3.8. I'm a guy! Do I have to wear tights?
Description
This article is from the Ballet and Modern Dance FAQ, by Tom Parsons twp@panix.com with numerous contributions by others.
3.8. I'm a guy! Do I have to wear tights?
For some reason, many men have problems with this, especially
teenagers. And yes, you probably have to. They're worn for a reason, not
just to make you look ridiculous or like a sex object < grin> . Your teacher
needs to be able to see how the muscles in your legs work, as explained
in the previous question. Any garment that obscures these lines interferes
with proper instruction.
I suppose you could get by wearing some of the alternatives men-
tioned in the previous question; but what's the matter with tights, anyway?
They're worn in the gym, by cyclists, by joggers, even on the ski slopes.
There may well be more men wearing tights to-day than at any previous time
in history. So why worry about wearing them in ballet class?
One other point: When you start ballet, you are entering a new
world, a completely different one with its own standards, ends, and customs.
Such an experience is a rare gift, one not granted to everybody, and you
should make the most of it. You should relish all the little peculiarities
of the balletic tradition as well as the hard work in class. For me these
peculiarities include the funny clothes we wear; these are as much a part
of ballet as the gown and wig worn by Horace Rumpole are a part of English
law. (And if you think tights are strange, wait until you see how ballet
shoes are made.)
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