, leotard with a skirt in black. I think sometimes it depends on the requirement of the teacher. My teacher sometimes wear sock when teaching. I
ReplyDeletefeel I am more serious or stricter than the teacher. No matter what, I always
make sure I look great in my ballet classes because ballet makes me feel I am very beautiful.
I feel a little stricter than the teacher, too! There is a dress code at my studio but practically no one follows it.
ReplyDeleteStrangely, I feel totally comfortable in the uniform when other people are wearing it, but when I am the only one in the room without shorts on I feel more self conscious.