One of my readers gave me a great tip for a post – what are the typical situation you wouldn’t want to find yourself in in a ballet company? So here goes, I’ve listed a few… I wrote it from a guy’s point of view, but ladies – it’s really all the same (except you might not want to put up titty-posters… Or you may, what do I know?)

1. Don’t take someone else’s place at the barre! When you are a new dancer in a company, be humble! There may be unwritten rules in the theatre you don’t know about, and you might end up hurting someone (see my post on the characters of a ballet theatre – some of them hurts pretty easily), and that’s not necessarily how you would like to start your career! The best spot by the barre, in the middle, in the front, is probably already taken. Wait until the class is about to start, and stand where there’s room, or ask someone where you can stand. In that way, you may even end up having a conversation with one of your new colleagues…

2. Don’t crowd the changing-room! Again a matter of sensitivity. Unfortunately, the theaters where each dancer has his own corner of the changing room are in minority. Usually, there’s a bunch of guys changing in a small place. It might be messy, there might be titty-posters – but it doesn’t mean people will not react. Take up as little room as possible in the beginning. If you have your own mirror, pictures are ok to put up there, but don’t put Jessica Alba on the entrance-door the first week.

3. Don’t brag! I get it! Your’e the new guy, and you want to show everyone what you know, that certain trick you do better than the rest. But be aware; Dancers are competitive animals! They might not show it, but they’re all paying attention to the new people. And if you seem over-the-top self confident, you might get yourself a couple of nemesis’s pretty darn fast! Of course, show the world what you know! But know your place! Go after the first soloist – even if you might do the exercise better than him! There is nothing better than friendly competition in the ballet studio – it makes all the competitors better dancers! But at the moment it turns hostile or negative, you’re guaranteed bad mood.

Also read my post on being the new guy, and what pro’s and con’s that includes…

Let’s continue the list together, shall we? What’s your experiences starting at a new working place? Anything you would have done differently? The comment field is yours!
Until then,

Ta-ta

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