10 Struggles Only Bunheads Will Understand

March 14, 2018

Ballet is so beautiful…and SO STUPID HARD. Are you an aspiring ballerina? Here are 10 struggles you probably deal with every single day.

There Are Never Enough Bobby Pins

When you’re wearing buns 24/7, it seems like no matter how many bobby pins you buy, they disappear almost instantly. (Seriously, though: Where do they all go?)

Related: Our Heads Always Hurt

Bobby-pin headaches are no joke.

“Nutcracker” Pretty Much Ruins the Holidays

While all of our friends are out ice skating and sipping hot chocolate and shopping for gifts, we’re swamped with Nutcracker rehearsals and performances. Bah humbug.

Pointe Shoes Are Simultaneously the Best and Worst Things in the World

They’re so beautiful. They hurt us SO MUCH.

Flip Flops Are a No-No

Exposing your blistered, bruised, pointe-shoe-battered feet to the world (and the possibility of infection)? No thank you.

And Forget About Heels

Yeah, those 5-inch stilettos are gorgeous, but tbh? Our feet are so sore after class, it’s all we can do to put on old-lady sneakers.

Tight Holes and Runs Are the Actual Worst

Why is it that a brand-new pair of tights is pretty much guaranteed to rip within five minutes?

We Will Basically Be Sewing Pointe Shoes Every Minute Until the Day We Die

So. Much. Dental. Floss.

Turnout Isn’t a Choice. It’s a Way of Life.

What’s that? We were standing turned-out while in line at Starbucks? Sorry—that’s just our natural state of being.

We’ve Gotta Be Tougher Than Nails

Don’t let the tutus fool you: we’re tough, people. Over time, our #balletstruggles have helped us build up enough confidence and endurance to tackle pretty much anything.