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?

Once pink flatties, now dark and dingy grey

Dental floss and pink threads fraying in disarray

Leather patches and pleats worn flat and thin

Knotted elastic, cut short and tucked in

Folded over, crunched up and carried in a bag, pocket, or pouch

My once perfect ballet slippers are now pretty well trounced

The threads of the canvas at the toes are now bare

A hole has begun and continues to wear

But as I pull on each shoe before my next class

A delight lights my face as I realize at last

The holes in my shoes are from hours on the floor

From brushing and moving and dancing galore

The holes in my shoes give me joy through and through

Even though I realize a new pair is in view

The holes in my ballet shoes whisper a secret

The holes in my shoes say this dancer’s legit!