Romance, BFFs, bro-mances… most of us have a number of interesting and complicated relationships. And some of us have even one more, some of us have a ballet-mance. I’ve come to a place where none of this needs to make sense and I don’t really care what anyone else thinks about my chosen beloved, I love ballet. I love the way everything about ballet is good for me and makes me feel happy and positive. I love that even failures are steps to triumphs, every step, literally and figuratively. I love that ballet makes me want to be healthier and take better care of myself. I love that ballet makes me more aware of my body and my movement. I love that ballet class makes me realize that ALL music is ballet music. I love that ballet both captures me and frees me. I love that ballet class means that I can wear pink tights and cute leotard AND work and sweat like a Spartan warrior.
I love knowing that learning ballet now means that I will have ballet in me forever.
I know, I mean, I KNOW it’s IMPOSSIBLE to put your love for ballet into one sentence, or even one paragraph but just for kicks, what do you love best about ballet?
THE 109th BEAD 
I totally thought “ballet-mance” was going to mean something else–like what you’d call a healthy obsession with a dancer. 😉 I like your definition better though!
Oh yes, there is that too! And our obsessions are healthy… aren’t they??? 😀
Hi Lorry
Wow you have so summed up how I feel about ballet, i doubt non dancers (adults & teens alike) what understand just what ballet means to us!!
Its so so difficult to quantify the love i have for ballet, (you’ve covered many in your post already), for me each class is where i can escape from myself whilst finding myself all at the same time!
I don’t think i can come up with another activity where I am so emotionally, physically, spiritually, mentally, and harmoniously connected to the world around & inside of me. Other than being in love…..!
When I’m away from ballet for more than a day, or something transpires to keep me apart (usually work) it hurts inside, like something is clawing away at my soul.
Fortunately these occasions are rare, more often I have the feeling of being so incredibly lucky to have the love of ballet in my life and the joy it brings me, from all its varying facets, learning, dancing, watching, listening, reading, eating, dreaming, Twittering, and sharing the world of ballet with truly wonderful people who i have met along this journey.
If you don’t love ballet like life itself, then what’s the point(e)?
Becca x
Thank you, Becca! I know exactly what you mean! I love that I both give myself over and lose myself to ballet but I find myself and define myself at the same time. As you expressed so well, it is the only activity that addresses each person in a truly complete way! I also love that it is in every way good for me, good for me physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually, socially!
I used to run marathons. I ran cross country as a teenager and then marathons in grad school. I stopped about 5 years ago. I really enjoyed running but just didn’t really have the time to train anymore and I was concerned about the stress on my body as well. Just the other day I thought about how I used to enjoy running but I realized that I didn’t love running. I liked it a lot and I was good at it. I have experienced the wonders of runner’s high many, many times. But ballet class high is so much better than runner’s high. The contrast between doing something that I enjoy doing and doing something that I love, that consumes me, is more than I can express in words. It was kind of easy to give up running, but to give up ballet? No way!
Couldn’t have put it any better myself! Can’t wait to get back to it.
Thank you!
Know what else I love about ballet? It’s patient and will always be there waiting for you to return to the fold 😀
What do I love best about ballet? Absolutely everything!!!!
love you xx
It’s too ridiculously hard to list everything that there is to love about ballet! We could go on forever on just that topic alone!
love you too XX