Classical ballet is the most physically and emotionally grueling of all the
performing arts, and it is widely known that ballet dancers are in better
condition than most professional athletes. Unlike athletes, dancers can never
show their pain or exhaustion. They must create the illusion that dance is
effortless by controlling their facial expressions, their emotions and their
muscles. And dancers must be consistent throughout an entire performance,
even though quite often the most demanding solos occur toward the end of
the ballet.

The basis for every dancer's conditioning regardless of whether they are
young students or prima ballerinas, is the daily class or training session. All
dancers go through the same sequence of exercises, starting at the barre
and building up through tendus to adage work in the center and finally quick
steps and jumps.

Every company class in every studio in the world looks and sounds the same:
dancers in frayed, grungy rehearsal clothes, usually wearing their oldest,
most tattered shoes; the sound of the pianist's music echoing in the room;
soles squeaking as feet press and slide across the floor; the teacher calling
out instructions as the dancers go through the same exercises they've been
going through since they were children.

It may sound like a recipe for boredom.
But for dancers, ballet class is like water.
It sustains them.

My daughter Christine enjoys dance, and I take great pride in watching her
perform.