Silly Things Ballet Dancers Do That Seem Odd In Public

You know how ballet dancers spend numerous hours in the studio, perfecting their technique until it becomes so familiar. But that second nature discipline often spills over into their everyday lives in the funniest ways. From spontaneously dancing in public to stretching everywhere, ballet dancers can’t help but show manners that can leave others around surprised.

Here are 11 silliest quirks ballet dancers do that seem weird to everyone else around

1. Walking in “turn out”
2. Dancing in public
3. Wearing a bun with a normal outfit
4. Speaking ballet language
5. The way they reach for things
6. Sitting weird
7. Analyzing other people’s feet
8. Counting their steps
9. Stretching everywhere
10. Using ballet hands
11. Cracking their joints loudly

Let’s explore ballet dancers’ silly habits

• Awkwardly walking in “turn out” in real life

To ballet dancers, what’s more natural than standing with their feet turned out in class or studio? They must constantly be mindful of their posture, alignment and turn out to prevent injury and look graceful. But in real life, standing with your feet turned out in first, third, or fifth position seems awkward.

Because of their turnout, they have heard this at least once “You walk like a duck” or “You walk like a pregnant woman”. In France, that’s what you hear… NOT cool! (This is the result of years of training and conditioning by the way!!)

• Dancing in public

My daughter used to practice her pirouettes everywhere! I took a video of her doing it at the beach. Such a great memory! ( though not the best place to practice your technique…) She would also randomly burst into dance in the grocery store, or leap across the street instead of walking like everyone else. I have fun pics of her striking in a ballet pose (like an arabesque).

• Wearing a bun with an everyday outfit

For many ballet dancers, the bun is simply practical and comfortable, so they continue to wear it even when not performing because they have no time to take it off before going to school, for instance, or do another one to return to rehearsals.

The bun is strongly associated with their professional persona. It is useful, keeping hair out of the way, and is part of the elegant image of a ballerina. It also symbolizes the rigor and discipline of ballet training.

But when worn outside that context, it might seem unusual since people vary their hairstyles with casual clothing. So, seeing a ballerina pull her hair up in a bun all the time might feel like she can’t let go of that formal image and disciplined mindset.

• Speaking ballet jargon around non-dancers

It can feel strange to non-dancers when ballet dancers do not adjust their ballet language around them, simply because they don’t understand what they are talking about. It sounds like a foreign language.

Ballet has a very distinct French vocabulary like “pirouette”, “tendu” or “plié”, that dancers use in their everyday exchanges. To someone who is not familiar with the dance world, it makes them feel excluded from the conversation.

• The way they reach for things

Ballet dancers love to display their balance and control. Like ending up doing an elegant “arabesque”, extending their leg behind to reach something up high as though they are on stage reaching toward an invisible partner. Or perform a lovely “penché” to pick up things. They often turn everyday tasks into mini-performances, transforming the action into a flowing movement. Why not add some elegance to the most ordinary tasks?

• Sitting weird

Another spontaneous habit of ballet dancers is stretching on the sofa while watching TV. What’s wrong with doing planks or some other strengthening exercises? But the sofa is too soft for this, so they often end up on the floor, the most suitable support. They simply can’t sit still and stop stretching and strengthening.

• Analyzing people’s feet

Ballet dancers have this obsession with their feet because they are the most important part of their body, and the tools they use most. That is why they constantly analyze and perfect them, looking for any imperfections or weaknesses they need to correct. That’s perfectly fine but not when they also examine the shape of other people’s feet in real life…

• Counting their steps

Ballet dancers are continuously counting in their heads to perform each movement with precision: 1,2,3…8. So they can’t help but count all the time like their steps as they climb up the stairs whether at home, outside, or anywhere.

• Stretching everywhere

Let’s not forget the splits or leg stretches against anything; walls, grocery carts, or park benches—treating countertops like ballet barres or pushing a shopping cart forward with a graceful pointed foot (tendu).

Read the article “Best beginner ballet stretches that will flex you fast!”

• Using ballet hands

Oh, the art of ballet hands, delicate and poised hands with their fingers extended and gently curved! How beautiful to carry the elegance of their art into everyday life! But how weird it seems to everyone else when ballet dancers instinctively use ballet hands while doing ordinary things, such as holding a coffee cup with their fingertips or opening doors flicking the hand gracefully instead of simply pulling it.

• Cracking their joints loudly

This one can be startling! The noisy habit of ballet dancers casually cracking their ankles, toes, or knees while sitting in a quiet place, under the table. Their hyper-mobile joints and tight muscles make dancers need to relieve tension frequently but cracking their joints with a series of pops can be surprisingly loud to those around them.

Wrap-Up

In the end, ballet dancers never stop performing, whether doing an arabesque to reach the top shelf or bursting into dance in the streets. Their dedication to technique and finesse seeps into their everyday life. After all, the world is their stage!

Dancer or non-dancer, is there a silly thing you would add to this list? Please share in the comments!!