written by balletboy  on 07.10. at 23:09:25

This "Dancer in Despair" nick-name is too somber.  You're gonna get depressed about everything if you continue saying you're in "despair."  Pick out a nick-name (Anything except "balletboy!") without the "despair!"

You said "Im just kinda embarrased about my bulge showing, and people staring."  Did you say you were 15?  The truth is that everyone knows what's there, and it's nothing to be "embarrased" over.  Guys are built differently than girls, and guys as they mature are different from boys.  This is a fact of life, accept it.  I may be a bit of an exhibitionist, but I've worked hard to develop my balletbody.

On top of it, dance is an expression of the body.  It's important to show the body and what it can do to express the feelings of the dance.  You're working hard to be able to express that dance, so take the opportunity to use your body at its fullest.  (There are some roles in dance that require costumes that indicate the character, and some costumes are needed to set a mood or feeling, but on the whole, the audience has to see the movement that is so basic to dance!)

You are concerned..."Also, for my performance, I have to wear a unitard, and im kinda thin.  Are there exercise I can do to bulk up so im not a toothpick at performance?"

There are muscle building exercises, but at 15 years old you'll find that continuing with dance will develop the muscles across the next few years as you "mature"  (that hormone stuff).  At your age I would do extra exercise to build up the heart and lungs, like swimming or biking.  You could do some weight-lifting, but I wouldn't recommend too much, from my point of view.  Others may feel different.

I liked your next statements: "Also, my yet-to-be-purchased dance belt is the subject of my last two dreams.  Wednesday night, I saw one at a store, and I just looked at it.  On thursday, I bought one and (w/ my parents there) tried it on at home and showed them it!  Is my recurring dream telling me that I need to get one soon, or something will happen?"

Hey, who knows what any dream means?  

It's not your recurring dream that's telling you to get a dancebelt, it's all the guys on this site who keep hammering that message into your head!

There are on-line dancestores that can help: www.nydancewear.com, www.saksmovingwear.com (the same as www.actionwear.com), and www.backbaydancewear.com.  They'll also send you a catalogue.  

But there's some more important advice you need, too.  Go to www.danceart.com and check out their LINKS to dancewear sites AND their message boards (They'll ask you to join before you get to the boards, but you can sign in as a GUEST without any cost.).  And go to www.balletalert.com for their LINKS to dancewear sites and their message boards.

Lighten up and keep dancing!  balletboy