This Is What a Baseball Player Doing Ballet Looks Like

A couple of weeks ago, we told you that former baseball star Mike Piazza would be making his debut with the Miami City Ballet, playing the Gangster in Balanchine’s famous Slaughter on Tenth Avenue this May as a gift to his 6-year-old daughter, who’s a student at the Miami City Ballet School.

All together now: awwwwww.

But if you were having a bit of a hard time imagining Piazza doing ballet—and trust us, we were too—this should help.

Earlier this week, the Associated Press went inside the studio with Piazza and the MCB dancers as they rehearsed the ballet. And that means we now have photographic evidence of the big guy’s ballet skills.

Though Piazza’s part isn’t especially dance-heavy—OK, it doesn’t really involve any dancing at all—there is one interesting pic of him showing off before rehearsal with MCB principal Patricia Delgado. By the looks of it, he’s got some moves! Take a peek.

All photos Lynne Sladky/AP

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UPDATE:
And now there’s video!