Don't. Do. It. No. Don't.

A particular dance wear retailer (ahem) posted this photo to Facebook this morning. You have probably seen it on Pinterest already, it's been around for a while:

It's a little girl having a dance with Anna Pavlova in an art gallery. It's quintessential childhood. It's precious. It's nostalgic. It reminds you of the things you love about dancing.
And this is the comment that someone left on the post:

 

It is a jerk-bag being a Douchey Larue for no discernible reason. It reminds you of the things you HATE about dancing. It highlights two of the problems with dancers (and people in general) communicating via the internet. First, it's almost impossible to truly grasp a person's intent via the written word without any obvious social ques ("he said laughingly", "she said while rolling her eyes"). It is especially hard to grasp sarcasm. Is this sarcasm? There is a happy face, that could indicate sarcasm, I guess. But a winky face would be more indicative of jest. I used to know someone online that would say the most horrible things to people because he thought a winky face would make up for it. I no longer associate with this guy, for obvious reasons. But anyway. Soooo... this commenter really is just being an asshole?
The second problem of course is that people really do this. I have talked about this previously. Multiple times. When you see a photo or video of a dancer online your first reaction should not be "oh here, let me tell you everything you are doing WRONG" regardless of the air of perfectionism inherent in ballet. It is not okay. Do not do this. To anyone for any reason. I understand the urge (lord knows I have seen a few too many porcelain ballerina figurines with dreadfully awkward posture, thankfully pointing this out is not objectifying and insulting an actual person) but if you are not the teacher in a classroom full of students then you need to check your corrections at the door.
And for the love of god, if you MUST be a dickweed? At least end with a winky face. ;)

Dear Ballet People,

I just saw this on Pinterest, but it is only one of MANY examples:

Don't do this. Do not allow your personal quest for perfection (and the innate competition and voyeurism of your art) to become an excuse for publicly being a total douche nozzle. Just... just don't do it.
Because you know what? No one is perfect. No one. Not ever. That is the great irony of ballet. She isn't perfect, but she's a lot closer to the mark than I will ever be. And probably closer or just as close as YOU will be. So just knock it the hell off!
I've said it before and I will say it again: if you want society to treat dancers and dance people like SANE HUMAN BEINGS then all y'all are going to have to stop acting like neurotic pains in the ass.
Keep calm (as they say) and don't go all Black Swan.

Pet Peeve!

So on Yahoo! this morning (I know, I know, but my husband hasn't been able to figure out how to get my regular e-mail address to filter in to Thunderbird since we upgraded my computer, and I have to be able to communicate SOMEhow) there was a video about Miss America (which apparently just happened?) and a bit with Miss... something. Idaho or Wyoming or something (you can tell I am Californian, it's like other states don't even exist in my brain) doing a ballet variation for the talent competition. And the costume was ugly, just a really sickly color for TV, but what the heck, everything about pagaents tends to be ugly anyway. But the comments are FILLED with people bashing her technique. I mean every single comment.
It's funny, but you see this a lot online with ballet related stuff. If someone posts a photo to Flikr of their 12 year old in her first pointe shoes the comment section will be taken over by people telling her to soften her arms and work on her turn out. I saw a video on Youtube of a dancer who had to be about 6, and she was kicking my ass for reals, and the comments were all about how awful her technique was. SHE WAS SIX. I mean, I understand that ballet works for an unreachable level of perfection, and I know that correction is the only way to learn, but really? SIX. YEARS. OLD. If ballet people want the world to stop thinking of them as crazy and exclusive and likely to kill themselves by accident in the pursuit of perfection (HELLO HOLLYWOOD I AM LOOKING AT YOU) then people need to get a little more real.
Dude, Miss Montana or whatever still trumps me, and that is a fact.